The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-01
GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION

GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION.
Before another thirty-six hours have
passed the question will have been de-
c1ded as to whether or not Topeka Is
going to give trial to the commission
form Of government.
This is by far the most important civic
matter which has been presented in
years TO the voters of the capital city
for their determination. Probably it is
not over-stating the case to say that on
the decision which is reached win hinge
the future progress of the city. If the
proposition is defeated it will be a num-
Der of years before the question will oe
aeitated again and during all that
period Topeka. with desire to advance
IL all ways. will be compelled to wal
low along In the administration of its
municipal affairs under a form of gov
eminent which is inadequate to the
needs Of a thriving and ever-growing
community
An adoption of the commission form
OF government will be no slur on the
present city administration, notwith-
standing the opposition which has
developed against It among the mem
bers of the city council. There has
never been any disposition to charge.
nor has there been any reason for so
doing, that the present government of
Topeka. or that of dts Immediate past,
Is or has been corrupt or rotten, and
that therefore radical change is need
ed. Such is far from being the case.
Topeka has been especially favored with
as good a government as Is possible I'M
der the present system. A change to
the commission system will In no way
mean the casting of aspersions and
CRITICISM on the members of the present
official family of this city. They have
generally done their duty we'll But the
methods under which they have been
forced to labor are crude and unman-
ageaDle to a degree. This is where a
change Is needed. And such a change
will be brought about by government
by commission
There is no guesswork about this. re-
CARELESS of the expressed opinions of
some of the citizens to the contrary If
Topeka adopts the modern method of
municipal rule it will not be jump
ing into an unknown, experiment. This
scheme of government has been given
a fair and square trial in many of the
cities of the country. In every instance
1t has proved itself to be more success
full than even its most sanguine friends |
had reason to hope for. It substitutes
a business form of government in au- |
thorltative hands for the present hodge |
podge methods. where the responsibility |
is SO divided among the public officials |
that no one is really responsible for |
anything. It's a trite saying that every |
hody's business is nobody's business and /
this has been exemplif1ed times with
out number in the conduct of Topeka's |
affairs under the council form of gov
eminent. This condition of affairs is !
for the vexatious and often /
the transaction of most of the city's
affairs.
All of this dilly-dallying will be done
away with should the proposition to
establish a commission form Of gov
eminent prevail at the polls. For the
cumbersome and unwieldly council will
be substituted a commission of five
men, who will always be on their jobs
and who will have the necessary au-
thority to conduct each and every de-
partment of the city's government in
q prompt and efficacious manner
vote for the commission form of
government will be an intelligent eff
fort to better the municipal conditions
in Topeka in all ways and to place
it in the procession of progress which
has already been entered by a num-
Der of the up-to-date and enterprisfngi
of the nation.
A MUNICIPAL OUTRAGE.
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