Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-09-23

"A
for next Friday evening in the city
hall for the purpose of inaugurating
a campaign for the adoption of the
commission form of government in
Aberdeen. The sentiment in favor of
this modern system of city govern
ment has grown immensely since the
election two years ago, when it was
defeated by narrow margin through
a fear to make the change to new
and, in this state, untried plan. The
Allen law has now been in operation
two years, and number Of progress
sive cities have adopted it, and none
of them could be persuaded to return
to the old system.
To say that the commission form of
government is fad would be an ad-
mission of colossal ignorance. Nearly
300 cities of the United States have
a commission form of government.
Such cities as Galveston, Des Moines,
New Orleans, Minneapolis, St. Paul,
Portland and others have adopted it,
and no suggestion has been heard
that any of them return to the ante
quated councilmanic-nobody
BILE plan.
Must Reduce Taxes Now
We must reduce our taxes and as
sessments in Aberdeen, and do it now,
or we shall miss the results coming
from the opening of the Panama canal.
There are so many people in all cities
who for personal reasons are oppos-
ed to any change reducing taxes and
assessments, and who are thus op-
posed to the real progress of the city.
The opponents of a commission form
of city government quote people in
cities which have a commission form
of government only short time. but
they ignore Galveston, Des Moines
and other places where the people
have tried commission form of gov
ernment for years and are satisfied
with it.
"This is no time for quibbling. We
must act, and act quickly. and not al
low few men to stand in the way
of the progress of our city. There
is at least $4,000 a year wasted in
our present complicated and irrespon-
sible system of city government, that
could be turned into profitable enter
prises for the upbuilding of our city.
Let us allow no men or set of men
or special interests to stop the pro-
gress of our city. The fight is now
on-for or against Aberdeen. Let the
stand. We now have it in our hands
to make Aberdeen a great city. Let
us do it.
Experience Of North Yakima
In the approaching campaign much
will be heard about the insufficiency
of the Allen law-the same arguments
that were used two years ago. At
that time there was no evidence upon
which to refute the allegations made
against this law, but we now have
the experience of half a dozen cities
operating under it, so successfully
that the last legislature was not asked
to change a line of the law, or add
word to it. We have the experience
of Hoquiam-with all the mistakes
at our door, but the Herald will take
the city of North Yakima for COM
parison.
North Yakima has about 800 more
inhabitants than Aberdeen, and about
$1,000,000 more assessed valuation, SO
that the comparison is fair example
of what may be accomplished under
the Allen law. The following article
is clipped from recent issue of the
Yakima Republic, and we recommend
it's careful reading:
"The net tax levy for the city of
North Yakima for the year 1912 was
$2O7,O51; for 1913. $180,44850; for
1914, it is estimated at s157,096.
"These figures, the comparison of
which is made possible by the issuance
of the city's annual expense budget.
today bv Commissioner of Finance
Wilbur Crocker, make it pleasingly
plain that the city, under a commits
sion form of government, is saving
money hand over fist
Reduction $4,000 in Two Years
"They show that the 1913 levy was