The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-03-17
Public Opinion
To the Editor of The Gate City:

newspapers, but, the coming election /
seems to me to be destined to have
such an important effect, one way or
the other on the future of Keokuk,
that l am constrained to break my
rule, and I, therefore, ask you to pub
lIsh the following:
When the commission form of gov
eminent was adopted only two years
ago, we all realized and conceded that
our first mayor and commissioners
under that form of municipal admin
istration would have to meet new
conditions under. the difficulties of
reorganization of our city affairs, and
we were all prepared to make allow
ances for some mistakes. Looking
back, now, over the record OF the past
two years, one is agreeably surprised
that the mistakes have been so few
and the successes have been 30 mum
erous l have been impressed with
the splendid work, which has been
done by Mayor Elder, ably assisted
by Commissioners GRAY and Schmidt.
When we come to count the important
achievements of the present admins
tration, the list is a long and very IN !
teresting one: The city government
has been re-orgarized and placed I'M
| der the commission form, which plan
was overwhelmingly approved by orr
| citizens; both the police and fire de-
partments have been, placed under civ:
I'll service; the work of public i'm
provement has been carried on in an
! efficient. manner: floating indebted
ness of some twenty-five thousand
dollars, inherited from the preceding
administration, has been paid off;
/ forty-three thousand dollars of a bond
ed Indebtedness has been wiped out,
i (twenty-seven thousand dollars of the
i sinking fund was used, but there is
still a credit Of sixteen thousand to
the present administration) from ten
thousand to twelve thousand yearly OF
actual money has been saved to the
home owners and tax payers of Keo-
kuk in successful fight, which the
mayor has waged in the bridge tax
case; the expense Of the superior
4 court has been curtailed and the re-
i public printing bills have been cut
down to reasonable amount, today
instead of facing the usual deficit,
which retiring administrations have
been wont to serve up to us, the rec
ords show, February list, 1912, cash
on hand, $12,613.00, in bank; and for
4 the first time in my memory, the city
| 1rc
saved against the needs of the com
ing season. in financial way the
city is about fifty thousand dollars
better off than two years ago. dc
not believe it can be honestly denied
that Mayor Elders administration
: has been one of the most efficient
faithful and successful ones, il moi
the most successful that the city has
: ever SEEM This is admitted even b!
his opponents 1t has been time
honored custom in the American sys
tenn Of government, dictated by con
sideratioDs of wisdom and policy, thai
when man has well and faithfully
filled an office for one term, he Is Civ
en- a second one
1t is also a principle of wise buss
ness policy that when an employe has
given faithful, capable and satisfac
tory service, he is retained and en-
couraged, not discharged and replaced
by a new and untried man, no matte
how well recommended, or we'll Liked
the applicant may be. Now, VIII.
: should we make exceptions of Mayo
Elder and the present commissioners
J What reason have we for dischargins
!. them when we know they have earn
!. estly and faithfully served us? Should
: we do it, because they have paid GU
! debts and saved orr money? Tha
would be a fine stimulus for the mex
administration to economic in cit,
affairs.
Should we do it because they hav,
materially reduced the city printing
bills? Should we turn them down be
cause the streets are unclean? Dirt.
streets are no new thing in Keokuk
and will, undoubtedly be properly cal
ed for when weather conditions permit
e Speaking of the streets, should no
A. some of us be more careful abou
is dumping sidewalk sweepings and rel
S. use into the cutters, and thereby i'm
e. prove sanitary conditions Throughout
" the city?
d There cannot be found reason TO
turning our present officers out, whicl
le will seriously weigh against the splen
Al did record of wise public service an
le achievement, which they have give
'e US.
: A wise man once said: ~ know Q
: no way of Judging the future, but b
the past What Patrick Henry sal
= years ago still holds true, and i
: making my choice of the candidat
= for which shall cast my vote, meas
- uring the promise of the next tw
:, years. by the experience of the pas
:. two years, am for Elder and tn
: present commissioners.
= can only cast my own vote, an