Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-07-08
BOOST The COMMISSION PLAN
Leading Omaha Citizens Pleased at
the Present Outlook.
TRAINERS STATE THEIR VIEWS
"A CIub Men want Credit for PuttinR
the BiIl fn Its Present Form,
where ~ May Now Ne
Acted Upon.


where ~ May Now Ne
Acted Upon.
Tho plan of municipal government by
commission which Omaha Is soon TO con-
slider is a step in advance OF any plan now
IN use IN the United States in the opinion
of the men who have been boosting the
bill. John p. Breen the lawyer who drew
up the BILL and the members Of the ex-
ecutive committee Of the Ad club who went
20 Lincoln to fight the enabling act through
the legislature are all certain that Omaha
will adopt II and that the result will be
satisfactory.
Ralph Sunderland Of the Omaha Ad club
was at work with members Of the legis-
1ature during almost the whole three
months that the bill was UP. He was aided
by publlc-spirited men from Omaha, FIRE.
mont Beatrice and other interested cities,
who came to the public meetings OF the
: committees and argued the questions out.
as well as by Senator Banning and Repre-
sentative Metzger, who pushed the bills.
There was decided jealousy displayed by
members OF the Douglas county delegation
against the bill, and that was one of the
obstacles that had to be overcome
The plan IL adopted will give Omaha what
no other commission governed city has, a
commission with the privilege OF selecting
one of its own number to act as chairman.
select own Chairman.
'"roo much attention IL always paid in
q municipal election 90 the office of
mayor" said John p. Breen. author of the
bill. "John MacVicar OF Des Moines told
me that he thought the only possible i'm
provement on the Des Moines system would
be to have no office OF mayor. AS a mat
ter Of fact II makes really little difference
who is mayor, as the real responsibility for
the government rests upon the council OF
legislative branch. The purpose Of electinR
the commissioners without choice as tc
which one shall be mayor oenters the cleo
ton where It should be-on the Legislative
power.
THE Omaha plan is more like the on,
used in Des Moines than any other, al.
though 1 read the charters OF a hundred
cities and took ideas from everywhere
When the bill was drawn 1O3 cities ha(
tried II. some of them larger and som,
smaller than Omaha. Memphis and Birm
ingham we're cities of greater extent anC
population. In Memphis the graft elements
and rings were cleaned out and the SAM
thing can be done anywhere OF course W,
can do the work altogether. The success
or failure of the experiment will depend
upon the character OF the men we put in.
Thank the Ad Club.
Ralph r. Sunderland, who was the mos
active worker at Lincoln for the bill oil
behalf OF the Ad club. said Friday morning
THE people OF Omaha will adopt tn
commission plan OF government and the.
may thank the Ad club for the privilege
Judging from the experiences of othe
cities which are administered under thi
plan. Omaha may expect TO be greatly ben
Gifted by the change.
The application of modern bushes
methods to the affairs of the city shoul,
result in great economy so that withou
increased taxation all necessary and de
sirable things may be done which viii
make Omaha better city.
1T is a credit to the newspapers tina
they are willing to use their influence Il
favor OF the adoption of the commission
form of government, as presented in tn
Omaha Plan.
Having fought. bled and died for tn
passage OF the law may be pardoned 70
feeling OF special satisfaction now that
appears certain of success in Omaha"
Likes Bees Position.
Henry r. Gering, also an AID club booste
and one OF the men first to get the ciu
interested In the scheme. said:
1T doestIny heart good to see the posi-
ton The Bee is taking the commission
form of GOV eminent for Omaha. 1t shoul
appeal TO everyone who has the real In
serest of Omaha at heart not persona
interest but genuine Omaha boosting
: .t~lN q.
in the United states, and the commissio
form OF government will make 1t eve
better
TO the taxpayer It means an increase,
purchasing power for every dollar use
for city purposes; 10 the laborer II mean
better paw for better services All citizen
win take greater personal interest In tn
city, because 1t is up to them to get re
suits which will advertise Omaha in tn
right light, and make Il a municipal sue
cess"
NO Slap at Officials.
The tendency to treat the experiment a
direct criticism OF the present incumbent
OF public office in Omaha was decried b
Robert II. Manley OF the Ad club, VIII
helped 10 put the measure through
We have no knowledge OF grating goin
on in the city government" said MI
Manley, and we have no intention OF &C
cusing anybody OF wrong practices
there Is waste, AS there seems to be- W
belive that under any system so poorly al
ranged as the city government is the los
would be 70 per cent the fault OF wastefu
methods and 10 per cent desire for graf
I'VE must not forget that the same soE
OF men will hold office that are holdin
offices now. As II Is now, We will sc
the popular men. the ones who are goo
mixers and can get votes. But We believ
that these men do have a desire to max
good and that this system will give thel
a better chance than they have ever ha
before"
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