The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-05-24

of their lack OF acquaintance ana IN I
different capacity, readily secured en-
trance to the Council from wards. and |
by reason of their lack of responsible !
ity to the entire people became neg
lectful of their trusts.
IS Public improvements, which in
volved the expenditure Of large sums
of money, came under the purview of
tie Board OF Public Works, composed
of two appointees OF the mayor, con-
firmed by the Council. The mem
bers of the board were not selected,
as rule, by reason of their qualifica-
tons to perform the duties incident
to the office. Being appointe1 instead
of elected. they were independent OF
public opinion. Citizens who felt that
their interests were lost sight of ap-
piled to the board for recognition.
They were informed that the matters
in question came now particularly
within the purview Of the Council.
The Council referred the indignant cit
zens to the Council committees,
which in turn referred them to some
other department OF the city. The
system, therefore, involved great
weakness in administration, slowness
in action, lack Of responsibility, and
freedom from accommodating Tie par
tisan method of nominating and elect
ing made political considerations para
mount to all others and put premium
upon inside combinations to the great
detriment of the public interest.
TO meet these evils the Des Moines
! plan of government was devised. The
trainers of tie measure recognized the
fact that our government, national,
state and municipal, was based upon
democratic principles, and unlike the
Texas plan, the new system was made
optional with our cities. and before its
adoption must be approved by ma
jority Of the voters declaring there
for at a special election called for
that purpose.
The method Of electing the Coun-
ell is practically rev one. 1t
4 involves the selection of double the
number of candidates for the places
to be filled at a formal primary to be
1 conducted under the Australian ballot
system The ticket thus nominated
must run the gauntlet OF a regular
i election, and the successful candidates
must of necessity receive majority
4 of the votes cast at the election. al
party terms which enable the vote
to distinguish the party relations o
candidates are kept from the ballot
and the personalities Of candidates ar,
the sole factors submitted to thu
voter for his judgment. Party ma
chimes are practically prohibited b,
law, enforced by criminal sections
The candidates for the Council ar,
) prohibited from compromising o
, promising to compensate voters for pc
!, Ilitical support with any emolumen
) whatever and are especially prohit
: tied from promising appointments t
n office.
e Responsibility is concentrated upo
l. the five councilmen, the mayor
Q mayor in name only, since he
e clothed with all the powers OF coul
} Gilman and is in fact councilma
s rather than mayor, although he
placed at the head of the Departmer
e of Public Safety, and is at all time
e within reach OF the public as til
A. representative of the city and fl
d which extra service he receives an a
e ditional salary"
d What Has Been Done.
S. Having adopted the new law with
Is determination to give it thoroue
id trial, in the belief that everytli1
ir was to be gained and nothing was
i'd be lost, how did Des Moines go abo
lie the municipal revolution, and whs
in, detail, has the plan accomplished?
I'd In the first place, the old governil
a powers were thrown out Of offic
it from mayor to councilmen and fro
It, Board of Public Works to Board
nd Library Trustees, with host of
e. spectors who did not inspect and &C
DIS tractors for everybody's interests {
m cept the city's.
of Five commissioners were elect
he and the work apportioned among the
ed as follows: A. j. Mathis. mayor a
tie superintendent of the department
N. public affairs; Charles w. Schram
ss- superintendent of the department
Is accounts and finances; John l.. HA
Id cry, superintendent of the departing
re of public safety; John MacVicar,
he perintendent of the department.
So streets and public improvements;
All w. Ash, superintendent of the depa
he ment of parks and public property.
These five men took over the c
on troll of the business Of city of 90,'
It's. population, covering an area of fiji
four square miles, the assess
ds. valuation of whose property
ing s74,041, 800 From giving out pr
the lions In payment of political de
ice they turned to giving them out a.
led result of civil service examinati
'ec- selecting the men most fit for
ere work. The electors had decided t
the business methods should prev
on. why? Because millions of doll