Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-05-13
Progress of Commission Plan Bill.

| Progress of Commission Plan Bill.
Senate bill No. IS, known as the
commission plan bill, is now before
the lower house, having passed the
senate by almost unanimous vote
last week. Assurances are given the
Commission Plan association that every
effort will be made to get this bill out
of the house committee promptly and
place it upon its passage at the earliest
possible date.
From the expressions of various
members of the house, the indications
| are that the bill, once reported out
lfavorably by the committee, will have
rs easy sailing in the house as it did
in the senate The careful manner in
which the senate considered the meas
ure and the wide publicity that has
| been given it by the activities of that
body created great deal of interest
in the house, and most of the members
are now said to be ready to vote
upon it.
a meeting of the members of the
State Commission Plan association in
lcluding representatives from Rock Is
land, Rockford, Joliet, Peoria, Moline,
lGalosburg East st. Louis. Springfield;
| champaign, and other cities of import
ancc, was arranged for this week, and
proved to be a satisfactory conference.
That the people of Illinois desire the
opportunity to try this new system of
government is evidenced by the almost
unanimous support the bill is receiv-
ing from the press of the state. The
people are asking the legislature to
give them this opportunity, and from
present appearances their request is
going TO be granted.
The Chicago Tribune, in a recent is.
sue, we believe voices the sentiments
of the people on this question in the
following EDITORIAL:
The commission plan of city gov
ernmcnt was in its inception an emer-
gency measure. Galveston, bankrupt
ed by a great disaster, and with no
hope of eXtTication from it difficulties
under a form of government which has
IfOStcred incompetency, extravaganza
and corruption, turned its affairs over
to handful of men of recognized
ability. They restored the credit of
sound footing. Galveston is so well
satisfied with the commission plan
| that it could not be induced to aban
don it.
"a year ago Chelsea, Mass, was
swept by fire. There was great de-
struction of public and private prop
er;y. Sixteen thousand people were
made homeless. The problem of re
construction had to be solved The cit
liens turned for relief to the commits
sion plan. Five men, none of whom
had been in office at the time of the
fire, were picked out and put in charge
of the municipality Although millions
of taxable property had been destroy
led, the commission was able to borrow
on easy terms the money needed tC
REPLACE schools and engine houses anC
other public buildings. Property own
ers put faith in its declaration that il
lspite of the decreased valuation there
would be no increase in the tax rate
and set to work to rebuild stores ant
private dwellings. The commission
has put Chelsea on it's feet again.
"The commission plan has withstoot
the severest tests. 1t has succeeded
lwherc the old-fashioned style of mu
|nicipal government, with its wards an,
aldermen, had broken down. Under i
bankrupt cities can be made solven
without Gripping the people by tax
alton. Under it more can be done 70
1.-THE people with less money. Tha
fought to commend it to cities whic
lare solvent.
There are small cities in this an,
lOther states where party lines are no
lstrictly drawn in local elections, wher
business men are more ready to TAX
Ian active part in municipal affair
than in the great cities, and wher
there is no need of party machinery t
lput candidates in the field There tn
commission plan can be tried wit
lcvery prospect of success. There ar
many cities which, attracted by it
lsimplicity and its smooth working else
where, would like to try it. The
lshould be given an opportunity"
Nearly all of the other Chicago p;
lpers have written in favor of the bill
land the newspapers of every city {
any consequence in the state are pra,
tically unanimously for it.