The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-10-01
From Saturdays Daily. (.


joint debate at the AIankato Theatre
There Is no doubt but that the net
votes for the new charter. Men who
went there thinking that it was some
thing terrible and would put the
city, under the rule of five ears
chosen by themselves, went away con.
WINGED that the plan is the best de-
vised for the, government of cities, and
that instead of taking power from the
citizens it gives them far more than
they have under the present charter
Instead of being allowed to vote fol
but one of the men who spend their
money, as is the case now, they
would be permitted to vote for all
of them. And net only that but the
aldermen would be placed under heavy
bond to perform their duties accord
ing to the charter, and if they proved
to be incompetent or dishonest they
could be cast out of office and their
places filled with better men, by the
people.
Plain, Unvarnished Statement.
The meeting listened to a plain, UNI
vanished statement of how the COM
mission plan has wrought wonders for
Cedar Rapids-the statement of a
practical, hard headed young bust
ness man, who is making good as
one of the five commissioners of that
city. This was talk that every
voter should have heard, and was lis
tened to with breathless interest by
the five hundred present
Former Mayor Charles T. Taylor,
presided over the meeting, which in
cluded the elements that are oppos-
ing the new charter as well as those
that are favoring it. On the stage
were the speakers of the evening,
Ernest A. Sherman, Judge Lorin Cray,
II. L. Schmitt, W. A. Geddes and DIR.
J. A. Hielscher. All of the speakers
were limited to the time previously
agreed upon by Messrs. Palmer and
Schaub, and each was heartily APP
plauded both when making points for
his side and at the close.
How It Works at Cedar Rapids.
At Cedar Rapids the plan was dis
eussed before election, and there was
opposition, but there was little in
terest taken and the plan was adopt
ed by only thirty-three majority. 1t
has worked so well that now the
plan would receive eighty-five per
cent or more of the vote, if it was
to be submitted to a vote again.
There is very large foreign element
in the city, of Bohemian birth, and
good, loyal citizens, clannish, home
loving, and the city is proud of them.
They left their home in Europe to
get more liberty. They were told
that the commission plan would de-
prive them of their liberties and of
their beer, and that they would be
ruled by car again, as in Europe.
Then there were those who were OPP
posed to changes. Some said that
there would be no candidates, but
at the first election there were forty
eight candidates for aldermen, and
nine for mayor. Ten names We're
chosen at the primary and went on
the ballot at the city election, and a
mayor and four councilmen Were
chosen.
Commission Faced Problems
The work before the commission
was a difficult one. There was no
precedent to go by. There was the
selection of the various city officials
to be made. They were chosen only
for their fitness. No inquiry was
made as to their politics. They We're
chosen to do the work that was laid
out for them, and were kept as long
as they did it. The Cedar river flows
through the center of the city, and
there is an east side and west side
but both sides were satisfied As
to politics, the list as finally agreed
upon was about half and half The
Bohemians got even better repre-
sentation in the offices than they had
before, and were perfectly satisfied
How the City Was Improved.
The commission set out to i'm
prove the city. Mr. Robinson, an
eastern expert on the Identification
of cities, was secured and visited the
city and made a report that was
printed in pamphlet form and dis
tributed over the city. This occurred
at the psychological moment, and
awakened civic pride. Since then
all and more than he recommended
lIas been carried out-streets paved,
parks laid out, sidewalks and curb
and cutters put in. There was an
island in the river, that was tenanted
in such way that it. was a dis
grace and the commission felt that
# the island could be secured for the
location of the city hall it would
unite both sides of the city. 1t was
bought without the knowledge of the
people or owners of the property, and
is being improved. and the city Of
ficials are there in temporary quar-
tiers. A new county court house will
probably be built there.
Commissioners Are Business Men.
The commissioners are business men,
and four own their own businesses;
the fifth was formerly laboring man
and is now superintendent of parks,
etc. He was at one time city clerk.
The real test came when Mayor Car