The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-25
GOOD FOR THE CITY.
Continued from Page one.)

CONTINUED from Page One.)
government was the inability to locate
responsibility. You never could mo
out who was to blame. If things We're
wrong the average citizen never I'M
dertook to find out who was to blame;
He gave up the task in advance ana
pocketed his disappointment.
If the pavements were naoiy p1 ~
down, the city council would lay IL
upon the board of public works; the
board of public works would put the
blame on the city engineer; the city
engineer would blame the paving in
spectors. When you reached the paw
ling inspectors the task was abandoned.
1t was as difficult as the good mother
! found it to be when she addressed
letter to her son in care OF the Army
of the Potomac. OF course he dlo not
get the letter.
Application of Common Sense.
1.-THE commission form of government
lis an effort to apply common sense,
plain business methods to the manage
ment of the affairs of a community
Some people say that it is giving men
too much authority. Well, while men
are given authority, responsibility goes
along with it. And publicity does the
rest. Our commissioners can all be re-
the voters of the city. This is called
the recall. 1t leaves all the power IN
| the hands of the people. No francnlse
can be granted by the commission with
out a vote of the people. In TACT, no
rev authority is given to the city gov
eminent Old powers held by all MUM
Icipalities are simply concentrated. Jim
Hill, the great railroad manager, couio
not conduct his railway systems SIX
months in the haphazard way Wh1cn
Icharacterizes the average city govern
Incent. He does not allow subordinates
authority to contract liabilities, except
liz restricted sense. His suDorolnates
all work under his direction.
| 'All great business managers sue
coed only when they have unlimited
authority. The business world mas
been concentrating and eliminating
every useless and unnecessary thlnS.
| Manufacturers make study OF saving
materials and economizing in produc-
| ton These same elements must be
! introduced into city governments. Re-
| sponsibility is one of the great ele-
ments of the new plan. When 5nlng es
go right the public knows VINO TO
praise. 1t is necessary to know When
things go right, but we have only been
in the habit of giving attention 10
things which go wrong. When things
! do go wrong we know eXactly WHERE
to locate the blame.
Closer to the People.
Complaint will be made in your
campaign that you are trespasslns
upon the rights of the common man.
You will hear it said that you are try
ing to establish monarchy. But l
| can say that the very reverse is true.
You are getting closer to the people.
"Why do you need a legislative
body in Topeka? All the new ordi-
nances needed in Topeka could 1 op oe
wear. Yet you have a city council
room with desks in a circle and when
your council meets 1 presume you
have all the red tape that might dis
Ia nYfno
German reichstag. What is such a
gathering for? 1t is usually to hear
the report of the committee on claims;
OF course the bills are ell allowed
make speeches to get into print in or
der to be reelected. Then the coun-
Gil adjourns. Every duty discharged
by a city council is administrative and
not legislative: Then why nave II
called a legislative body. The fact is
that we have neglected city govern
ments; we have been busy building
states and thinking of national AFFAIRS
Our reforms have all been far re
/ moved and not local. 1t is time to
4 localize them. The old form of city
Il government is as much behind the
spirit of the times as the old OK cart
is behind the automobile.
''In an effort to adopt this plan you
will discover that the strongest argu-
ment against it will be that you are
Interfering with the inalienable rights
of the voter; that you are taking
something from him; that you are in
. a conspiracy in some way on behalf
of the rich. A considerable number
) of those formerly in city employ will
be against you. In some way they Will
; think they have no chance for employ
| ment by the city. You will have a
; strong fight and you can not win with
out the united support of the press"
The Form of Petition.
Following the meeting many citizens
signed the legal form of petition ask
ling the mayor to call an election to
Submit the proposition of adoption of
1.-The commission form of government
as follows, a duplicate of which is on
lille at the State Journal office for sig
ratures:
"To the Honorable William Green
Mayor of the City of Topeka, Kan
Iqualified electors of the city of Topeka
; Shawnee county Kansas, who were
illegally qualified electors at the last
preceding city election of the city. OF
Topeka, and who legally voted for
mayor at such election, respectfully
petition you, as mayor of said city. to
, call a special election for the adoption
lof chapter ia of the session laws OF
the state of Kansas of 1907, entitled:
, "'An act relating to cities of the
first Glass; and repeating all acts in
: consistent and in conflict with this act,
insofar as the same relates to cities of
, the first class which adopt the pro-
visions of this act, as herein provid-
: ed and all acts amendatory and sup
Elemental thereto; said chapter ia,
and said acts amendatory and supple
mental thereto, providing for the gov
> eminent of cities of the first class by
board of commissioners composed
of a mayor and four commissioners
elected at large"
NAIIc All 0DInu nOATN