The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-04-17

COWS, PROVIDED tney nave not reached
that age of intelligence where the,
let the women do the work. This is
cited as sample of the overgrowl
municipal system prevailing in mos
cities. This distribution of authority
is not the result of one year, but of 8
& century's growth. 1t has resulted il
ineff1ciency and, in most cases, inau
ton. The same system has been pro
yoking to the taxpayer, who has new
Ter been able to find out or locate the
i blame when anything has gone wrong
If any man in any modern city un
+. dertook to find out who was to blame
about any minor happening in his 10
cal government, he would be old
( enough to be a Revolutionary pension
er before he discovered and located
the blame
In one western city it is related
that at the time of high water man
whose home was on low ground had
his cellar flooded with water. He re
sorted to the city government for re
!! lief. He called on the mayor. who
was polite. but could not help hin,
He made the rounds of all the boards
and commissions and finally came
back to the board of public works and
\ complained that he could get no re-
lief. Having on a former visit related
that the high water had drowned his
chickens, waggish member of the
board of public works told him to so
back home and go to raising ducks in
stead of chickens.
In many cases political machines
have been formed and have been so
strong that their destruction has
. seemed impossible The municipal MI
chine has been the mother in the
municipal vinegar.
The American people have been
eager to correct political ills far
away. but have been neglecting the
ills Immediately around them.
In the year 1907 we adopted in the
city of Des Moines, where | live, a
simplified form of city government 1t
consists of five trustees, or commits
sioners, elected by the entire city at
one election, each for two year
term and without any ward lines. This
has been called the Des Moines plan
of city government. The idea original
ed at Galveston, Tex. The people of
Galveston. in their distress after
their great calamity, had to have a
simplified form of city government.
Their affairs were too complicated for
the old form. 1t is strange fact that
a few men can do successfully what
a large number of men are unable 10
do. For instance, we often discover
that receiver appointed by the
! courts can make business success.
full, the very business that q large
number of stockholders had failed in.
The Des Moines plan, while evolved
from Galveston. is greatly improved
and seems to us quite complete. The
I five commissioners have power to
elect all the other city officers. They
select the auditor, clerk. treasurer,
city solicitor, police judge, and so
forth The people hold these five
men responsible for the city govern
ment. They do not go to their sub
ordinates when things go wrong, they
I go TO the commissioners direct or the
commissioner. The idea in the Des
Moines plan has been concentration
of power and concentration of respon
sibility. We are building a city build
ing which shall not have a Legislative
! chamber in it. We have abolished par
~ p0liticS We have 90 naar ac may
be, established a business government
! The people are backing the commits
| sioners in every good thing. Publicity
4 is main factor Notice must be Civ
en- before any ordinance is passed. but
! we have but few ordinances. We have
cleaner streets, better pavements
and in all respects we have better
governed city A great move is made
forward when partisan politics Is
abolished The commissioners are
chosen at a nonpartisan primary. The
ten receiving the highest number Of
of these are elected. One of the number
is called mayor. However, he has nc
more authority than his associates
Each commissioner is the head of a
department by mutual agreement The
commissioners give their whole time
to work and are on duty during bust
ness hours. We have the initiative
1.-THE referendum, and recall for the
commissioners, but not for any Of
their subordinates None OF thesS
features of the charter have beer
used. would not favor the recall II
an organization SO large as state.
Ihave never observed the workings o.
1.-THE initiative and referendum in
state. | am much opposed to the REGAL
which applied to the judiciary Suct
a restriction would embarrass an hon
est Judge and do no particular goot
with one who did not desire to dc
right. All candidates for commission
err must publish an account OF theil
campaign expenditures, and there cal
be no promises made for offices to b
distributed.
In regard to the recall as applied
In ,ba Judiciary I would like to ash