Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-04-07
COMMISSION PLAN.

A contributor 90 Everybody's Maya
zine shows the results obtained I'm a
number Of American cities under the
commission form Of government. ana
he comes To the conclusion that ID Is
far superior TO the old method. Amcri-
can cities generally, ne claims, are
badly paved. badly lighted. badly sew
cred. they have an expensive water
supply ana a police force that thrives
often upon an alliance with vice. some
times upon an alliance with both vice
and crime" but there are about so
cities that form a notable exception;
and In 80 Of these the new idea has
been tested sufficiently 10 furnish a
basis for estimating what modern and
sane methods are worth when applied
to a modern municipality.
The writer la Everybody has select
ed Galveston. Houston. Des Moines
Sioux Falls. and Cedar Rapids for a
special examination. and he finds that
Galveston, under an honest business
administration, reduced its annual ex-
penscs nearly one-third, saved 81 .OOo COO
and became In every way better city
10 live in. Houston. In the first year
~ the new plan paid OF 100000 Of It's
debt and reduced the tax rate while
making record breaking improvements.
Des Moines became the most economic
ally and most honestly managed city II
its size In the Middle West In Cedar
Rapids. in the first year. "the city re-
tired 100000 Of bonds, enlarged and Inn
proved the park system. increased he
police force, repaired or rebuilt the fire
apparatus enlarged the fire service
built a new station, and fitted out The
policemen and hremen In new uniforms
Il cleaned the streets (for the first time
In the citys history, repaired more old
pavement and constructed more new
ones and with them built more sewers
water mains. sidewalks. curbs, ana
roadways than had ever been con-
structed ia any previous year IN Cedar
rapids. Il began a new bridge across
the Cedar River, and bought an island
on which the city is to erect handsome
municipal buildings out OF the savings
effected by the new system and with
out the issue Of dollars worth Of
bonds"
Such results should claim the attln-
ton Of citizens everywhere.
A is well known, the commission
form OF government was first adopted
in Galveston, Tex, in 1901, as an
emergency measure aIter the city was
destroyed by "a hurricane. Five COM
missioners were put On absolute charge
OF the city. The plan worked so we'll
On Galveston, that Houston Texas,
which was then debt-ridden. adopted il
in 1908. Houston improved upon the
Galveston play by providing I'm the
charter for referendum vote on an
franchises. Later the plan was adopted
in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines. Iowa
The plan in IFS most perfect form has
been adopted In Des Moues.
The writer In Everybody's claims the
following results OF the commission
plan as fairly wen established
III abolIshes party politics from Iooel
affairs
1T eliminates the boss. the CRATER
and the political machine
'It views "a municipality as great
business enterprise and provides nc-
cordingly for It's effective management
1T recognizes definitely the failure
OF representative government and sub
stiutCs therefore "a system of dcmlr-
racy, 10 recognizes the fact that there
Is no wisdom but collective wisdom
1T establishes direct responsibility
for every public act.
1T seems to be swift, efficient ocr-
nomicaL and adapted Co e. rational coIu-
muuity in the Twentieth century
"tt ubolishes a raft OF useless offices
sinccurcs. Jobs and political rewards
and substitutes organization. method