The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-09-12
Has Something Interesting to Say
About keokuk and Also About the,
Western City of
Omaha.
THE COMMISSION PLAN
Some of the Benefits Already Re-
ceived by keokuk on Account
Of the Change in
Management.

Sept. 10, 1910.-Peter Wolf, the
blacksmith, recently attended the reg
| ular monthly meeting of the Ak-sar-ben
festivities at the Den" in OMAHA, and
can tell you all about the initiation
| and comic production of 'Halley's Pug
/ Nose Comet" and how 100 men put
this stunt on the board every Monday
night. To which all are admitted up
on the payment of $1,000 for season
ticket, and this entitled the member
| to all the privileges of the Den, and
[ he may invite any and all out-of-town
/ strangers. Among the galaxy of act
ors is Keokuk. gentleman. and with
out his "thespian ability around which
| the show clusters, it seems as 1t would
/, be frost. Not that he cannot be re-
! placed: but he plays the part so well
that the Governors of Ak-sar-ben re-
fuse to release him.
This fall the festivities commence
October ] and ends October g. The
electric parades surpass those of any
other city in the world. And the cleo
trio parades in st. Louis and New Or
leans are patterned after the Omaha
parades.
Omaha commences to make arrange,
ments for the fall parades, street fair
and military drills, early in the spring.
This is what Keokuk should do and
not wait until two weeks before the
time to put on fall celebration.
While in Omaha recently we wander
led into an office where we saw large
photos framed of the Mississippi riv-
er and the Water Power. We found
The Daily Gate City on file, illustrated
editions of the Gate City and Consti-
tution-Democrat. We almost felt as
ST we were in Keokuk We asked
what it signified and were told that
it was the Omaha branch of the Keo
;kuk Commercial Club.
Some of .tearth's beings criticise
the commissioners in Keokuk, claim
ing that they have adopted the civi
service system That is modern city
government.
Why should a man who has faithful
Ily served the city be removed by rea
son of political changing? That is
the correct system. 1t is the best pro
Queer of results for a man working
under this system, the employee ant
will always be faithful to his master
the city Otherwise he serves hi!
political party, and the results arr
poor.
One man said that the head of th,
Keokuk government was railroad
auditor. and therefore he conductet
the affairs of the city like a big rail
road This is the highest compliment
which could possibly have been pai'
the distinguished Mayor of KeokuR
AS for the sturdy men in charge o
the other branches of the city govern
Iment. they are delivering the good
and their management of affairs meet
the approval of the man who repler
ishes the city exchequer.
Scores of strangers and MONTH
travellers comment upon the brigh
ness and commercial prosperity c
Keokuk as against the "ox-cart for1
of government which formerly exis
ed"
For fifty years not municipal bon
was paid off in Keokuk. Under tn
Commission form of government sine
April 10th Chat memorable day. abot
:, $40, 1000 worth of city Indebtedness hs
been cancelled.
5 Since that day over $4,000 of on
= standing bills and warrants have bee
Maid off by the Commissioners of Ke
: kuk, left by the outgoing administr
! ton,
u The Commissioners (Municip
- Court have been collecting about ST.
= on an average from fines and throua
= the police department, where the |
- come has been as low (under the Boz
y system) as $500 per month
- Keolluk formerly collected abo
- 1925 on dogs per annum now 1t CT
y lects over fourteen hundred dolla
!, year
!, For years the city taxes in Keokt
have been 40 mills on the assessmer
- the Commissioners have assured