The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-04-29
has already saved Des Moines thous-
ands of dollars.''
From Cedar Rapids.

He said that his city accepted the plan
a year and half ago. In 1907. they
had a fairly averaged council and as
a newspaper man, he now and then
wrote something on municipal affairs
When an alderman resigned, he was
elected and served in the old council
and also as commissioner.
Mr.. Sherman received applause
when he said that from what he had
heard since being in Keokuk, he be-
lieved that city government in Keo-
kuk was rotten. All that city govern
ment should be is a sane. equitable, |
advantageous spending of the money
contributed by the taxpayers.
The ward system, he said, was re-
sponsible for the election of poor men
in council and for an unwise expen-
diture of money, Cor an alderman who
wants something for his ward must
get the others to vote for it and must
sometimes make concessions so that
to get one sewer built or street i'm
proved, others must be ordered in
other wards. He told of an instance
in Cedar Rapids where bridge was
needed, but not built because the al
dermen all wanted bridge in their
wards. The commissioners have just
let contract for the one bridge.
The commission plan is the out
growth of the great disaster at Gal
vaston. Before that time the city was
corrupt and after the disaster the
business men got together and con-
ceived the plan which worked we'll and
was the salvation of the city. This
plan has been bettered by the Des
Moines plan in many ways and the
Iowa legislature has also added some
Improvements.
Cedar Rapids adopted the plan by
majority of but 33 votes. There was
opposition to the plan, the city at that
time being under a special charter the
same as Keokuk now is The Bohem-
ians of the city were almost solid
against the plan, having been told and
believing that the plan would work
many hardships against them. They
are for it now, however.
The election was lively. There were
nine candidates for mayor and 48 for
councilmen in the primary election.
They called 1t the Heintz ballot, for
it contained 81 varieties The regular
election was held two weeks later
when one was elected for mayor and
four for aldermen. The mayor Is a
business man who never held a politi
cal office before. The four aldermen
elected consisted of loan and build
ing man, an ex-mayor, a book-binder
and a newspaper editor, all OF the
men being splendid citizens of the
city.
There were 200 applicants for the
city offices and they selected the men
whom they thought were the best
fitted for the positions, sometimes go
ing out of the list of applicants, the
city treasurer being lady, the at
torney being considered the best law
yer in the city and the chief of police
being a railroad man who had never
held office and who was asked to take
the place but had put in no applica
ton for the office.
, The chief of the fire department
was retained. The engineer lad been
brought UP in the Office. The street
: supervisor. electrician and others
were the same old officials. The civil
q service commissioners and library
!. board were selected from good men
During the entire campaign, the wore
democrat or republican was not hearc
! and the majority of the citizens do no
know now the old political faith o
a the council.
q He told what had been done by The
commissioners in improving the cit.
during its first year and paying Off
100000 debt, ending the year with I
. balance in every fund and reducing
. the tax levy / mill, the first time
had been reduced in so years. Tn
: gamblers were chased out of town ant
! for the first three months of this yea
= the city has run on $4,000 per mont
: instead of $4,000 per month a
!. formerly.
=. He said 1T costs about $4,000 pc
e year more now to run the city, bu
N value received is gotten now for ey
e cry dollar spent. He told how none
D. was saved In various departments an
al gave the figures showing the great IL
le crease in police court receipts afte
the commission went into effect. tn
. monthly receipts jumping from abou
" $35 to $500.
n We are reducing our taxes, he sail
d. getting more for our money and NAL
at ing more improvements than befor'
n He explained the daily routine of tn
commissioners who are at the offic
each day. The plan in Cedar Rapid
- has eliminated politics, has awakene
- a civic pride and is saving money fe
~ the city and her citizens. Adopt TIL
m plan and it means a new Keokuk fe
II you.
ty A number of questions were aske
" of Mr. Sherman by those in the au
sy fence. He said that the saloons ODE
the mulct law strictly. There are
-, thor, navinp S1 600 ner wear licenS