Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-21
[ BY J. X. DouGHERTY.1

Des Moines, Dec. 2O.-The com.
mission plan of government in Des
Moines has been a success. There is
general agreement on this. More public
work has been accomplished in the
last five years under the commission
plan than during any periodaof twice
that length under the old plan. More
than $60O,OOO has been expended out
OF current revenues in public improves
ments Of benefit to the whole people.
and THESE improvements were made
not only without AN increase lin thS
tax levy, but with an actual average
decrease OF two and half mills for
the last I'VE years as, compared with
the average for the preceding eight
years under the old. form.
These improvements have been or
such character. as to rouse the pride
OF Des Moines people in their city. II
the commission government had no
more to Its credit than the splendid
civic center established on the river
front 1t would have justified It's ex.
istence, but 1t has accomplished other
things of lasting benefit to the people.
There has been more paving and more
attention paid to the maintenance or
paving, cleaner streets, better parks,
more street lights and on all night in.
stead Of moonlight schedules. And
while giving the tax payers better
run for their money" as one expressed
1t, the commission secured reductions
IN the gas. light and water rates.
Critics OF the plan In Des Moines
when pressed for specific objections
show an inclination to hedge" They
see too many CHAIR warmers,"s one
councilman Is now on a junket to In
spect market houses. and this has
brought a protest the fact being over
looked that In the past entire councils
In Des Moines took junkets at public
expense for the purpose Of buying
equipment and inspecting public work
! in other cities. The people watch
| these things now because all public
business Is done in the open All the
meetings Of the council are open meet
ings. There are no private committee
meetings, for there are no commit
tees: no star chamber sessions Of the
committee of the whole where the real
work Is done and the public is only
given such enlightenment as can be
found in brief report embodying the
councils decisions.
Under the commission plan the meet
ings are public. The people can a.
tend. The reporters are there. IL any
commissioners wants to take jinket-
ing trip he must bring the matter M
before the council and there Is a dis.
cussion by the commissioners and the
press before he goes and not after his,
return II any question arises 1t ID not
referred to this committee and that
committee to be discussed in secret.
but it is threshed out on the floor. 3If
| there is delay in street work; II there
| is a complaint against the police de-
partment or any question relating to
| city government comes up the matter
| is not referred to some committee and
! then forgotten. The commissioner lin
charge of the department criticisedsis
| present and must offer explanation or
defense. He can't stand behind some
one else. He is responsible II the
people demand some improvement and
the council refuses to act, the people
can act through the initiative and pre-
sent an ordinance making provision
for the things demanded This ordi-
nance can be adopted by referendum
vote. II the commissioners prove
stubborn in carrying out the peoples
will they can be recalled.
'Des Moines has found the commits.
sioners responsive to public sentiment.
however, and there has been no need
for the nse Of the initiative, referen-
dunn or recall. Things have been ac-
complished for which there had been
demand for years. What criticism Is
heard in Des Moines is directed 1T the
commissioners and not at the commits
sion plan.