The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-03-05
plan will be of no value under the
present form of primary election"
Talk by a Former Mayor.


plan will be of no value under the
present form of primary election"
Talk by a Former Mayor.
f. NJ Currier: From what | have
read regarding the Des Moines-Galves-
ton plan of city government | am
being better in very many ways, II
not all than our present ward system
of governing municipalities. OF course
in matter of this kind very much
depends upon the character and bust
ness qualifications of the commission
crs, who may be elected by the peo-
pie to carry out the SO called Des
Moines plan. The great advantage of
; the commission plan is the fact that
it locates responsibility upon the part
of city officials, while under our pres
ent system it is impossible to find out
Ilwho is to blame if anything goes
wrong in city affairs. In the final
analysis it all depends upon the good
sense of the people of Mankato and
whether they have the good judg
ment and proper disregard of party
| lines which will enable them to vote
for competent men regardless OF their
political views.
! Mr.. G.. E. Keith, president and secre
tary of the Carpenters union: From
what | know regarding the Des Moines
Galveston plan | think it is u very
good thing, especially the initiative
referendum and the recall, unless it is
Handicapped by too much red-tape. n
city government is practically bust
ness enterprise but not entirely SO.
There are good many things which
come into the city government that are
not entirely business matters. and
these must be taken care of in pro
per manner. Such are the health de
apartment and the caring for those who
are not able to care for themselves,
the INDECENT, the criminal class feeble
minded and the unemployed: the bust.
ness of the city has much in this way
to do with persons instead of things
These matters are not as strictly bust
ness affairs as is the buying OF city
supplies or the grading of streets but
are vital and should have competent and
efficient management" Mr.. Keith also
said that there was one point about
which he was undecided, as to whcth
er political affiliations should be entire
ly thrown out. He said there were GER
ktain things coming up before city
Jail the time wherein different persons
L,l i,
to get both sides of the question was
from the political organizations which
represented the two sides. He felt
that the political side should not
wholly be disregarded.
/; Favored by School Head.
Professor j. NJ. Mcconnell, super
intendent of schools: | am very con-
fident that the commission plan of city
government adopted in Galveston and
Des Moines is right. 1t places both
authority and responsibility on def
hnite we'll known individuals to whom
the public may look for results. 1t
furnishes the best opportunity to
keep honest and efficient men in office
or to get dishonest and incompetent
ones out. | shall be glad of an op
portunity to vote for the adoption Of
the plan in Mankato."
r. E. Brown, general manager of
the Mankato Gas and Electric Light
company: " ! am very much i'll favor
of the commission plan. IL seems very
reasonable to expect and obtain IA great
deal better result in the management
of all city affairs from three or four
practical salaried men, giving their
whole and undivided time to this work
than to the present system which we
have. Action in the important things
like water works. sewers, parks, streets
and public health demand the very
best ability we can obtain"