The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-05-26
COMMISSION GOVERNMENT.

Cedar Rapids, Ia, is the latest city
to report on the working of commits
sion government. A years test is the
basis of the report, and the character
of the report is the same as all other
testimony on that form of government
it is highly commendable.
Cedar Rapids followed the Galveston
plan of selecting five Commissioners,
one of whom is ELECTED as mayor, with
no veto, but a vote on all questions. A
majority vote of the board is determ-
mate in all leg .slative matter within
their jurisdiction, which includes legis-
lative powers usually exercised by a
city council, except the attracting OF
Indebtedness and the granting of fran
chiseS. These matters are reserved for
action by the people. Ward lines are
abolished, party des :gnations are elm
mated from the municipal ticket and
the recall is provided for upon petition
which must contain % per cent of the
registered vote.
The five commissioners have the DOW
er to enact ordinances to appoint all
subOrdinates and employees and to de-
all officials except themselves. There
Is the same division of authority, as
to the conduct of the citys business, as
at Galveston and Des Moines, and the
same simple centering of responsibility
singular fact, too, is that all five
commissioners were city officials under
the former system of government, and
many of the men formerly serving in
subordinate positions are retained The
outcome in this particular is exactly
like that experienced at Fort WORTH
Tex, where a part of the official per-
sonnet under the old system was elect
ed to serve when commission govern
ment was adopted The same men,
under the new system, have given the
city vastly better government The
reason for it is clear. The response
billy was direct and unavoidable. The
new methods were business like and
there was no incentive to ANYTHING but
the best effort.
Here, in brief, is what the years
record at Cedar Rapids shows: At the
beginning of its term the commission
made careful examination of the city's
financial condition and undertook the
system of economical cash payments.
which has since been maintained By
this policy all supplies have been
bought more cheaply, PAID for when
bought and considerable outstanding
warrant Indebtedness has been paid
off. The quarters of the fire depart
ment have been handsomely and com
modiously rebuilt Street paving has
been done beyond any previous years
record in that line. \ civic improve
ment plan, according to designs fur
nished by Charles Milford Robinson.
is we'll under way. An island of six
acres in the very heart of the city has
been purchased for park purposes
Street signs have been erected, the
streets kept in better condition than
before, and a site has been purchased
for the future location of a more pre-
tentious city hall. With all this ac-
compl shed the tax rate has been slight
ly reduced.
This is a second edition of the Fort
Worth story The commission plan at
Cedar Rapids carried by a majority
of thirty three votes. 1t is said that
if the matter were to be voted on TODAY
so per cent of the people would give
unqualified support to the new system
OF this same character is an unbroken
line Of testimony, wherever the COM
mission government has been given a
fair experiment. To be sure. a wear is
snort time, but the experience of that
year Is quite in line with other years
experience in other cities.