Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-10-20
STRUGGLE Of
COMMISSION PLAN
IN DES MONIES
Ups and Downs of Reform
in Iowa City.
Ring Rule and Reform Government.
Clash Between Two Systems Of
Commission GOFeFRmeRt--SI Slate
Of the RefOFnGrS Promptly Broken
New Head Of the Commission
Vas Defeated~-The People, How
ever, Are on Top.

Vas Defeated---The People, How
ever, Are on Top.
u. R. Hornady, in Savannah Press
4 In adopting the commission form Of
government and adding to the system
some features peculiarly their own.
the people Of Des Moines, Iowa, Lad
no idea of setting mp a plan that would
become widely recognized as she
model" method of municipal manage
ment. They sought merely to escase
ring rule and TO devise some scheme
by which the taxpayers would receive
adequate returns upon the money paid
into the city treasury.
No city was ever more thorough
ring ridden than Des Moines,
nor did any city ever witness
a more open exhibition Of graft
than was presented by the Off
Gals of that community. Aldermen
frankly used their official position to
4 promote the interests Of their private
/ fortune and to insure their places a.
the public crib. Pubic service cor
/ porations contracted with mem5e.s
OF the boar1 when improvements
We're to be made and were also wise
enough to 5uy their supplies through
/ The & ne source in many instances.
, A community of interests between the
aldermen and the public service cor
/ Ioration5 was built up that absolutely
controlled the politics Of the cia-. A
s1re method of securing a position
with a corporation was to get tie en-
dOrsement of some leader Of the city.
and a sure way to lose that place was
to fail to vote as the ring desired.
The Old Rule.
One cannot but admire the bold
ness with which the ring carried on
! its operations, or tie tremendous viz
or with which it fought when the pep
pie attempted to install the commas
sion system and thus come into their
own. Every obstacle that could be
thrown in the way was cheerfu.iv put
in place, and when the people won
after what was perhaps the most spec
tacnlar fight in the history Of the con-
munity, the contest was carried into
the courts. 1t did not end until the
court Of last resort was reached, and
no sooner was the old crowd finally
and completely routed than it turned
its attention to the new plan and a.
tempted to gain control 1t died hard.
Galveston's experience with tae
commission pan pointed the way for
Des Moines. James G. BerryhilI,
prominent and wealthy lawyer Of lie
Iowa capital, was a frequent visitor 10
Galveston, where he had property iu-
| terests which brough him in intimate
contact with the municipal geverl-
ment. He noted tie success of the
Galveston plan ana began to agitate
/ the subject in IFS home city, slowly
but surely building up a sentiment in
favor of the change. About the same
time ether friends of good govern
nlent began to agitate what is known
as the indianapolis plan" and t.
result was a slarp division among the
good movement forces; a division that
was fostered with great skill by the
machine element.
AS the affairs Of the city became
more and more involved and graft he
came more wanton, the advocates of a
Change in the form Of government BE-
gan 10 recognize the necessity of
coming together and negotiations Loo-x-
ing to this were opened This oil
minated in an agreement between the
| advocates of the Galveston and In
| dianapolis plans to hold amass rect
ing and to submit the issues thereat.
When the meeting was held it brought
together a great throng of good gov
srnment advocates and they henrd the
commission theory expounded bv Mr..
Berryhill, while another local speaker
Of ability presented the indianapolis
plan. At the conclusion of the debate
vote was taken and the meeting
went on record in favor of commission
government, Thereupon the forces
Joined hands and fought the issue to a |
successful conclusion.
Wien after many months of war
ring, the voters had declared their
choice and the validity of the charter
had been sustained by the supreme
court, the advocates of TIE eomm!s-
sion plan became alarmed less the ef-
forts of the ring" to gain control OF
the municipal machinery in its recon
structed form should prove success
full. To avert this calamity they held
several conferences and finally decid-
ed to put a commission ticket in tie
field-tLis against the advice of quite
a number of leaders, among them be
ing Mr.. Berryhill
The ticket of the commission
forces was composed of five of the
most representative citizens of Des
Moines,' men whose characters were
unquestioned and who had made a |
record for business ability in the con
duct of their private affairs.
When this ticket was announced the
leaders of the old regime raised the
cry of Down with the slate, and
thereafter contented themselves with |
making war upon it. In tile meantime