Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-11-19
THE COMMISSION FORM.

petitions for a special election to
submit the question OF adopting 'ne
commission form Of government pe1oie
tha voters of the city are being CIT
culated today. The matter has been
freely discussed for some time. Last
night a meeting Of citizens was nelo
IA the Commercial association rooms
and 1t was almost the unanimous
sentiment Of those present that the
commission form should be adopted:
Several members Of the city councn
who were at the meeting were ouI'
snoken in favor Of changing the plan.
Great strides have been made by the
commission plan since Galveston, Des
Moines and other cities took the 1nltla-
tive in abolishing the old system. Two
hundred and five cities in th1rty-tnree
states have adopted commission gov
eminent, Other states lately nave en-
acted legislation permitting changes
in CITY government and the list OF
these cities is expected to gro"
ranidly within the next year. ONO
adnnted a constitutional movement at
the recent election and a number OF
cities. including Columbus, Dayton,
Toledo. Springfield and Cincinnati are
talking commission form. The New
york legislature is pledged to enact
similar legislation at the coming term,
onening the way for the large cities
IN that state to adopt the plan.
Los Angeles, Cal, and Portland, ore.
have reached the stage OF submitting
commission form charters Tor adoptloh
at the polls. New Orleans lately adopt
ed the plan and st. Paul had alreaoy
done SO. Other cities over 50,ooo III
population now under the commission
form of government are birmingham
and Mobile, Ala, Oakland, CAL, Spring
field, Ill, Des Moines, Ia, Kansas City
and wichita, Kan, Lowell ana Lynn
Mass. Omaha, Neb, Passa1c ana Ireh-
ton. Il. j.. Oklahoma City, Okla
Memphis. Tenn, Dallas, Fort Worth
and Houston, Tex, Salt Lake City
IJtah. Spokane and Tacoma, Wash,
six iowa cities, Burlington, Cedar
Ranids. Fort Dodge, Keokuk, Marshall
town and Sioux City, are included IN
the large list Of cities under 50,oOo IN
regulation now governed by COM
missions.
The principal points to be raised IN
favor az the commission form are the
araain9 OF ward lines in city govern
mental affairs and the election OF men
who will look after the interests OF
the entire city and not their particular
ward alone; the greater efficiency
that comes from centralizing the au-
thority in the hands of three men VINO
viii be directly responsible for the ad'
ministration Of the affairs of their de-
nartment and who necessarily must
devote much more Of their time TO CITY
AFFAIRS than is now given under the
ward alderman system, and, finally,
the elimination of politics from CITY
affairs Under the commission plan
there is no party designation on the
hallot after the name Of the candl'
date. There Is no city central COM
mittee working for any particular
ticket. for there is no party ticket In
the field. Every candidate stands on
his merit as citizen. -.
In electing men to office under the
commission form there is no room for
consideration of their views on mat
ters OF national policies. They have
simply executive functions to perform
The only question to be determined Is
whether the candidate has the ability
- conduct the large business affairs OF
: CITY. and the duty the people must
,,arform is to see that men of the
greatest ability are placed on the COM
,,,iasiOn