Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1911-04-22

of government such men operate, III
the public intrusts its interests TO
competent men and provides for CEN
tralization Of power, with checks TO
guarantee the proper use and prevent
the abuse Of authority, 1t will be
more successful and satisfactory than
the old-fashOned plan Of mayor.
"Such a situation exists in the city
of Dallas today, and while approved
the plan, l admit that its success has
been due TO the men who are carrying
IL out. think all business men of Dal-
las will however join me in the belief
that in the main the city charter of
Dallas, expressing the commission
plan OF government, is the equal OF
any charter yet drawn and. inasmuch
as we have selected efficient men TO
carry out that plan, we have every
reason TO congratulate ourselves upon
the results thus far obi diDed.
1T is my conception that the
checks which may be used upon pro-
posed legislation against the wishes
of majority Of the people, are fully
adequate, aud / unlv refer in passing
TO the three vital principles S of the
plan-the initiative, the referendum
and the recall.
THE provisions for any and all
kinds of these being in our charter at
least act as del errent, not only maxi
ing the commissioners anxious TO
serve the will OF the people, but have
the effect Of making tenure of office
unstable for a dishonest oil cial, there
fore making such a position undesir-
able at the hands OF the CRATER. No
man who seeks a position TO handle
public funds in the machinery Uf mu-
nicipal government for his own sell
fish ends cares to go TO the expense
and trouble, to say nothing OF the
corruption and fraud, in order TO
obtain control of the elective offices
of the city unless he shall have con-
tidence that the reform element will
never be strong enough To initiate
legislation or 10 recall him from
Office.
THE Dallas municipal legislation
voters; referendum vote is neces,
sary on Is per cent petition, any can
be recalled aud a special election n-
stituted on petition of 30 per cent of
the persons voting at the preceding
election Personally, l think that
the percentage on the recall petition
Is too high.
ave have never had occasion TO use
any OF these three safeguards OF the
commission plan, and inasmuch as we
have been operating uDder the plan
for four years, the unqualified success
OF busn administration has had
the effect of disorganizing all parties
where municipal questions are con-
cerned.
The Citizens Association. which
has handled the campaign in muDici-
pal elections for the present admins
tration, is composed Of the highest
type of our citizenship. know OF no
better demonstration of the satisfac-
tion which the qualified voters OF
Dallas have in our city government
than the fact that on April last our
present commissioners were reelected
without opposition; in fact, no other
candidates were put in the field.
THE concrete results of the COM
nilsson plan in Dallas could hardly be
stated in few words. 1t is signi.
ticant TO note, however, that we
formerly paid Ss5 per year per lamp
for the seven ampere arc lamp fol-
city lighting. We nov pay $50 pei
lamp.
THE water plant Of the City OF
Dallas was operated last year at a
total expense for salaries, labor, sup
plies aud al maintenance costs OF
$Sl ,945l4 aud the receipts Of the
waterworks department were S2l4,-
SOFIA. This surplus Is piled up
against day of Ieed, and this year
we have voted $780, 900 in waterworks
bonds, which, together with the sur
plus in the waterworks fuud, will al
low us TO spend three quarters of a
million dollars in increasing our pres
, euL water facilities.
, THE latitude which the commits
sion plan allows has been of grea
benefit TO the city of Dallas in lines
which are not directly capable of pro
, ducing or saving money TO The city
. l refer particularly TO the action o
, the commissioners Of public play
, grounds aud matters pertaining u
our city parks. This illustrates thai
, municipal government is not only ;
4 question OF getting dollars worth
. for dollar. but there is an intang