The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-11-21
6y Carl 0ernhardt,)


In my previous articles I have tried
'however imperfectly l have succeed
ed, to bring out. step by step. the real.
ly significant things which the Des
Moines Plan means to the average
man. who has never been very much
considered under the present scheme
OF things except at election times.
From this standpoint. think I have
proved that the Des Moines Plan Is
eminently successful and practical.
Next, that Des Moines is an average
town. And that being true. that "
the plan is successful there. II will ap-
ply with equal force to other American
cities. where the same conditions are
in force. which were present before the
change to the new form of govern
ment. presented a truthful picture
of what those conditions were, II
show what the Des Moines Plan has
overcome. This also introduced the
history and the need for the Des
Moines Plan and involved discussion
of the weaknesses of the old plan.
After this. came the arguments-the
contrast, which convinced Des Moines.
as it convinced more than thirty other
cities. Of the folly Of the old form Of
government. Then | endeavored 10
give some idea of the actual workings
of the Des Moines Plan and what has
been accomplished under II and by -.
In order to substantiate this. II was
proved that the beneficial results are
not because of extraordinary men in
office. but with average men. The
results are those that every American
city longs for.
The Cardinal Difference.
Let me repeat, went to Des Moines
prepared to be disappointed or to find
something which has not been men
toned In the glowing descriptions
which are current. l did not find
anything which is impractical.
used as a basis of comparison the city
of Richmond. I found the conditions
parallel in many respects. and where
the situations were not identical. the
reason was obvious found that the
men in office were below the average
Of Indiana cities. found that the
| work performed was several hundred
per cent more effective. l found that
the Des Moines citizen had once less in-
terest in his city government before.
than the citizen in Indiana cities has
under the present plan. But I found
that in Des Moines now every citizen of
whatever station In life. Is thoroughly
awake to every act of the city govern
ment. The reason Is. that havinR
all the power. the citizen begins 70
take an interest which he never had
before and never will have under the
old plan. This is the most real and
the cardinal difference-I had almos:
said revolutionary result of the new
system. called the Des Moines Plan
An Editors Summary.
|. Here is what Lafayette Young. tbs
editor of The Des Moines Capital. tn.
largest paper in Iowa, says Of the De-
Noines Plan:
"One year after you have adopted
the new form Of city government. you
will wonder how you ever submitted Il
the old form 50 long"
Here are my views about the
Plan:
list was an earnest supporter o.
the commission plan of city govern
ment advocated II in the Capita
| and made speeches night after nigh
in favor of its adoption.
-.2nd-I have had no 0cco130o q
change my mind. I am more e0fhu
siastic for the Des Moines Plan TO-DAY
than when II was adopted
"3rdI do not believe that thou
sand votes would Be cast in this cit,
to go back to the old plan In fact
such q thing II not mentioned and d
never contemplated.
"4th-Our people know what = goini
on in the city government and the!
never did know before. Publicity 4