The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-03-19
1T, ELECTIONS A NUISANCE.

keokuk in the near future. with its at
tendant turmoil, ill-feeling. estrange-
nents of old and valued relationships
and other deplorable results incident
to such contest. Whatever it may
be in other communities. a city cleo
ton in Keokuk is an event invested
with as much interest and character
lied by as much activity as the hard
est fought contest for the presidency
turbance of the peace of the com
munity is worth what it costs. Other
cities are beginning to ask themselves
the same question. Municipal cleo
lions in st. Louis are like in character
to those in Keokuk-only more So
Noting that the infelicities of the city
campaign there have begun and that
st. Louisans are now in the midst of
an era of bad feeling. brickbats and
black eyes, the Globe-Democrat is
prompted to say:
I'VE are glad these campaigns do
not come oftener than once in four
years, for In the interval we all get
we speak to each other and are per-
fectly willing to lend one another a
match
IF we had no elections at all, this
might yet become city of brotherly
love and we wouldn't say uncompli-
mentary things about anybody even
behind his back.
1t is the elections that make all
the trouble. We, for one, greatly dis
like participating in these unfortu-
nate and turbulent affairs; particular
| ly when it comes to voting for mem
bers of the house of delegates: for, no
matter what party you belong to, you
no sooner get them nominated than
everybody informs you that they won't
do and that you ought to pick out an
I entirely new set
Now, this is very confusing and
! discouraging. So often have we been
admonished not to vote for this dele
gate or that delegate that we feel free
| to say that maybe there had better
not be any house of delegates at all.
Then there would be rest for the
! weary if nothing else"
/ City elections in Keokuk are very
q
on political lines, and the city clerk
ship, treasurership, collectorship and
1 police and other appointments are
! held up as prizes for the party that
1 wins. But for these political ''plums"
/ there would be no such scramble as
takes place each recurring spring.
I The park commissioners are not chos-
j en- by political parties and do not
I represent them. Neither do the GENE
/ terry commissioners nor their en-
! ployes. The firemen are chosen on
/ the ground of personal fitness for the
! duties they are expected to discharge,
! wi tout regard to politics. Why
should the police be an exception
Isn't it as important that the best
available men, whether Republicans
4 or Democrats. should be selected to
keep the peace and safeguard human
life as 1t is that good men irrespective
of party should be chosen as firemen
TO extinguish fires and prevent the
loss of property? And if the com
mission plan has worked so admirably
as it concededly has in its application
to the parks and cemetery why should
it not be equally satisfactory if ap.
piled to the other departments of city
government?
4 The remedy for much of the tur.
MOL incident to city election is
adoption of the commission plan
+ Under that plan individual merit rath
err than political utilization and activ
ity will govern in the selection of city
employees. The result will be better
city government and less expensive
, city government.