The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-20
SPIRIT IS LACKING
Are Commission Plan Friends
Losing Interest?
Registration Books Open Hut
No One Comes.
I" MUST TALK LIT UP"
Mayor Green Sees Trouble in
Silence.
Half of Petition Signatures
Null and Void.
$ MUST TALK 1T UP"

the commission form CT government will
be adopted at the coming election
which. has been called by Mayor Green
November 2. Eut the average citizen
is OF aware of the fact that the adop-
ton of the commission form of gov
eminent in this city is in grave dan
ger of being killed simply through the
negligence Of the supporters and the
hard work of the enemies.
The registration books at the city
hall ar NV open and they will only be
open for four weeks longer. If the
registration continues as slowly as it
has been during these next four weeks
the commission form will be beautiful
dream allowed to float away-and the
parachute will be dangling on a twisted
rope.
There must be some enthusiasm
worked up over this coming election"
1egistrafion is mighty slow ana there
seems to be death like lull in the
campaign. 1 understand that come
thing will be done by the MI nicipal
le gislation committee of the CONNER
cial club in the near fUture-it will be
a very apt move ard one that is needed
at this time to revive the interest
Few Have Registered.
1t has been discovered lately that out
o. the 1888 names signed to the petit
tiers for the commission form of gov
eminent only IA of them were legiti-
mate and were counted on the '.ff1cial
petition for TIE signature of the mayor
of the city. The petitions stated Speci-
fically that only those who voted for
mayor at the last city election would
be eligible for a signature 10 this pc
tition, but regardless of these plain
facts written the petitions there
were 564 names scratched off from the
list and declared null and void.
Since this discovery there has been
pie that only those who voted for
mayor would be able 20 vote at the
commission election for the adoption
of the new form of municipal control.
cial announcement that everyone who
re Sisters before the books close, ten
days before the opening of the polls.
will be able to vote for the commits
stands that this rnle holds true in ev-
cry respect.
Must Arouse Interest.
What needs to be done at this time
is to arouse the interest Of the 1000
voters in the city of Topeka. That
al d the magnificent campaigns planned
last spring and winter are about due
| Mess the people do not care whether |
the city government is placed on bus
mess basis or whether 1t is placed I'M
DER the control of responsibility shift
erS.
At the last city election 6,323 people
voted for mayor. All of these people
were eligible to sign the commission
petitions and only TIA of them did it.
If the number had fallen a hundred the
petitions would have failed and tie
whole scheme would have fallen with a
sickly thud. 1t only took 633 slgners to
ask for a special election and after all
of the work carried out by the Com
mercial club there were only TIA routed
out from their dens. This is where the
,oI, 6n1 irif in
friends of the commission
are allowing the scheme to drift along
without any power and when it hits
the rocks there will not be enough Sup
port to drag it off.
Will Have a Campaign.
When asked about the plans for the
George BadderS, secretary of
the Commercial club, said this morning
that the committee on municipal legs
lation had decided to meet Wednesday
of this week and make their plans for
the coming campaign. In order to carry
the work through in Topeka it will be
necessary to have speakers come here
from all over the country and tell the
done for their cities Topeka has listen
ed to a number of speakers on the Z
form but so far there have ;
been no figures given out to prove the
statements and although in most cases
It was not necessary, the enemies of
The plan has harped upon these points {
and demanded that some proof be given. :
1t is always the case that the enemies
IF a proposition will get out and work {
against 1t while the friends sit at home !
n front of the fireplace and allow it TO !;
AXE Its own course. :
There are a, number of prominent men
n the city working for a renewal of the
I'D time spirit in this commission senti- :
nent and they fear the outcome of the :
present action. Mayor Green has re- y
,eived any number of complaints along :
his line and the telephone at the Com
nercial club rooms is always buzzing ;
Lway with some kick. The committee !
IN municipal legislation will undoubt-
'dly gather together Wednesday and
make the plans-and meanwhile the ,
riends of the commission plan would :
estore the confidence of the people in q
he scheme by registering at the office L
# the commissioner of elections and I
,eeping up the interest. There is a Woe 2
I'll lack of interest at this time and it U
S a weak place in the wall where tic
nemies are sure to force their guards
Register is the war cry of the I
riends of the commission plan for To-
'eka and 1t is the only means of saw G
ng the spirit at this time. n