The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-24
Fears That Right Men Will Not
Be Chosen.
A LACK OF INTEREST,
Says Business Men Will Not
Make Campaign.
Emphasizes the Need of Care in
Selection.

defeat of the right kind of men at the
city spring election when the choosing
of Topeka's first commission comes up
is the opinion of L. M. PenWell The
right kind of men. if they are prevail
ed upon to accept the nomination for
places on the commission, will not, Mr..
Penwell fears, make the campaign that
they should and thus is there danger
of the city getting a bad start under
the new form of government. Petty
politicians. he says. who make the race,
will fight hard for a city meal ticket,
and may defeat men of sterling worth
whom 1t may be difficult to prevail
upon to enter the campaign with
fighting spirit. The occasion of Mr..
Penwell'S statement was the denial of
the statement made some time ago
that he was candidate for place
on the commission. Mr.. Penwen de-
clared that under no circumstances
would he be a candidate at this or
any other time. He was through with
politics.
Il was not strongly In favor of the
but now that we have it much de-
ponds on our getting a good start. I
was glad to hear such men A. A.
Robinson and Charles Knowles spoken
of in connection with places on the
city commission. Such men as these
can make the new plan a success. But
we must be sure to get such men on
the commission, and not be content
with getting them in the race. Such
r?en might not want to got out and
hustle for votes, but your petty poll
tician would get out and hustle and
there is a mighty good chance that
something of this may beat good men.
Il believe that when the commission
is elected and installed there should
be a general overturning in the city
offices. Some changes should be made.
Changes in the manner of doing the
citys work should be made. For
instance, something should be done TO
stop these white wings from STIRRING
up dust and refuse on the street SO
that will blow upon the garments of
every passerby. The plan of distribut
ing men here and there along the bus
mess section with one of those shovels
is bad. Why not get the street sweep
ers out at night, when the streets are
| quiet, have them get the refuse off the
pavement and haul 1t away before the
people come down to work in the morn
| ing? There are, 1t seems to me, many
practices equally as foolish as the one
have named.
Then there is the tearing up of
| pavement. It seems to me that some
| enc should have been shot, was go
| ing to say, If necessary. to prevent the
| tearing up of the new pavement on
| Eighth street, at the intersection of
| that street and Kansas avenue. We al
| low too much of this kind of work and
| as a result our streets are always in
| need of repair or badly torn up. The
| commissioners should stop such prac-
| tees.
Then there is our paving. It
seems to me that in the past we have
been badly done on our paving. I
| see asphalt paving in other cities that
has been down for years and it is still
| in good condition. Here our paving
| is gone, taken out and new paving
| put in, and that is being filled full of
holes. 1 don't know what is wrong
| I don't know that L could stop it if
I had chance and 1 wouldn't have
the chance. But there must be some
way to avoid this. Other cities avoid
| it and why can't We?
81 have been in Los Angeles. They
| have the commission form of govern
| ment there and l can't see that it is
much better than well regulated
| council. But we have the commission
plan now and the only thing to do is
to make a go of it. And there is
| plenty of room for Improvement.
| And speaking of the commission
| plan, I understand that in the little
| town of Anthony, Kan, there is the
| best example of the success of the
| commission plan. The city has five
| commissioners, I believe, and each of
| They appointed city clerk, which
| official is allowed a small wage. Each
| commissioner gave his salary to the
city clerk and with the wages allowed
him by the city he can give the office
his entire time and attention. Result
is that the city clerk is practically
general manager of that city. He is
a square man and everything is run
ming smoothly and the city's interest
is being looked after.
I'VE want to be sure to get the
right kind of men to start the COM
mission plan off properly. The reor-
ganization of the city government
should not be entrusted to the hands
| of petty politicians. Big men are
needed for the task. I have absolute
ly no interest in the matter save that
| of a citizen. No politics for me. But
don't want the city to get the worst
OF 1t at the start on the new PLAN
HE WANTED NO Hunters