The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-09-26
INDIANAPOLIS, TOO.

The Palladium announced some lit
tie time ago its policy in regard to the
commission form OF government. The
Indianapolis Star of yesterday carried
an editorial article which we herewith
reproduce. We are particularly glad
to see coincidence Of opinion on this
matter.
"A recent article in these columns on
the subject OF departyizing municipal
elections seems to have attracted con-
siderable attention. Among independ-
emit papers especially the desire to see
mayors chosen somehow by citizens
and not by national party organiza-
tions meets with earnest response.
THE answer some papers In the
West and Southwest made to The
Stars argument is that under the COM
mission plan Of city government this
nonpartisan arrangement Is secured.
This end is achieved by having candi-
dates for the five commissioners nam
ed by nonpartisan petitions without
any reference or mention whatever OF
their national politics.
Perhaps this is an important reason
why the commission plan Is growing
in favor. Originally starting at Gal
weston as an outgrowth Of the eme--
gency incident to the great flood, the
example has spread, first to Iowa. then
to Kansas. From the Kansas City
Star, itself an able champion of the
movement as well as OF all efforts to-
ward municipal independence, we
learn that Coffeyville has just voted
to adopt the commission plan. It goes
on to say:
Leavenworth. the first city in Kan
sas to adopt the new rule, is now In
good company indeed. Wichita. Kan
sas City, Kas.; Independence, Hutch
inson. Anthony and Coffeyville have
already adopted the "Leavenworth
PLAN Elections have been called. al
so. in Topeka and Parsons, and Otta-
wa is preparing to vote upon the new
rule before the time for electing the
new government In 1910:
The Star would like to see this CON-
mission plan tried In Indianapolis.
Where 1t has been put to the test 1t
appears to supersede the scramble of
ambitious politicians for office with a
circumspect casting about on the part
OF the citizens for five able men to han
die the city's affairs, exactly as the
stockholders Of q corporation select a
board Of directors. The arrangement
really amounts to the choice by the
municipal corporations stockholders
Of > board Of directors to run the cor
poration's business. Incidentally
much good Is accomplished by Topping
off good many elective offices that
now cucumber the ballots, confuse the
voters and perpetuate party machines
IN power.
The commission plan has been tried
long enough now to be out of the realm
Of experiment. In actual practice it
produces situation in which five able
business men are selected, without ref
erence to national politics. to manage
the city's affairs. No city that we
know Of, once having tried the plan.
has abandoned It; but many, observing
it's workings In neighboring places,
have adopted 1t. Surely there Is no
place more fitted by prevalence Of In
dependent municipal sentiment. to take
hold Of plan like this and bring 1t to
pass. II our civic organizations will
press the matter upon the next legisla-
ture there need be little doubt that the
commission system would be given us
in time for use at the expiration Of the
mayors term for which Mr.. Shank o.
Mr.. Gauss is about to be elected"