The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-04-14

falls to the mayor-who has general
supervision over all the departments.
| 2 Public Safety Which has direc-
ton of the fire chief, the Police chief
and the department of health.
3. Accounts and Finance.-Which
has charge of all records and accounts.
4. Streets and Public improvements
which charge of street cleaning
improvements, sewers, bridges and
supervision of all public service cor
porations.
5. Parks and Public Property.-To
each of these four departments the
board assigns commissioner who is
the head of that department and as
sumes all responsibility within its jur-
Iisdiction.
A Strict Civil Service is made fea-
ture of this plan. All employers are
selected by competitive and impair
tial test of their fitness for the place.
Publicity is also emphacized. New
ordinances must be placed on file for
public inspection certain number of
days before going into effect.
Monthly statements must be furnish
ed the newspapers and public library,
showing all receipts and expenditures
and the general transaction of the ad
ministration.
Thus every taxpayer has within easy
reach. complete and full information
regarding the city's affairs.
The people have absolute control OF
granting franchises and this fact re-
moves temptation and reduces the pos
Isibility of graft to the minimum.
An alderman or commissioner might
be bought by some greedy corpora
ton but you cannot think of the peo-
pie themselves being purchased. The
great mass of the people are honest
and upright. they are not grafters.
The clerical force is appointed by
the board, but the civil service feature
: removes 1T from politics and 1t is
amply protected by the merit system.
A good salary is paid the commits
: sioners and this gives an incentive for
men of character and ability to devote
l their entire time to the welfare of the
, city. In Des Moines the mayor re-
u ceived $4,000. and the other four
l. commissioners $4,000 each.
Perhaps the strongest feature IN
this plan lies in the provision for the
>. .initiative referendum and recall :
= These are the safeguards of the whole
! system and keep the power of ultimate
. control always in the hands OF the
hn
o. Veto under the initiative-the power
IS OF direct legislation is given to the
d. people and any law desired by ma
II iority of the voters may be secured
~ even though it is opposed by the
le board of commissioners.
ID BY the Referandum-Any unwise ex
e penditure of city money or any othe
70 act which does not meet with popula
b. favor may be effectively blocked by
majority of the citizens.
. The recall is the .sbig stick IN tn
~ hands of the people-therefore it
is perhaps the most important-for
vests in the people the power of vet
h. not of measure but of men. Any office
NAV be recalled for dishonesty or In
k efficiency. This, of course, constitute
practical impeachment, for the peopl
:, who voted him in, If they become dis
- satisfied with his conduct of affairs
may vote him out.
III And such an election shall be hel
us upon the request of twenty-five pc
cent of the voters at the last genera
a election-so that in reality commits
ed sioners are not elected for two year
le- but for two years or during good b'
er havior. This, of course, makes bi
insecentive for an officer to be goo
in and give good account of his truste'
ex- ship.
IN This then is the plan.-Now no
so does it work!
ng LIST. Party Politics, too freauentl
~ the curse of civic life. are lost in tt
70. struggle for a better. saner, cleane
70 administration Where men are S
nv Ilected at a non-partisan primary an
then elected on non-partisan tick
at a non-partisan election. III
u choice must of necessity be individu
Lso rather than partisan So then undo
'as the new plan the supreme question
.hu not which party, but the rather,
IS bigger and better city.
WI 9 Ward lines are obliterated. Wa
)es