The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-01-06

by subscription a sum of about $1,000 for
that purpose.
The plan was supported by three of tn
Icur daily papers, the ministers. most of
the lawyers and niHe-tenths of the bust
ness men.
The plan was opposed by the local no.
itical machines, by the Unionist. the or
gan OF the labor unions. and by the Dies
-doihes tribune, recently established
evening daily
The issue was debated thoroughly "a,
public meetings and in the newspaners
and was approved by a very large major
lily OF the votes cast.
The political editor of the Register AMI
Leader kindly furnished your committee
with a scrap book containing very COM
piete set of clippings of newsps per arCi-
les les en9 arguments for and against the
plan ms book we were permitted TO
bring home with Us and it is at the dis
posal or the league until we are required
to return 1t
Election.
When the election of mayor and COM
mlssiOners took place. the citizens COM
mittee attempted TO secure tn nomfna-
ton OF ticket selected by themselves
II IS generally conceded that this was
zone IN a very impolitic manner; but four
OF the citizens ticket succeeded in NOM
nation and all failed of election. There
was great interest taken in the nominal
non OF mayor and commissioners, there
being fifty-foUr candidates for commits
sicners and seventeen for mayor present.
et by petition at the primary election
The citizens ticket was unfortunate i'm
EEylng as Its candidate for mayor a man
who had incurred the hostility of the la
Der J.siohs, sad the chairman of the citi-
aeliS coClIEttee was a business man who
Saa Ought nc unions and instituted an
open snoc. There was a feeling general
iy TIA. the wealthy men of the town
VcT~ trying to force a ticket of their
-AOtoe :ipoE :ho rest Of the city, and the
Reopis TeYoiied and elected their own can
~ t1r-c mo =~,T94x -
srodad b. those representing the success
ri :iokos that had the citizens ticket
Sean nominated with more discretion AMI
some recognition been given to the other
sicsnenis that it would likely have carried.
:fe ticket as elected was composed as
f>'liovs: Mathis, an elderly gentleman, for
msTiy police judge; MacVicar, an able
Hikn snG Tor long time interested in
municipal affairs. twice mayor of the
city, keen practical politician, who ia
vorad the adoption of the plan, and who
OF American municipalities: Ash, former
~ a coal miner. afterwards a deputy
sheriff, an unletteTed but an honest and
man; Hamery, real estate deal
or and builder in a small way. who had
formerly been an alderman; Schramm
the former city assessor. The election of
J. MS ticket was great disappointment to
the committee of business men who made
the campaign for the new form of gov
None of the commissioners
elected, with the exception of McVfcar /
are regarded as men of large business
aoliltyt but are all conceded to be honest
The feature of the Des Moines nlan re-
quiTing publicity of campaign expenses !
seems TO have worked well at the first /
election The highest sum expended dur /
ng the campaign by any candidate was |
about $40. One of the commissioners in |
formed US that he spent S2Q-S9 in print |
ng and about 81 in rent for halls, etc.
Recall.
There have been movements looking
toward the recall Of two Of the commits /
'ioners- Mr. Hamery, who was appoint
d to the department of public safety, at
,nce made war upon gambling and caused I
he removal of the slot machines from
very cigar store and pool room in the
lty 1t was claimed by some of the cigar
promises of Immunity. This Mr. Hamery
tented, but the resentment of the owners
" slot machines led to the posting of a
'eution in each cigar store to which sig
natures might be appended, looking to-
ward the recall of Mr.. Hamery. The |
movement however, was soon dropped.
The other movement for recall was di-
ected toward Commissioner SchramTn 1t |
ppears that two of the commissioners
we're very friendly to certain candidate
yhom they supported for the office of
htef of police Mr.. Hamery, who had
articulsr charge of that department and
IT. MacVicaT did not think the man COM
.etent, and also objected on account of
MS tendency to the use of liquor.
,CnIdIlm IlTSt SlGeO Win the commits
toners who desired the appointment of
he incompetent, and there was move
nent among the citizens, and consider
lble talk of recalling Mr.. Schramm by
eason of his attitude upon this question.
he, however, publicly announced that if
he chief of police did not make good he
would vote for his removal, and in very
hort time he was removed and an eff
icient man. VINO had been seventeen
ears IN the service, appointed in his !
lace.
Scope OF Inquiry.
In the many interviews we had during
UT investigation we adopted substan-
lally the following line of questions:
l. What is your busineSs2 How long
ave YOU lived in Des Moines2
2. What relation, if any, had you with
he old city government? What if any, |
18th the new
3. Were you in favor of adopting the
ew plan?
. Is the new system working well? If I
OF, in what particulars is il defective?
5. Have you any objections to the pres 7
nj form of government If SO, what /
re they2 7
6. What calibre Of men have You been
bic to elect to act as commissioners. | [
nd IS their efficiency less or greater t
ian II would have been under the for ?
Ter SYSTEM r
Z. What changes in the plan of govern 7
lent. if any. would you suggest? /
s. Can you give us the names of citi- I
ms who are opposed to the system of the | {
resent plan of government '
Your committee endeav ored to interview d
$ many aS possible of every class. and c
see those who were opposed to the