Semi-weekly herald., 1910-04-25
THE COMMISSION FORM OF Gov
EMINENT.
Eyerybody,s Magazine.

Davenport the new plan was submitted
10 the voters, and until within a few
days ot the election would have com.
handed a majority. At that stage the
Influences thaa had defeated he peo-
rle In Sioux Falls made a '-silar
combination with similar res5o
IoLg afierward The proposal ~aoioe'
submitted IN Sioux Falls; the saloons,
dives, bawdy-houses. gamblers. and
railroad companies, were overthrown,
and the new plan went into full opera
ton on May i, 1909.
We have. in all, about thirty citi~
that have Tested the new idea surnoi-
entity to furnish q basis for estimating
what modern and sane methods are
worth when applied to a modern mu-
nicipality; also what The thumb hand
method was worth as source of uni
versal failure or these thirty-odd,
let Us look at five typical instances.
In Galveston FIVE years of the mod
ern method showed that the annual
expenses OF the city government had
been reduced nearly one-third: the city
had saved a million dollars: both the
tax rate and the city debt had been
reduced: new system of sewers had
been Installed. new and efficient
health department had been created;
the area Of paved streets had been
greatly extended; there had been no
peculation. no fraud, no boss system.
and in every way Galveston had be
come better city to live in
In Des Moines. the general disgust
with The old method of government
was so great that when the question
OF adopting the new was being agi-
tated, placards appeared In the streets
bearing only the words "It Can't Be
Any Worse Than This" and all men
knew and appreciated what was meant.
After a year of the new plan. The Des
Moines Register and Leader a news
paper of conspicuous fairness, review
ing the advantages and disadvantages
of the innovation, concluded that "Des
Moines Is. In fact, the most econom-
ically and most honestly managed city
of Its size in the middle west" The
old city government had left affairs
IN such tangle that an issue of $780,
600 of bonds to provide for The Floating
indebtedness was necessarily the fir-t
step of the new managers: the first
year of their work showed that all of
this extravaganza had been excised
and economy had taken the place of
helter-skelter extravagances. Previous
ly there had been in the general fund
an annual deficit of from $4,000 TO
$4,000; this had been converted into
surplus; none of the funds reported
a deficit.
The collecting of license taxes.
which. with other duties, had been
much neglected under the old city gov.
ernment, had been carefully looked
after by the new Every department
showed increased efficiency, and an In.
creased total of business transacted at
a decreased cost Public improve
ments had cost less and had been
pushed farther In brick paving, for
instance, the expense had been re-
duced by cents yard, and in asphalt
paving by cents: and more of each
had been laid than ever before. The
cost OF curbing had been cut y cents
a foot. Under the old government the |
city paid to The gas company s24,- !
2IS.66 for lib street lamps, under |
the new $l9.i75.SS for .ll9 lamps; un-
der the old government s75 year for
each street electric lamp, under the
new $65.
The city lived within its income. a |
that had blessed It but once |
before in a generation. Not one ap |
had been exceeded. The |
water rates had been reduced from |
80 TO 20 cents a thousand gallons. Po.
lice and fire departments had taken |
on new efficiency; the city began |
to show new front of good looks. No |
boss, no machine and no scandal mar
red the situation, and men that had
sought so long in vain for good gov
ernment began to believe that at last
they had found it.
In Sioux Falls, the new system
seems to be viewed with practically
satisfaction Three results
are already apparent There will be
a saving in city expenses caused chief.
ly by the consolidation Of Offices
there has been noticeable increase of
efficiency in all the departments: pub
lie improvements have been both slim
uiaied and conducted upon n coherent
plan. the business OF tho city is no
longer a hii-and-miss affair. looked
after at odd times by men busy with
other occupations, but rational en-
ferprise ably managed for definite
ends.
In the old days the city council met
once n month TO muddle and mess:
the new commissioners or managers
must meet once n week and may meet
"A. any time by the call of the mayor
or of two commissioners All meetings
must be open to the public-a dear re-
lief TO the people of Sioux Falls. for
in the old days there were star cham