The Mankato free press., 1912-02-02

llnded man, Well-llked by all WI
knew him, and great footba
layer
From Fridays Daily.
III his brazen attempt to 'muckrak
the fair name of Mankato, it's col
mission form of government al
the gentlemen who make up tt
city council, Arthur Schaub, WI
made an ineffective campaign
gainst the adoption of like sy
tenn of municipal government
Superior, Wis, framed these stat
ments in circular which was
sued and signed by him during h
short story in the badger sta
city. The circular was headed "Ti
Commission Form-Claims OF Il
Commission Form and Results o
tanned in Mankato." -.a.
From Pen of Schaub.
1t will lower taxes. 1t has
raised our taxes from 3S mills
to 44.57 mills,
Men elected at large are bet
ter than the ward system. Our
commissioners forgot the out
lying districts.
There will be less graft. With
out actual graft commissioners
were influenced to give large
special favors.
1t will prevent the rule of a
clique. In one year it produced
in Mankato well-organized
clique.
There will be more publicity.
The people of Mankato have had
no knowledge of what has been
done by the commissioners,
what work was done and what
money was spent or what it
was spent for, until an investi-
eating committee dug down in
to the secrets of the administra-
ton.
A superintendent of depart
ment will be more effective
than a council committee. The
department theory has resulted
in a one-man rule, and the great
est mistakes have been commit
ted by the false judgment Of
individual commissioners.
VIII save money. Has result
ted in a very expensive admin
stration which has eaten up the
public funds. .-..-.-. 80, ...
1t will be easier to fix re-
sponsibility. 1t produced a city
government committing hun
dreds of mistakes without any
chance to fix responsibility on
any one
1t will give better control of
public utilities. 1t has resulted,
as was intended in govern
ment favoring public utilities
and private interests.
The recall, initiative and re-
ferendum will prove effective
checks. Neither has assisted us
in controlling council endow-
ed with unreasonable and ire
concilable powers.
1t will get the city out OF
debt 1t has brought the city
to the verge of bankruptcy.
1t will be the means OF bet
ter improvements. 1t has re-
suited in many Illegal improve
ments which have brought the
city'S finances to such low ebb
that proper improvements have
become impossible.
Will bring about more ac-
curate accounting. From the
books of Mankato no one can
tell what has become OF our
public funds or what they were
spent for. ...
Will bring about a more ef-
ficient supervision of public
works. Has resulted in the very
opposite.
Will give us business ad-
ministration, and popular gov
ernment. Has resulted in a rule
of private interests.
VIII give US. better city Off
cials. The city officials are
mere tools of the commission.
erS. .s... -stt. .ssie
Will give us men who are
interested in the city at large.
Every official has favored his
immediate neighborhood.
VIII get commissioners who
will do things for us. They have
done all those things which
they should not have done.
81 claim that these results are
the natural product of the COM
mission form of government and
not the fault of men, and will
discuss this question. with any
one disagreeing. The commits
sion form of government is a
failure. Arthur Schaub.
Statement From Mr.. lamm.
Councilman Robert Lamm, supe
of the department of
nance and accounts, after readin
Mr.. Schaub's statement, said:
when the new charter of
this city was adopted in April,
$780, the outstanding floating in
debtedness of the city amount
ed to about $4,000. Some OF
this Indebtedness had been run
ming since 1905. This Indebtedness
was reduced to $4,000 and at
the meeting of the council last
Monday, tax certificates were is
sued and the same was fully