Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1911-11-16
IS ABERDEEN
PROGRESSIVE?
The Answer Will Be Given
at the Ballot Box Next
Monday
ARE YOU AFRAID?
Adoption of Commission Plan
Will Place City in Line
Of Progress;

Is Aberdeen really the progressive
city it is generally believed to be?
Its citizens will be called upon to an
swer that question next Monday at
the ballot box. Live cities all over the
nation are today advertising the fact
that they have the commission form
OF government as an attraction for
intending settlers and the investment
of capital. The Chamber of CON-
merce of Muskogee, Okla, uses this
catch line in recent booster publica-
ton: "Muskogee has the commission
form of government.
Within the past ten years the new
system has been successfully installed
from New Brunswick to California
and from British Columbia to Flori-
da, and it is only question of few
years when to operate under the OBJ
solete, wasteful ward councilmanic
plan will be stigma upon any city.
The betterment that has been brought
about by the commission plan, with
its direct responsibility to the people,
its close concentration of authority
and simplification of procedure, has
been the cause of it's rapid growth,
26 states operating with grand sue
cess under the commission plan.
1t is paying no compliment to the
intelligence or business sense of Alb
erdeen to suggest that they will be
so frightened at the Ghosts invoked
by the opposition as to refuse the
opportunity presented next Monday
to secure the application of modern
methods in the in the transaction Of
the city's business.
Results in Cedar Rapids.
The commission form of govern
ment went into operation in Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, population 35,000) in
April, 1908, and a recent report from
that city gives the following results
in three years:
The former government had regll-
larly spent more than it's income;
Its warrants We're commonly at a dis
count, compelling excessive prices for
supplies. When heavy warrants were
outstanding, and there was no cash
to pay them, the city would fund
them into bonds; and so a bond debt
of SIP, 900 existed when the new gov.
ernment took hold.
Immediately the city's business was
put on strictly cash basis. Warrants
that had formerly sold at eighty
five cents jumped to par; the town
began claiming the cash discounts
given by dealers. An inventory of
city property was made, and when
all liabilities were deducted, it was
found that the city had net values
of $453,0O0.
Whom tho nou plon hod hoo, 4, m
Grafton for three years a new inven-
tory was made. The three-year show :
ing was that the city had
Reduced taxes each year.
Spent more on public improvements
in three years than in the preceding
ten years.
Paid off $155,OOO of it's bonded debt.
Paid it's bills every week. and regu-
larly received the cash discounts.
Employed more men than ever be-
fore, and paid higher wages
A good exhibit, this, for town
which had never even known before
how it stood, except that year by
year it's general financial condition
was little worse than before!
That the plan is not so new and un-
tried, and that all communities are
not so timid as it's opposition in Abb
berdeen appear to be, is evidenced
by the fact that 26 states in the union
have by statute provided for this sys-
tenn in their cities, and it is observed
that almost all those states have cop
led almost exactly the Iowa law. as
does the Allen law.
Commission Governed Cities.
The latest available list of cities
that have adopted this system in
cludes the following 125, in 26 states:
ma-Montgomery (3S,136) and
Q326S5).
California-Berkeley 40,434), Mo-
desto, Los Angeles (319,19S), River
side, San Diego (39,57S), San Luis
Obisbo, Oakland 05O,174.
Colorado-Colorado Springs (29,.
07S), Grand Junction.
Idaho-Lewiston, Boise.
1llinois-Aurora, (29,S07. Carbon
dale. Moline, Rock Island, Springfield
(51,67S), Decatur (S1,14O), Dixon, FL
gin (25,976), Ottawa, Kewanee.
1owa-Des Moines (S6,3S6). Cedar
Rapids (32,S1D, Davenport (43,O2S),
Burlington, Sioux City (47,S2S), Fort
Dodge, Keokuk, Marshalltown.
kansas-Kansas City (S2,331). COT.
feyville. Leavenworth. Wichita (52..
45O), Hutchinson, Abilene Grard,
lola, independence. Cherryvale, New