The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-12-03
Salt Lake Commissioners
Elect Find Commission
Form Big Improvement.
IClVlL SERVICE SYSTEM
Appointive Officers Selected
on Basis Of Merit Only,
Is Report.

Richard p. Morris and Henry W.
Lawrence, two OF Salt Lake s eommiS'
sioncrs.elect, returned yesterday alter
n visit to Des Moincs. Iowa. where they
studied the commission form of govern
mcut in operation Both Expressed the
opinion that tho commission lorm OF
government works we'll In Dcs MONIES
and that il is an improvement In ulupl
cipal administration over the old s.IS'
tenn Of mayor and city couucll, MI
Morris and Mr.. Lawrence were accoiI
panied by tommisSloncr-elect W. u.
korns and w. RI. Shcarman, the andl-
tor.clect. Mr., Korus remained to visit
a short time i'm Iowa and Mr.. 9hearmau
proceeded 10 New York for "A briel stay
before returning to Salt Lake. nc
party attended ono of the meetings OF
the Des MoIucs commission and u'aae
as complete An investigation of tho sys,,
tenn IA was possible within the limited
time at their disposal.
Says Plan Works We'll,
sEWithin the three years that the com
mission form has been III operation IN
Des Moiucs,'' said Mr.. Mnrrls. there
have been more public improvements
than there were in eight years proceed
ing that time. The rate of taxation mas
decreased materially and the cltN IL
getting two and onc-balf per cent on
its municipal tunls.
"Tbc commission in pcs 'MoIncs
started with clean slate. "heh tue
commissioners took Office there was an
Indebtedness of $1S0000, \ bond Vs.
sue was sold to take up this indebted
ness. Bonds for S3j0.000 were also rs
sued TO cover the cost Of pew clty
hall These bonds, we understood
were to be taken up with incoming
taxes.
"The Dcs Moiucs commission was
confronted with city water problem
The waterworks system WAS owned ny
company and The people were com,
PEELED to pay thirty cents the thousand
gallons, about twice the amount salt
Lake people paw Steps were taken
by the commission to acquire the piant
aud after the first steps had been taken
in court, an agreement was reached
we understood, uuder the terms OF
which the city will buy the system at
reasonable price.
Civil Service System.
nHeads of departments in De:
Moiucs are selected under q civil ser
vice system and the appointments are
| made on merit only We were told
| that there was no politics In any OF the
departments. The social question ap
parently has been practically settled 1T
! Des Moiuee, While the evil is not en-
| tirely eradicated, it seems to have beer
! reduced TO minimum, Saloons clost
promptly at 10 o'clock at night anf
there is said 10 be absolutely no Sun
| day traffic in LIQUOR
Mr. Lawrence thought the visit Il
Des Moines hal hecn a profitable one
81 believe we got good insight into
| the commission form of government.
| said Mr.. Lawrence. "Wc attended on,
| of the meetiupr Of the commission
i which arc held on every alternate week
| day, aud were shown through many Of
the departments.
"The people Of Dcs Molucs general
" seem to think that the commission
| form is good thing and that it is az
Improvement over the old plan. What
ever complaint is made against the sys
| tenn appears to come from DrofessioDa
| politicians whose occupation has van
| isbei.
Find no Politics.
| ''We were informed upon the mos
reliable authority that there was not ;
whisper of graft in any department auc
| that the civil service system that i
applied to appointive offices works ou
we'll Under that system politics play
no nsrt in tho selection of tho heads O
| departments. merit and capacity alOu'
being considerations,
" Altogether, Des Moines appears t.
have benefited bv the change In 1t
form Of government. and while it ma!
be said to be still in its experiments
| stages, the citizens feel that it vii
prove a much more satisfactory sys
tenn than the old when it has met an'
overcome the difficulties that Prosen
themselves always when Il radica
change is made
Inspect Repair Plant.
On their return trip the commission
ers.elect visited Omaha and Denver. Ii
the latter city they inspected the mum
cipal asphalt repair plant maintaine'
by the city and were favorably in!
pressed with the repair system, sayini
that the expense Of keeping the stree
paving in good condition IN Depve
seemed 10 be a good deal lower thar
In Salt Lake.
Mayor-elect S, c. Park and Commits
sisuer-elect w. II. korns arc now Of
tho Pacific coast. investigating the op
eration OF the commission form Of gov
ernuent in California towns where