The Washington times., 1909-05-13

or disapproval. Upon petition of 25 per
cent of the voters. the man whose recall
is demanded must stand ct once as can.
didate for reelection; anyone else may
be nominated at the same time, and,
upon receiving a majority of votes, is
elected in place Of the unsatisfactory
commissioner This promises TO be a
most efficient means Of control. Twice
has II been threatened, once in the
police. It has not yet been actually
used. The voters of Los Angeles, how
ever, recently had occasion to use this
power and the mayor, threatened with
recall resigned. rather than stand for
reelection
Provision is also made for initiating
laws in case the council refuses to pass
them when generally demanded: but in
practice this feature is not likely to be
much used, as its mere existence tends
to make the board susceptible to public
opinion
Publicity is provided for by recurring
a monthly staten ant Of all receipts and
expenditures, which is published ia the
newspapers. a municipal civil service
commission has been appointed and has
begun work. It VIII be some time
longer, however, before it's value can
r. accurately determined.
Severe Penalty.
a severe penalty is provided for brib-
services for a candidate in return for
money or other valuable consideration.
Finally, it is provided that after six
years OF trial any city may return, If
1t so desires. to it's former method of
government The adoption of the plan
is also purely optional The trend of
sentiment, however, is shown by the
fact that whereas the first act, that
Of 1907, made the plan applicable TO
cities OF 5000 population and over, an
amendment passed by the Legislature in
April. 1903. extends it to cities of 1900
and upward.
Attend a meeting of the council COM
missinners. Around a plain table. on
which there are q telephone, a copy of the
city ordinances and various papers, sit
five men discussing plans, putting mo-
uOns, receiving communications OF va
the stockholders for ratification Their
is mo noise. no loud disputing. no parIia-
mentary wranSliag. All meetings are
open TO the public; reporters and a few
citizens usually are present The busl-
or less. Meetings are frequent. often
every day. The commissioners give all
their time, and receive 5000 a year
each, except the mayor, who has $500.
The Des Moines Plan.
This, then. Is the Des M0ines plan A
city board of directors, elected at large
by the municipal stockholders-the
voters-are given adequate power to
transact all business; but they are sub
iect TO recall for cause. and their orli-
nances may be referred. by petition. TO
the stockholders for ratification. Their
proceedings must b6 published each
month; their meetings are public; their
municipal duties are their only buSi-
ness; and they are paid. The showing
made by the first years operation of the
plan is likely to result in its continu-
ance. in the opinion OF most Of those in
II is true that majority Of the-com-
nissioners were in politics before, so
II was found TO be, also, in Houston
and In Cedar Rapids. But II this Gal
veston-Des. Moines plan can take the
average citizen-politician or business
man-and make him a fairly careful
manager OF city business, il will do
what few mayOr-and-counciI systems
have dOne-it viii give lis large degree
of municipal efficiency.
Why Is Plan Better?
Why does this plan surpass the other?
For the same reason that the New Eng
land town-meeting. to which il is a re-
turn in principle. surpassed other meth
DDS of rejecting local opinion II Is
more democratic. 1t connects the peo-
pie and their representatives very di-
rectly; the commissioners are few
enough to be known; each is in charge
of a department, and the referendum
and recall make ii possible for the peo-
pie, knowing now who is responsible, to
effectively control their agents. This
control is undoubtedly greater with
these two features than without them,
unless, as in the case of Galveston, the
city is governed by unusually ablA and
unselfish men, and it's citizens moved
bv an uncommon spiritl
Where the people have no vote in mu-
nicipal affairs, us in Washington, con-
ditions may present a somewhat differ
ent aspect, and there may well be a
question as 70 the relative advantages
of a single head or a commission of
three or five. This problem will demand
attention later. Staunton, Va. presents
the case of city with one general
manager.