Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-05-27
H. D. LEE SAYS IT'S NO GOOD.
Leading Merchant Objects to Com
mission Government.

H. D. lee has written to the sa-
lima papers his ideas on the COM
mission form of government. he
says:
Is 1t not strange that few people
Of our city are SO actively engaged
in undertaking to force a commission
government upon US at this time?
Salina usually is obliged to pay LOT
all the good things that she gets, but
recently we have had three different
lecturers brought here to give us
free lectures on this question OF gov
eminent by commission. They ad-
vocate municipal ownership If hand
led by commission. have notlceo
that they all used almost the exact
language, "If you have municipai
ownership you must have control py
commission. This question OF com
mission government is a comparative
" new one. In Washington D. C''
where they have had an experience
Of fifteen years with it, ex-President
Roosevelt declares it failure. Gal
weston, one of the first cities ASIDE
from washington to try this expert
ment was delighted with it for the
first few years. Following their
great disaster when the city OF Gal
weston was almost destroyed by the
great tidal wave which swept over
that city few years ago, the cltl-
zens realizing that their municipal
affairs had not been honestly con-
ducted, adopted this commission
form of government, and elected as
their commissioners three OF their
most honest and capable citizens
and while these citizens conducted
the business affirs of the city they
were honestly, economically and sat
isfactorily conducted, but they Were'
like all officers, elective, and at a re-
cent election a new set OF officers
recognized as politicians and under
the control Of the dishonest ana
grating elements, were elected.
The only claim made the adVo-
Gates Of commission form Of govern
ment is that the government would
he more Of business government,
honestly and capably administered
overlooking the fact entirely that
these commissioners like councilmen'
MAYOR. or any other officer, are elect
ed. and that there is no more assur-
ance that honest, capable men VIII
he elected commissioners than there
Is now that honest, capable men Will
he elected as councilrnen. And the
danger is not eliminated by the fact
that they are called commissioners
hut rather increased because of the
smaller number of them. Then, too
commission form Of government for
a town Of the size Of salina is expen'
s,ve because Of the fact that there Is
an increase in expenses without 9
corresponding increase in benefits
our present tax levy brings US in FOL
municipal purposes about $4,000
Three commissioners under the pres
emit law would draw in salaries about
1890, or 10 per cent Of the entire
fund collected for municipal pur'
poses. This fund is distributed II
monthly payments based largely OF
axed charges. as for instance elee
tic lights, water charges, police
mems salaries, paving contracts, etc
II is not a small sum to pay for .
small servicef This sum is nov be
ing disbursed through the council
without any charge, as honestly am
a. intslllEsntly as any commission
Of thfes men could possibly do IL j
here any god business reason w
We should pag ~ per cent q IL
fsrss vhieh We collect to thres me-