The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-28
Commission Plan Big Success in
Cedar Rapids.
HE WRITES TO TOPEKA
Gives Details of the Work That
Has Been Done.
Comparison Made With Mayor
and Council Plan.

Enthusiastic in his praises of the com
mission form of government Charles
Daniel Huston, city commissioner of
Cedar Rapids, Ia. has sent here on re-
quest his opinion of the results attained
since the commission plan was in au-
gurated in that municipality AS
developed in the Iowa city the plan of
government has been adopted after
many advanced ideas which include the
Initiative and referendum the recall, di-
rect primaries. and the appointment of
all municipal employees by civil service
rules.
Due. to the forthcoming election in To-
peka, which will be held November 2, to
determine whether or not the commits
sion plan will be the form of govern
ment here, something regarding the
plan as shown by the experience of mum
1cipal Cedar Rapids will be of interest
Mr.. Illusions letter is as follows:
Every thoughtful man will concede
there is no proper connection between
national parties and city administration
and in my opinion the real reason for
civic misgovernment (not traceab BILE to
| the fact that we have been trying to
manage our affairs as legislature in
stead of a business concern) has been
due to the fact that national party sue
cess has been deemed the great thing
and city business to a large degree has
| been administered to perpetuate or Sc
cure that success says Commissioner
Huston with regard to Cedar Rapids
conditions. ITO ninety-five per cent of
| the citizens of Topeka or any other city
personal thing with which he seldom
| If ever comes in contact beyond making
use of the mails. 1t has practically
nothing to do with his daily comfort
L., 4I-,+ - IL g. ill.,
This can also be truly said as to the
state government. Indeed. in none of
these more general branches of the
government is the individual citizen
taken into consideration at all. 1t is the
municipal government of the city or
! town in which man resides which has
| to do with his peace. comfort and hap
piness and of those for whom he pro-
vides If city affairs are managed as
| they should be, national affairs will be
| right as a matter of course.
City Creates Own Conditions.
ST express no new thought when say
a city creates Its own conditions and
| to be successful it must have the power
to deal with all difficulties and needs Of
| life. Those who are not residents of the
city are interested in their having good
| government, it IS true. but their interest
| is indirect as they are not personally af-
| fected. To those who have only a ben
evolent interest, the city cannot safely
entrust its management. Then, how
much less can it safely entrust its man
agement to those who have a purely par
tisan interest. The city must If mis-
rule and misgovern1nent is to cease,
have its affairs managed by those who
| have personal knowledge of its prob
lens and direct personal as well as a
strong human and benevolent interest
| in their proper solution. City admin
listration is not properly a plaything of
partisans and its offices should not be
| the prizes in state or national politics.
| However, Notwithstanding many
hsndicaps, thousands of honorable
men have served their cities with great
| ability, and accomplished wonders, too,
because there is evidence on every
! hand that they bui1ded wisely and
well. That they did not succeed in
making city government popular dur
/ ing their tenure of office was not be-
cause of lack of effort on their part,
but rather because of the system I'M
Ger which they were working. No man
rof ordinary intelligence in my opinion,
was ever called to the highest office
/ within the gift of the people of his
/ firing to private life, that he was I'M
able to accomplish many things for
| the public good that he had set his
art on doing because of insurmount-
| able obstacles encountered and which
has brought civic administrations into
t1eproach all over the land.
To Do for and "to Do' the City.
| ITO be plain, while the mayor and
i a certain number of councilmen were