The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-05-20
COMMISSION GOVERNMENT
NUMBER |.

Des Molnes, la, May 1s.--In conduct ing It's business under the comn1tssion plan Des Molnes has prospered This of eliminating politics from the civic affairs in Iowa's capital city. It has brought in new regime. regime of a. s the to seras suRR.a o
 There is section in rhe law pro- viding for the commission form of government which says:
 form any service in the interests of any candidate for anys office provided for in this act. in consideration cf any money or any other valuable thing not exceeding $500 Or be imprisoned in the county Jail not exceeding thirty days"
 Another section in the law says:
 Any person offering to give nIiDc either in money or other consideratlon to any elector for the purpose of infiu- encing his vote at any election provid- ed for in this act. or any elector en- titled to vote at any such election re- or other consideration shall be fined a sum not less than Slov nor more than $500 and be imprisoned In the county jail not less than tsn nor
 From these 1t will be seen that the use of money to control elections means on conviction fine and possl- ble Imprisonment The very act or oL. fering to buy vote means nosn ,,,no nhc makes the offer. Further the man Who accepts even a so cent piece or the man who receives a thousand dollar bill is subject to punishment- This vote and to this city. 1t means q great deal. The general Idea in all the law is to eliminate politics. give every man an equal chance and prohibit barterins
 To stiil further eliminate politics. the civil service law Is in effect. The Council appoints . city clerk, solicitor. assessors treasurer, auditor. civil en- gIneer. city physician. chief or ponce. chief of the Are department market master and street commissioner. These are not under civil service but practi- cally all men under them are. Day s,, ia borers, of course. are not under ciyn service Applicants for positions n ali these departments take the civil service examinations and receive .ap- pointments according to their standing on the eligible lists. Des Moines has
 The task of caring for the city's bus- mess has been brought down to q smooth routine where friction IS un- known. The superintendent or the de- partment of accounts ana nnanses rfs distributes the city money among the yarIous banks. He requires ana re- ceives monthly reports from the clty auditor and the city treasurer; ne PCT sonailv inspects the books in all oe- nartraents where moneys are handled; ba causes the county books to be au- >dited to see that the city receives ey, V erZ cent due 1t. He sees constantiy .9 ths coIlectiSn of license fees. forfeited bonds and in fact. works as general su- peryisor of the revenues.
 The superintendent of the epsrty repst enonioys au workmen for the parks, cemeteries and public buildings. lie has supervision over the 2 market sassas masise ae in caring for the market s,Svin1 noSss the napks' of arranging their flower peds. He has charge of the public bath houses. the park buildings ss and ths dsnapt. ape
 art of nnbiic safety has charge of the ,Ihs nolice Y fire and health departments e5- @ Elusive of the. authority to make ap- pointments. It Is within his proVihee