Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-10-24
Modern Plan of City Government Proves More
Economical and More Efficient than Old
System Wherever Tried
EXPERIENCE OF Il CITIES, IN SEVEN STATES
All Tell Similar Story of Improve
Method of Ward CounCi|men, With Nobody
Responsible for Errors

1t is now about four years since the
commission plan of city government
began to be matter of nationwide
significance. AT that time the stu
dents of the plan had before them
only the very short experience of
Dallas, Houston, Des Moines, and one
or two other Iowa cities. But it was
clear even then that commission gov
ernment had started a veritable revo-
luton by putting into the hands of the
people an effective instrument of con-
troll. The "check and balance" sys-
tenn, which had actually created the
professional politician and which at
its very best had never been a posi-
tive factor in good government, was
abandoned. In it's place was substi-
tuted simple form of governing or
ganization which was continuously ex-
posed to the full glare of public opin-
ion. The net result was something
quite new in American cities; a gov.
erning body which really came from
the voters, and was sincerely anx-
ious to obey them.
And now that the plan has been
adopted by three hundred cities from
coast to coast, there does not appear
any very substantial evidence that this
estimate of the virtue of the plan will
be belied by experience. No one now
can seriously get up in meeting and
maintain with straight face that
commission government is not vast
improvement over the form in gen.
eral use up to six or seven years
ago. Read the experience in a num-
ber of cities:
San Diego, Cal.-Commission plan
in effect 1909. The number of streets
cared for has increased fifty per
cent, but the number of employees
only ten per cent. Purchases are
made through a central bureal and
prices are obtained before orders are
placed, the city obtaining cash dis
counts. A large sum has been saved
to the city by these methods.
Corpus Christi, Tex.--Plan in ef-
feet 1909. Population, S,222 The city
has paid off $4,000 of it's floating
Indebtedness. The old government
made no permanent improvements;
under the commission form extensive
improvements have been made in re.
grading and repaving the streets and
sidewalks and in the construction OF
water and sewerage systems. Prop
erty values have doubled.
Topeka, Kan.-Commission plan in
effect 1910. Party politics have been
completely divorced from the city ad-
ministration. For the first time a To-
cal railway company has been COM
PEELED to make street repairs When
relaying it's tracks. The city for
merly attended to this. The Finance
Commissioner being unable to dis
pose of large issue of bonds to
brokers to his satisfaction, sold the
entire issue to residents of the city
by private correspondence, making
the best sale which has ever been
made in this city.
Eau Claire, Wis, population 1870.
Plan in effect 1910. A higher type
of men were elected to Office. At the
end of the first year there was an
increase in surplus over the previous
year of $71,327.93; more permanent
improvements were made and the
outstanding indebtedness materially
reduced.
lola. Kan. Pop, 9.O32.-Plan in ef
feet 1910 few items in the en-
pense account of 1910 (under old
form) and 1911 (under new form)
are suggestive: City Attorneys sal
ary and expenses" 1910, $1,061 6S;
1911, $73460; miscellaneous" 1910
s795O.6O; 1911, s46s.71; Police Patrol
salaries, 1910, s4.161.46; 1911, $2,-
O62.3S.
Burlington, Ia-Plan in effect April
4, 1910. Population. 34.324. In first
three months city was placed on a
cash basis, present debt refunded in
serial bonds at Az per cent. interest
instead of 6 per cent. Taxation was
equalized and more work accomplish
ed at less expense. Mayor and coun-
cilmen devote their entire time to
city affairs. All bills discounted and
interest received on daily balances in
bank. About $4,000 was saved the
first year.