The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-07-29
CEDAR RAPIDS. EXPERIENCE.

sion form OF city government is un-
der discussion at Fort Dodge and
will be voted upon AZ a special cleo
ton 10 be held at an early day With
view of learning the experience OF
other cities Mr.. C. F. Duncombe, edi-
tor of the Chronicle, addressed let
tiers of inquiry to representative citi-
zens of Des Moines. Cedar Rapids,
Burlington and other municipalities
now operating under the commission
plan. Speaking for the state capital,
Hon. Lafe Young replied that the new
system is "the best ever Des
Moines would not think OF reverting
to the old aldermanic system. The
latest letter on the subject printed
in the Chronicle is from Cyrenus
Cole, editor Of the Cedar Rapids Re-
| publican. Cedar Rapids has been I'M
der the commission plan for nearly
/ three years. Mr. Cole says that the
1 new plan does not solve all munich
1 pal problems. but he believes it helps
1 solve some of the most difficult ones.
Human nature and municipal nature
remain the same. and under any plan
there must be diligence on the part
of the voters The man elected to
office is still the most important con-
sideration." Mr. Cole says further:
Il believe that Cedar Rapids is well
satisfied with the experiment and that
i If it were submitted today there
would be no change backward. The
;ryhf 60 ct;
more advanced, but they would never
& go back to the old aldermanic ward
system Under our new plan the city
/. is not divided into sections, otter
with conflicting interests. There are
no ward lines and no ward bosses
These have been dethroned. A maj
to gain Office must satisfy the judg
: ment of the whole city, and in orde
to retain Office he must satisfy TIM
conscience of the whole people. Fiv'
: men working together and sitting
every day are surely better thai
nine or ten aldermen representing a
! many wards and meeting occasional
! ly.
i I'VE had a great deal to Learn
!. even under the commission plan, bu
we have been learning it. At tn
/ present time we have monthly state
+ ment rendered of just what money
{ have been received and how the
a have been expended. The city know
1 from one month to another how muc
money there is in each fund. Tn
department of accounts is really th
n key to the situation.
). Cedar Rapids is we'll governe'
! We have few contentious. We hay
i honesty in public expenditures an
. we have now value received in near
:. all matters There is no desire
{. change here-unless some one ca
+ point out still better system"
70 It will be noted that Cedar Rapit
j; at present has ga monthly statemel
Ie of just what moneys have been r
,e ceived and how they have been e
N pended The city knows from OF
! month to another how much none
y there is in each fund. The depal
q nent of accounts is really the key
Il. the situation" 1t is inferred tn
lie Cedar Rapids did not always ha'
k such a statement, and that this is oil
OF of the things 1t has learned. The
y is announcement in this for the ho
cs that orr Keoknk commissioners W
ar in time learn the same thing and Ia
nd the community into their confiden
90 in the matter of receipts and expen'
lures. 1t is especially desirable a
se important that they should do SO
go view of the Republicans declarati
AT that the department of accounts is t
10 KEY 10 the situation. AT the end
If the first two months of the existen
On of the present council the mayor ga
ed out an unofficial statement OF receir
ul and expenditures. but there was no
be before that and there has been no
N since. a monthly statement, as
~ ~ Cedar Rapids, would be very acce
re able.