Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-11
COMMISSION GOVERNMENT.
K-DeS MOines.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

Standing on the river front in the city
Of Des Moines is a magnificent new mu-
nicipal building which will go down in
history as the first city hall to be built
in the United States especially planned
for the business of commission-govern-
ed municipality. When the final plans
are completed it will constitute part OF
one Of the most beautiful civic centers in
America. The city has had three years
of commission government. and every
friend of the system Is elated over the
manner in which the plan has been vim
dictated.
They point to the fact that even when
the enemies of the commission plan have
come into power, they have been forced
to give an efficient administration. 1t Will
be recalled that Houston elected its for
mer mayor in the first election after the
adoption Of the new order, with several
other members of the old system. But
they were not anti-commission men, run
ming on a ''down-with-the-sl plat
form, as happened in Des Moines, where
the anti-commission ticket, backed by all
the opposition and the wide-open element,
after losing out In the preliminary Tree
for-all," won out in the final contest.
There was great tubilation in the camp
of the old ring element. They had
gigantic celebration Of their triumph and
prepared to do business at the old stand
in a more wide-open and liberal way than
ever before. The commission plan people
were correspondingly detected. With their
ticket defeated and the system they had
created taken completely out OF their
hands, they could only hope for the
best.
When the newly elected officials assum-
ed Office the wide-open element waited
for tho usual
Gave Administration tip that 'rt's
That Surprised All. s oh s'sh' an go
that word was never passed. Tho COM
mission, with every eye in Des Moines
upon it. acting directly under q spot
light of intense public interest, settled
down to business and gave the city an
administration that was a surprise to
everybody and delight to the hackers of
the plan.
The results that have followed the
adoption OF the commission plan
In Des MONIES have been as strik-
Ing as those In the cities of Texas.
Whether, as every believer in the COM
mission plan asserts, this is due to the
merit Of the plan itself. or whether, as
the opponents declare. it Is due to the
thoroughly awakened public sentiment
which insists that public officials shall do
right. 1t is not the province Of this Sc
ries Of articles to determine. But GER
tainly the results have been remarkable.
Although the tax rate was reduced 20
cents on the 800. the deficit of more than
$4,000 prior to the operation Of the COM
mission plan was converted into q sur
plus of $4,000 for the year after its
adoption. Arc lamps for the street light
ing system of the city were reduced
from 500 to SO and afterward were again
reduced to $65. The water rate was re-
duced from 80 to 20 cents, and the city
railways were made to give a share of
their profits to the city treasury.
There are some figures illustrating the
success Of the Des Moines plan that are
not accepted by all Of the friends Of the
system. who insist that claiming too
much for II Is as bad as condemning 1T.
For instance, 1t was cited that the cost
per linear foot for street curbing was
reduced from 40 cents under the last
year of the old system to 800 cents
under the new system, yet careful analy-
Sis showed the figures to be valueless.
since. depth. width and length of haul
varied go as to make II impossible to
compare them. The cost Of bridge paw
ing was reduced 20 per cent, that Of cul-
vert installations 33 per cent and that of
moving parks % per cent.