La Junta tribune., 1911-07-01

I- 20 after the evil without
gloves Our municipal governments
present a case in point. For genera
tons We have stood their rottenness.
inefficiency. grating and disgrace.
Now they are becoming 80 bad ~e
can put up with them no longer. The
resul, Is that We are eradicating the
old system root and branch and sub
of government The old scheme had
go, past the mendins point. 1t had
become honeycombed with ward and
partisan politics. To ourselves II
vas a reproach. to other nations
standing Joke. 1t was a combination
OF Tammany and kinky Dink. The
exposures In St Louis, San Francis
co. Pittsburg and elsewhere only
scratched the surface II was time
for new deal and the new deal has
come. Now the cities Of the entire
land are falling over each other in
their haste to try on the commission
system Wherever inaugurated II
has worked like a charm. Everybody
is happy over 1t except the profession
al politicians and the grafters.
The commission form Of govern
ment In America Is only a trifle
more than ten years old. 1t started
In 1900 as result Of the Galveston
flood. So staggering was the catas.
truphe that the old form ofgoyern-
ment was unable to meet the crisis.
Alderman McMaster proposed that
the council resign IN a body and
call in business men and experts TO
deal with the extraordinary situation.
This was done commission Of
five was formed, two OF them elect
ed by the people and three appointed
by the governor. Afterward the SUI
preme court decided that the COVER
nor had no right to appoint. and all
the commissioners were elected.
Prior TO the hurricane and tidal
wave that 80 nearly swept her OFF
the map Galveston has the usual dis.
couraging history OF municipal mis-
government As result she was In
debt. her bonds were below par and
her treasury on the verge OF bal,S
ruptcy. Under the commission sys-
TEN the city was rebuilt. the grade
raised several feet. the streets re-
paved, retaining sea wall construct
ed. the, debt cut down, expenditures
kept within the revenues. city em.
ployes paid in cash. bonds brought to
a premium. streets kept cleaner, san
itation improved, saloons kept out OF
the residence districts. politics ban
ishcd from the city hall. public gamb-
ling abolished, civic spirit awakened
and a condition OF harmony and pros.
p.rity begun such as Galveston had
never before known. In oher words.
the new government did better In
the face Of the calamity than IN"
old had done In times OF tranquility
one most significant fact Is that,
despite the expenditures required 10
rebuild. raise and protect the city.
the tax rate was kept down lower
than that Of any large city In Texas,
To show the contrast between the
old Galveston government and the
new. public Improvements had stop
ped under the former ring rule
and public buildings were deteriorat'
ing. finances Wer. going behind a,
an average OF 100000 every year,
city employees. including even school.
teachers we're paid In scrip and the
bosses. WHO we're growing rich, had
such grip it was impossible to
shake them loose
Al that Is now changed. The float
ing debt has been retired sink
ing fund started, public Improvement
are going forward. bills are paid In
cash when due, and the political
bosses have become unpleasant mcm'
rles That thrs. and other bcncfi
cent results arr due TO the commits