The Washington times., 1909-05-12

reaIlze the great inprovenlent in the
way OF business methods applied to gov
At the beginning OF its term the COM
mission mad careful examinations made
81 oL tlls DOCKS OF the city 70 determine
TEN Of paying cash for am supplies.
meeting bills promptly and cleaning uD
outstanding warrants II repaired the
one new brick station. began extensive
brick paving and cement walks made
arrangements for the building Of a new
concrete bridge 600 feet long, to cost
$4,000, across the Cedar river, took
Charles Mulford Robinson, civic i'm
prOvement expert. TO Cedar RAPIDS to
report on the best method for beauty
ing the city, erected street signs and ex-
tended streets; and. most important for
the future location OF a new city hall
purchased an island Of six acres in the
Cedar river, IN the very heart of the
CITY, without ar issUe OF bonds.
Tax Rate Reduced.
The tax rate has been slightly reduced
at the same time that many new i'm
provemenIs are being made; and it ap-
pears that not only is the city govern
ment making a good showing. but that
it Is also actually saving the people
money.
When the plan was put into opera
tiOD there was a mad rush for the o.
flces- Nearly sixty men were candi-
dates in the primaries, and the multi
plicity OF office seekers to some extent
befogged the contests. The five men
chosen have naturally found il difficult
TO get rid Of the old ideas, but that
they nave done so in many respects Is
evident TO any impartial observer. For
the first time in the history OF the city
paving not up to specifications has been
ejectec-S15,O0o Worth-aud it is likely
that II viii all be relaid with better
brick.
tenatized and every month there Is is
sued, for the Information Of citizens. a
bulletin OF proceedings of the council.
containing also clear financial state
ment and an index by which one can
easily flnG any item wanted.
Recall Threatened.
The use Of the recall is threatened at
present on account Of considerable feel
ing stirred up in connection with an in
vs=tigation Ct the conduct Of kvo Rolsce
officers. That the officers Should have
been dismissed from the forcess instead
of being suspended for ten days. was
the opinion expressed oy many citizens.
The commission my have feared that
a shaxe-up in any department would be
regarded as an indication Of failure on
the part Of the new administration,
said one, which may posskSy account
for certain lack Of vigorous action at
times The commissioners however,
nave given Us z Vastly OELE6T govern
ment IL many respects, and viii doubt
less meet the general demands along
other lines
One year is too short a time to de-
termine the success or failure OF a
plan and II win take somewhat longer
to astertain how the civil service com
mission will work out, and whether the
recall will be used or not. But so Far
the change for the better is so apDar-
ent that Cedar Rapids is disposed to
expect still ebtter things Criticisul
there has BEEN sS-maf fnIv on the
ground mentioned, thai the present
old methods sufficiently: but for all that
there has been a marked advance in
mJsSicipal efficiency Put the power
into the hands Of fve mgn.' said, a
citizen. ''and then hold thekp strictly
responsible BY mems OF the referen-
dunn let the psOple decide the most i'm
pOrtant questions themselves The pos
sibaity Of a recall is a poTFrfuI deter
rent, even If never used, and tends 10
make the councilmen square -
No Ward Lines.
The abolition Of ward lines aIiSv-s
men to be chosen to represent the whole
city. instead Of small corSer OF It.
Under the old plan the same amount
Of porszr was distributed among many
men, so that voters did not know whom
TO hold responsible while the city boss
Sdtheresl up Ihe loose ENDS OF auth0Elfy
and really ruled, accountable to no ene
In the commission plan, power and re-
spCnsibility go together; and in Cedar
Rapids, under conditions not particular
" favorable, the plan is a great i'm
pTovement over the old method Of ad-
Ininistration. Best OF all, the citizens
feel that che problems Of city govern
Tnent can be worked out under this sps-
TEN instead OF having the old, hopeless
feeling OF former days that nothing can
BE done. Not only does the new broom
sweep clean, but men recognize that Il
is q different kind Of broom. and that
better, wieiders are being chosen than
of old