The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-08-05
Colorado Springs at Election in Latter
Part Of July Elected the Com
misssioners Of the
City.
GOOD SALARIES ARE PAID
officials Elected Under New Charter
Have Assumed Control of City
AsfaIrs-Party Politics
Eliminated.

That the larger cities OF the United
states are coming to the front and
taking stand for the commission
form OF government is evidenced by
the fact that many of them, especially
in this middle western country have
adopted this form of government, and
many are considering its adoption.
At a recent election at which the
voters Of the city of Keokuk voted aye
/ and nav for the new form of govern
n,ent. the city decided in very pro-
nounced manner, almost four to one,
| to adopt the form of government,
known as the commission plan Of gov
eminent. at the next city election
which will be held In the spring. For
| this reason, anything regarding COM
mission and the findings of other cit
! les of the country through its use,
will be of much interest to Keokuk cit
liens generally. as the city will be I'M
der the same form of government ar
ter next April.
Keokuk has been one Of the first cit
les of the state. being the third In
Iowa to vote for its adoption, in fact.
and has had favorable mention In
many papers of the country, from the
fact that it has come to the front with
the few other cities of the United
States to adopt this plan of govern
ment.
The voters and taxpayers of the
city evinced much interest in the plan
from the first and when the merits OF
the new form of government became
generally known its adoption was
agitated by almost every business, pro
fessional and laboring man in Keo
kuk. The results of the election or
July list are known by every one II
\ the city and Keokuk has become
! prominent in the eyes of other cities
as progressive and city to take ,
stand for the best form of government
possible.
Colorado Springs Commission.
The election of the commissioners
, at Colorado Springs, Colo. on July 2
) will no doubt prove interesting read
) ing matter to all citizens. the aim &C
) complished and the commissioner
) elected and their salaries. Following
Is dispatch from that city telling 0
u the recent commission election In tn
: large Colorado city which has beer
: visited by hundreds of Keokukian
: who are more or less aware of tn
conditions that existed before tn
. adoption OF the new form Of govern
ment.
l. COLORAD SPRINGS. Colo, Aus
s 3.-Colorado Springs has formally er
It tered the list of American cities III
der the commission form of govern
st ment. On Tuesday, July %, the Off
l. cials elected under the new charter
IS assumed control OF the city's affairs
t. The election was one of the most II
6 teresting n the history of the cit,
IS There were five candidates for mayo
,r and twenty-eight for the tour coul
d cilmanic positions. Under the PR
n visions Of the charter, successful cal
10 didates must receive a majority {
y all the votes cast. The first electio
n resulted in no choice, and two week
i, later a second was held between til
two highest candidates for mayor an
i the eight highest for councilman. Tt
N new charter seeks to eliminate pa
tisan politics by abolishing nomina
l., ing conventions and party design
81 lions on the ballot and by requirir
candidates and their nominees
U make affidavit that they are not II
u representatives of any political part
" That this aim was accomplished
~ indicated by the fact that while Cc
" orado Springs Is nominally repub
:. can by comfortable majority, "a
y Avery. the successful candidate +
mayor Is democrat, while two
the councilmen are democrats al
two republicans. The new officia
" declare that they will make all q
- pointments on a non-partisan bas
IL At the first melting, the administi
tive departments were apportioned
:; follows Department OF water a
water works. Mayor Avery; finan'
j. A. Himebaugh, health and sani
. ton, E. w Frost; public works a
property. A. ] I.awton. and pub
safety, f. G. Whitaker.
In entering office Mayor Ave
. said: Every member of the new {
: ministration is In hearty sympat
with the charter and we intend
ca.'r, cut Its spit and intent to
best of our sb,lity. We believe
shall be able to put the city on a b
mess basis. and in our business r
d. icies we shall not be controlled
ID any political party or influenced
II political considerations We shall
., &c to conduct the city's business as Il
of private corporation is conduct
Y. and to that end one of the first thir