The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-05
WHAT 1T DID IN DIES MONIES.

Des Moines, Iowa. affords the most
Impressive example of municipal gov
ernmental reform In the republic.
Previous to 1907 that city was rotten.
The public service corporations con-
trolled the city administration. and in
return for franchises and special prlvi-
leEes protected gambling dives and
vice. There were tho usual number
OF ward bosses. each "fattening like
a tick" on the municipal body. Taxes
we're going UP steadily. II became
more and more difficult for the
people to buy land and build homes,
and because OF such situation times
were very hard.
In 1907. snatchinG at the only straw
that was in reach. the people of Dcs
Moines voted in the commission form
OF government. They did this in the
face of tremendous opposition from
the city administration, and the pub
lie service corporations. Entrenched
special privilege yclped grafters
whined demonstrations" and Office
holders howled through the night But
good governments swept the deck
What has. been the result in these
four years of the new plan OF gov
eminent in Des Moines? Listen:
The net loss to the city in the last
year of the old government was S134,-
$40: the net gain in the first year un-
der the new charter was sIs.4aa1o, a
total relative saving of s12s.o4alo
The tax levy for city purposes in tina
last year of the old charter was 3S7
mills Con the % per cent valuation
established by law); tho nrst year
under the new charter It was a6.i
mills
Public improvements valued ut
sS61,7SS.5o were made during the frs.
year of the new system.
Contractors have been held strict
ly to the specifications Claims for
extras which had developed into an
outrageous abuse, have been firmly
rejected, The quality of all public
work has visibly improved.
A modern bookkeeping system has
been installed
Municipal expenditures have been
confined strictly within the clty's
revenues. putting an end to tho prac-
tice of pilng UP yearly deficits to
which almost the entire city bonded
deht was due
Street lights formerly costing SIS
10 sos have been reduced to a uni
form rate of sos per arc per year.
and the moonlight schedule has been
abolished. insuring better service.
Incandescent lights havo been re-
duced from s25 to SIT In some cases.
and the all-night schedule has been
substituted for moonlight schedule
In others 3! Ahc same price-sI7
The streets have been kept notice
ably cleaner; the alleys In business
sections. never before cleaned at all,
have been thoroughly cleansed.
Street signs have been put UP
throughout the city. Years of clamor
for 1t failed to persuade the old gov
eminent 20 make this Improvement
The wages of the men with teams
have been Increased from $3.50 To
$3.50; those of day laborers from So Ia
s225; much better service has been
required.
The cost OF cleaning catch basins
has been reduced from $40 to SIZE
Uniform cement walks have been
laid throughout the business section
Bridge paving under the old sys-
tenn cost s474 per yard by contract,
ha
done ny day labor for s4O9.
Culverts costing sl7.si per cubic
yard under the old plan have been
built for s1os3 under the new.
Moving in the parks has been done
at rs per cent OF the former cost.
Work done by contract has been
ter to the lowest bidders withou,
manipulation.
The sources Of immortality and
crime have been largely abolished
Gambling houses have been closed
Friendly, but mutually self.respecr-
Ing relations between the city gov
srnmen. and the public service cor.
poration have been established
City politics have been utterly di.
vorced from State ana national poll
tics
There has been a 80 per cent. in.
crease in population in the last de-
cade. largely due to the improvement,
in the city effected by the new plan
OF government.
This Is what commission govern.
ment haE done Inv NJ. Moi,.- - H.,
1t do anything for Richmond?
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THE DANIEL MONUMENT.