The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-05-27
TAEcoMMlssloN PLAN IN low

fore the matter Is finally adJudicated-
the G COMMISSION PLAN In IOWA.
Secretary Egan of the Burlington
Commercial Exchange made q trip in
to central Iowa last week and visited
several cities which are interested IN
the commission plan Of municipal gov
eminent. L an in terview in the
Hawk-Eyc he tells Of some Of the In
teresting and instructive things he
saw and heard. IN Davenport, where
the plan was rejected. Mr. Egan re-
ports that it seems to be agreed by all
hands that failure was met because
the nndertakinc. was too hurried. The
campaign was very brief one, and as
it was started at about the time the
effort to enforce the mulct law was
at its height. there was a consfde rable
confusion of issue and many were
led to believe that the new plan was
part Of the law enforcement under
taking. Mr. Egan Is quoted as fol-
lows in this connection:
Very certainly the mulct law was
not popular in Davenport, and so OPP
position to the commission movement
was easily developed. But you do not
have to explain the difference between
these two movements to Davenport
man now, for under the old form of
government and with the most liberal
mayor and council in Iowa, the excise
laws are now strictly enforced there,
the saloons are under the fnuict law
in every detail, the gamblers are in
hiding, and all questionable resorts
have been banished from the city.
But even under the unfortunate
circumstances which prevailed during
their campaign. the victory of the OPP
ponents was not large. While there
are between eight and nine thousand
voters in Davenport, but 1924 votes
were cast at that election and the ma
jority against the plan was only 39S.
Both the Democratic and the Repub-
lican newspapers supported the plan:
its defeat was accor plisned by those
who thought that 1t was an anti-lib-
eral movement
Clinton is agitating the adoption Of
the plan and there is much enthus-
iasm apparent on all sides. Cedar
Rapids continues to flourish under its
new government. Mr.. Egan was taken
over the city by the president OF the
local Commercial club, who pointed
out the many things that have been
done during the last year in the way
of public improvements Net results
are thus stated:
There is continuity of purpose,
constant development of fixed plaT
or program in all that their commits
sion has done which seems to wori
to the great advantage of the ia,
p:-yers Taxes have been reduced, ant
vet more public work has been don,
during the last year than ever before
Most any citizen will tell you tina
those of their number who oppose Thu
plan are those who formerly fourishes
as ward politicians and have beef
! shorn of their authority and reduces
! in their influence because of the elm
| ination of partisan politics from tn
situation. / wish every voter in Bur
lington could spend a day in Ceda
Rapids and get the spirit of the pes
( pie there. They are all we'll poste'
in their city's affairs, proud OF 1t
/ progress and confident OF its future.
In Dies SIoines, Mr.. Egan reports
the taxpayers are getting thei
moneys worth for the first time in
generation. The quarrels in the cour
eli OF which we are told, are said t
work for the city's good. because the
serve to keep everything in the Inns
light and to inspire every man to d
the best he can to win public farol
Mr. Egan asked hotel man wit
whom he was visiting how he ike
! the plan and the reply was that 1t wa
nuisance. The hotel man is repr'
scented to have exclaimed:
why. our fireman threw a qual
tity of ashes into the alley the othe
day and within an hour policema
was in here asking what we mean
and ordered the ashes removed. an
t,ecause we have not been able TO g
teamster around here right ava
they are getting insistent."
Nr Egan concludes from what I
has learned OF its practical working
: that the commission plan Is goo
thing. and he urges its adoption !
burlington. He is very sure that
: the public studies the undertaking !
: friends will increase on every han
: This has been the case in keokuk
Z its investigation of the commissit
; plan to date.
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