The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-02-01

move, so they discouraged the move
ment The business men consldered
that recall election would be a re-
hecticn on .he commission govcrn-
ment, and they were not in favor OF
casting any reflections on good
thing. This attempt was kick OF
the old machine gang.
Politics Have Been Eliminated.
IN financial way it is admitted
by everyone thse the commissioners
ase getting more for the money than
eyer before known in this city The II
chief reason is that politics have
been eliminated and employees hold
jobs because they do the work II
it could be possible TO make accu-
rate comparisons between Che cost 4
Of departments before and after itf
might be shown that the city is run
ming a less expense than before, but 7
owing to thesmixod accounts under
.ho old system such Il comparison I
can not accurately be made.
1t is certain. however that the COM
missionets haze paid $9S,995 rs of
city debts in less than nine months.
The city has no floating debt now
The debt paid represented sidewalk
scrip and numerous small debts Of
past years, and was held by banks
and capitalists The city had been
paying good interest. The majority
Of the debts were made through the
juggling Of funds principally side
walk funds. The city council would
order sidewalks built and permit The
banks to pay he conrac or, and
when The assessments for the side
walks we 9 paid, the money would
be diverted into another fund.
How Debt Was Cancelled.
The commissioners found the city
Durdened with these obligations, To
clear them up, the tax levy was
raised few mills. Next year the
ak will be lowered more than the
amount it was increased The tax
levy for last year was 19 mills. This
year it is certain that it win not be
more than Is mills, as the estimates
for all departments have been made,
and the exact amount of money re-
quired to run the city Is known.
There Is one flaw in the commits
sion plan as ii operates in Kansas.
( That Is: The power is not centralized
sufficiently. The mayor has no more
power than enc of the commissions
| ers Any three commissioners can
defeat any ruling the mayor may
make. They can and do appoint all
city Office S. These officers receive
osders from the mayor, but if he
should try to compel them to do any,
thing they did not want TO do, the
mayor would be powarless if the OBJ
lecting official had the backing of the
.hree commissioners The power of
the mayor is absolute only with re-
gard to the police and the fire depart
ments.
Wichita has been fortunate in hav.
ing a mayos who has been able TO
keep down all friction among com
misslonors.
Mayor Davidson EXPRESSED his
opinion regarding the lack of central
ization OF power 10 the Oklahoma
City business men who conferred
with him before that city voted on
the question, and they have remedied
the situation in their charter Just az
has Boston in its new charter. This
matter will be brought before The
Kansas legislature at the next ses
sion.
Commissioners Doing a Duty.
The personnel of the commission
ers has been really responsible foi
The success of the plan in Wichita in
a great measure, for the plan wuult
not be successful one without goot
men
!. Mayor G. h. Davidson is head ol
'he executive department. Rufus
Cone, finance department: II. J.
koetzel, streets and public improve
mentsi >. +. Stewart department
Of parks, public buildings and health
l.. + Means. department of watol
and lights. All. with the exception o
Mr.. Stewart, are men of wealth anC
are acting as commissioners as
civic duty at a sacrifice OF persona
business. a
Mr. Stewart IS capable man ant
gives all CT his time to the city. as
10 all commissioners except Mr.
Gone. who devotes part of his time
TO his own affairs The law does moi
enuire the commissioners to be con
stantly on du.y, but 1t does require
ne mayor 10 be al his Office eigh
hours each day fr,
Besides the financial showing, thu
commissioners have succeeded II
getting The railroads 20 agree 10 the
elevation of the tracks OYER the prin
cipal business streets: have close,
ari are keeping closed the Joints ant
gambling rooms have made many
improvements In the fire department
and in the pa ks; have put the en-
ployes Of the city under civil service
have made final arrangements for tht
purchase Of the water plant for 81.
C20OO0--a thing the cd council at
! tempted TO do for years: nave IN
der way public Improvements esti
mated at s1.G030OO and have com
pleted improvements in the nine
months amounting to almost S700.00e
lf the commission plan should bt
nut to a vote again the popular opin
Ion isathatsls, would carry by ire
mepdous maiosiiy The frs. tim,
he city yctaslsag the ppdssHrq \ leldeI
y SaIleAsoassls ''"'', soa S,s'