The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-05-23
SCHL0SSER TALKS
COMMISSION PLAN
SIOUX FALLS MAN ADDRESSES A
MEETING OF LOCAL CON-
MERCIAL CLUB.
PLAN WORKS WIFI! At SIOUX FALLS
But Mr.. SchIoss, 8 as Rather Dubious
AS TO Its We = IS In a City of
the Size 8 bookings.

Geo. schlosst Z ecretary of the
Sioux Falls com { ial club, address
ed the member q the commercial
club of Brookin& - Thursday even
ing in the club assembly room. Mr..
Schlosser's subject was the commits
sion form Of city government, and he
gave a splendid talk, explaining the
workings of the plan not only in Sioux
Falls, but in other cities of the coun-
try where it has been adopted. There
has been some talk of bringing this
question to a vote in Bookings and
commercial club members wished to
get more light on the subject, so it
was only natural that they turned for
this information to Mr.. Schlosser, who
is one of the prominent citizens and
live wires of Sioux Falls, where the
plan has been in operation for the
past three years.
Mr.. Schlosser told of how the plan
originated at Galveston, following the
flood, at a time when the affairs Of
the city We're in disorder and its fin,
ances at a low ebb. A committee of
citizens was selected to take charge
of the city's government, and the plan
worked so admirably that its fame
soon spread and it has been adopted
by a great many Of the larger cities
and some of the smaller ones, Of the
country.
1t has proven very popular where
ever it has been adopted, and no city
now working under the plan could be
induced to go back to the old system.
1t has proven itself responsive to pub
lie sentiment. has centered RESPONSE
bility and improved the public health
and morals. 1t does away entirely
with the spoils system and its many
Objectionable features, The commits
sioners under the plan are elected by
the city at large, thus doing away
with ward politics, and the commits
sioners feel free to serve the interests
of the city as a whole instead Of some
particular section. Formerly the bet
ter class Of citizens could not be pre-
vailed upon to accept an aldermanic
position or in any way mix in the old
partisan elections, but under the COM
mission plan they take an active inter
est and if necessary make sacrifices
to serve in the cause of good govern
ment. This feature, said Mr.. SchlOs-
ser, was one of the best arguments
for the new plan. In nearly every
city where the commission plan is in
use it embOdies the recall feature, by
which the city can easily dispose of
an unfaithful official, and this has a
wholesome effect on the men in office,
as unless their administration Of af-
fairs meets with the approval of the
citizens their fate is quickly and GER
tainly decided.
Getting nearer home, Mr.. Schlosser
said that the people of Sioux Falls
were highly pleased with the work
ings of the plan in that city, and
could not be induced to change back
10 the old system. In the three years
since the plan was adopted the city
debt has been greatly lowered, the
outstanding warrants having been re-
duced over $4,000, while at the same
time the public improvements have
been greater than usual. The reason
for this is. that the commission plan
is the business plan, and under it
there is no useless expenditures and
every dollar is made to count. Mr..
Schlosser dwelt also upon the fact
that the moral tone of the city had
improved considerably since the in
auguration of the commission plan.
While the plan is very much Of a
success in the larger cities, Mr..
Schlosser said that he was not pre-
pared to declare that it would work
as we'll in a town of the size of Brook
ings. The great trouble with the
small town is that it cannot afford to
pay large enough salaries to secure
competent men. Sioux Falls pays it's
five commissioners $500 a year each,
and Brookings of course, could not
afford to pay this much, and it is hard
to see how any man could give even a
part of his time for less. Mr.. Schlos-
AaEl 4Int Cor the cman tQWn he