The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1910-09-24

ways delled the law and allowed tn,
saloons to exist. subject to periodical
fines which brought In $4,000 a year
The commission closed the saloons anC
disposed Of this Illegal revenue with
out disturbing the tax rate Over 5000,
600 was spent In special improvements
the first year as against an average OF
4 $4,000 In previous years. In the first
two years under the new system SIX
miles Of street were paved rs against
swelve miles In the preceding twenty
Ave years
| Dallas. Tey.-COmmisslon plan in eff
feet 1907. In its first two years the
commission wiped out n deficiency OF
100000 and established credit bal
ancc At the expiration Of the first
term Of the commission. petition sign
ed by 300 voters was circulated amid
much enthusiasm asking the commits
sioners all to run for re election The
chamber of commerce advertises the
commission government as desirable
dustries
Houston, Tex.-Commission plan Ia
effect In 1906. The commission reduc-
ed the tax rate 10 per cent and estab-
lished policy of so regulating expen-
ditures as to further reduce the rate 10
per cent each year, until the tax be-
comes one-half what 1t was under the
old government. A floating debt Of
100000 was paid off and in 1909 the
cash on hand was 100000 The city
has bought waterworks and made
enormous paving additions (Which are
not assessed on property in Houston)
has acquired new parks and deepened
the ship channel instead Of languishing
In the hope Of a federal subsidy. The
price OF gas has been forced down from
$1.5O to $1.15 per thousand In adyer-
Using herself to attract new industries
Houston states ''her city hall is a bust
ness house; she has no wards, no ward
politicians and no graft"
More remarkable than the fact that
every one of these cities has bettered
its financial condition-the surest
proof Of efiiciency-is the fact that in
none OF the whole sixty eight has there
yet been reported single serious al
legation OF graft. Any instance of
graft. whether proved or merely al
legged. would have been seized upon
triumphantly by the enemies of this
type OF government and magnificd and
exploited to the utmost, but thus far
the objections have perforce been
mainly theoretical.
A type Of these theoretical objec.
lions has been the frequent statement
that the commission plan is "un- Amer
tcan." Yes. thank Heavenl A city
government In which graft Is not even
suspected is decidedly un-American!
1t looks like the splendidly admins
tered cities Of Europe. The sooner we
can Americanize this un-American
thing the better!
The phenomenon Of the commission
plan Of government which gives the
most satisfaction to many people is
the complete disappearance from In.
fuence Of the typical ward politician
The whole field Of peanut politics"
seems to have disappeared. In Gal
weston. for example. the nominations
which are recognized as emanating
from the politicians who formerly con.
trolled the town. get only 20 per cent
Of the votes. In all the cities It is
claimed that the city service has been
put on nonpartisan basis. with a
great increase in efficiency. Certain 1t
q that under the commission plan.
have repeatedly been elect
"a without the help Of political ma
chimes. while the voters are casting
heir ballots without relying upon the
guidance Of the machines either.
Under the typical old style city gov
with its multiplicity Of pet
y elective Offices. elaborate political
machines are necessary. The govern
nent cannot go on without them
They have supplied real deficiency
n our governmental plan. filing gap
between the people and their public
servants which had to be filed some
low. We have no right to curse the |
oliticians. for they have been highly !
lseful to US Rather we should pity |
heml The politician has one Of the
ardest Jobs In the world. In return
or his service In applying the neces-
airy cohesion to our ramshackle gov
rnment and keeping our Impractical
orm Of democracy from collapsing al
Ogether, we have forced him to make
catch-as-catchrcan living, giving him
mall. insecure offices In the govern
lent, and bouncing him without cere-
,ony or justice with every change Of
We have put him in
position where he could acquire
'ealth by having an easy conscience
nd could earn nothing but defeat and
iscOurtesy IL he were honest Con
ldering the power he has had to do
vi without getting caught at 1t, 1t
astonishing that he has served US
D worse.
Goodby. old friend! You have con-
1buted to our American life q uniure
'pe unknown elsewhere In the world
genial, picturesque. human and use
the people are beginning to
arm how to do without you. and In
ays to come they will arrange their
nsiness directly with the candidates
ithout your friendly INTERPRETATION!
The sound short ballot theory upon
hich the success Of the commission
based. IN opposition to certain of our
T political superstitions, will be dealt
lth In the next paper.