Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-08-22
A POINT IN THE COMMISSION PLAN.

Mr.. F.. NJ Hubbell. of Des Moines,
raises a point which is we'll worth
considering. Councilman MacVicar
draws $40 a day as OF the Des
Moines comm mission. Mr.. Hubbell says
that Mr.. Nacvnar draws SIS a day as
secretary Of the League Of American
municipalities all the yea round. Mr..
Macvicar has rome to ST. Paul 70 re-
main this week attending TO his duties
as secretary Of the league. Mr.. Hub
salary from the city Of Des MONIES
while he is out Of town earning an
other salary.
Just now Des Moines is in an uproar
over its police department. Enough
has been shown by evidence to con-
vince most persons that prostitution is
rampant in that city and to strengthen
a suspicion that police inactivity has
not entirely arisen from the natural in
dolence OF policemen IN general. Look
ing on from III outside 1t would ap-
PEAR IL nc <t III WHICH, IAbO
OF the commission were needed at
home. And this gives added point to
Mr. Hubbell's complaint. L doesn't SO
much matter that Hubbell and Mac
Vicar are at enrnity. The point sticks
out just the same.
Other cities. adopting or considering
the commission plan, are interested in
the point raised by Nr. Hubbell, not
OF course over the minor sum OF $50
for a weeks work. but as to whether
a commissioner should draw one sal
airy from the city and another half as
large from another organization or
firm. The question naturally zones
up, can one mar serve two masters at
one time without neglecting one and
which one would naturally be ne
| elected? In cases of this kind would
he keep two differast offices and two
office forces. one paid by the city, the
other by the other employer? Would
the one II Employment influence action in
the other? a number OF very import
ant questions suggest themselves.
II would appear that there is suffi-
c.ent to look after in cities like Des
Moines to keep V commissioners
busy all the time. and in cities like
;Marshalltown and Ft. Dodge to require
the closest attention Of three men. The
idea is to have city business looked
! after like the business OF a wholesale
grocery. The manager Of a wholesals
house rarely fnds himself in a po-
sition to accept other employment on
the side, in which he should arm one
third of his entire income.
The commission will be effective pre-
cisely in the ratio Of knowledge, intel
ligence and hard work put into it. 1t
can not be conducted successfully
nights and Sundays as a sid line or in
connection .sith a side line.
MaeVicar seems to be getting all the
salary the Job calls for. Men can be
found VIII for SO a day will do all tina,
Mr.. MacVicar does and as well as he
QocS IL, u ~ ~ q ~ SAAS
5000 to 1920 salary is absurdly in
adequate to the necessities Of the po-
sition which calls for better h s9ot
men None but a fool would propose
that our superintendent of public
schools divide his time In the practice
of law and earn an income equal tc
what the public pays him. We de-
mand all Of his time and We pay him
a salary which Will buy a man biz
enough for the job In the manage.
ment of our cities we should require
in the law that a commissioner devote
all OF his time to the citl's work ant
we should pay salaries well up to wha
we pay men to manage u schools
In DeS MOineS 93.120 per annum II