The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1912-03-02
WHAT IT HAS DONE
Some Of the Results Accom-
plished Under Commission
Form of Government in
Several American Cities
Chorus of Praise Practical
ly Unanimous.
(BatOn Rouge Advocate

ces ful COMMISSION government
cities:
Des Moines, with "A ropulatio
of Sc :,GS. has had the form sine
F 1908. An expert speaking of til
elasticity of their charter, til
characteristic Of their adminlstra
tions to "do things says:
"The old plan of government
was rigid and inelastic Design
edIy so, because the people wer'
afraid to trust their officials witt
large powers of government
This was because the plan was s,
complex they could not see wha
was going on. The Des Molnes
plan IS flexible The charter does
not tie up the commission will
strings; it leaves them free in all
the details of government. II
something needs to be done, the
commissioners 60 ahead on the
simple demand Of public opinion ,
Colorado Springs, Colo, with a
population of 20, l7S, has had the
commission plan since July, 1909.
Commenting on the remarkable
increases in municipal improve
ments and facilities obtained for
the tax money spent, this com
ment Is made OH one phase OF
commission governments:
"The test of the commission
form is not necessarily reduc
tiOn in tax rates, or in the total OF
the budget. Some towns are not
80 anxious to cut expenses as they
are TO get their moneys worth
This was the case in Colorado
Springs. In the long run it all
comes down to this: ''Does com
mission government give the peO.
pie what they wantF Any govern.
menL which does is truly demo.
cratic. Any government which
does nOt-nO matter what officers
II let's us elects not democratic" !"
Burlington, Vermont, in con-
servative old New England,
adopted the commission form of
government for her population of
"a, 900, IN April, 1910 Here are
the list of accomplishments Of the
administrator under this form:
In three months the city was
placed on a cash basis! The ou:-
standing debt was refunded at
four and one half per cent instead
of SIX, per cent. Taxation was
equalized! Twenty thousand dol
lars needless expense was saved
the first year where there had
been "no money!" and used for
improvements.
Hutchinson. Kansas, has a pop
ulation of Is, 364, and adopted the
commission plan on January l,
1911. These are some accom-
plishments achieved in the one
year:
City on cash basis since May,
1911; more public improvements
going on than ever before; bonds
at a lower rate than ever
before; partisan and factional pol
itics eradicated from municipal af-
fairs; the whole people pleased
with the result.
The chief commissioner of COf
feyviIle, Kans., population 1861,
says.
Sin the first five months Of op
GRAFTON the tax rate was reduced
from 8 40 mills to 8319 mills,
the new levy including several
new items. l served as mayor
under the old system. There is no
Dne in the city that would 60 back
to it. In my opinion the new sys-
TEN Is far ahead Of the DID,"
Writing of Coffeyvllle, a stu
lent of municipal government
writes:
"In CoffeyvilIe there was evi
1ently a leakage somewhere under
The old system. 1t was not the
fault of the men III authority.
There was conflict Vf authority,
duplication OF work.
The commission plan in this city
puts the authority III the hands of
i've conspicuous men, who are di
rectly responsible to the people
They are sensitive to the demands
Of the people for economy and IN.
telligent management, because ev.
is done in the opeDw
Remember, Mr.. Taxpayer, there
are over one hundred progressive
cities which have recently adopt.
I'D this form In some variation,
aud many 9th RS that have had il
for q number Of years. The chor
rs of praise is practically unani-
nous!
Will Baton Rougeans profit b,
the experience of others?