The Dickinson press., 1913-10-11

having been in southwest Of the Kildeer
mountains for about three years.
AGAINST COMMISSION FORM 5.
OF GOVT. FOR DICKINSON
Most questions have two sides and
before making a change from asform of
government with which we are familiar
and that has been generally satisfac-
tory for the past Is years or more we
ought to stop and consider the unknown
side before taking the jump from some.
thing we have to something practically
new and unknown. except as we hear
from other cities having it.
What does the commission form of
government mean to cities adopting it?
And what will it mean to Dickinson7
1t means placing the city government
in the hands of five men as against the
board of aldermen and mayor.
It means that these five men may be
elected from any n or part Of one
ward Of the city.
It mems. that parts of the City, will
necessarily be without representation.
if the men elected are not of the broad
est guage and of the very highest pa
triotism..
1t means that the city government
may dwindle into an autocratic affair,
"a thing that is repugnant to a demo-
cratic, liberty loving people.
1t means more taxes (for the law pro-
vides salaries for the commissioners.
sometimes probably without adequate
representation. a thing that is abhor-
rent to Americans.
It means more political wire pulling,
because where q citizen is dissatisfied
with any act, just or unjust, Of any
commissioners, he may get up a peti-
tion for his recall, have new election,
create factions. dissatisfaction, expense
and turmoil-lots Of turmoil-more
elections, more bitter feelings. air at
the expense Of Dickinson. the city.
It means changing from something
that has been tried and found satistac-
tory t., something which may be very
unsatisfactory.
Minneapolis talked it, argued It.,
fought it, voted on it, and a week ago
rejected it by a vote Of 3 to 1.
Galveston found it good after the
food, because martial or tyrannic law
was what they needed then. They
don't want it now, but it has frozen
itself to them, like the old man of the
sea, they cannot shake it. Des Moines
has it and would like to get rid of it.
Tacoma has il. and the mayor Of Tacoma
Is out advising his ~neighbors not to
make the same mistake. Dallas has it
bad. Other cities have it and except
ina very limited number of cases, it
has proven itself to be q flat failure;
Mandan and Bismarck have not i'm
proved either financially or morally
under it. Our city compares favorably
with any city of the state which either
has or has not adopted it in finances.
morality, lawfulness, citizenship and
every other way. in fact there is no
city in the state with as great a de-
gree of morality and so little lawless:
ness and so many good patriotic citi-
zens as Dickinson holds. We have no
need of the change Only cities that
are d~emoralized, overrun, with crimi-
malls and crime, $lawlessness and the
like. inability Of the people to govern
t~hemeslvessin their own way, or that
are permeated with graft and fraud and
similar ills need it. We are not de
moralized, we have no reign of terror,
we have no ~lawless1ess. we are moi
threatened with sensibility, there is nc
graft among our city officials, and oul
present system Of city government is
the best that thinking men have been
able TO- deyise--Iet us hold to it until
something better is offered.
ask every citizen who has at heart
the welfare 81 this city. who wants "a
zee it Grow. who wants politics elimi.
mated fromci q Affairs. who wants q
shun factional strife az he shun,s q
rattle snake, who wants 10 make THU
the Queen City al the Missouri slope,
50 Get out tossthe polls on Saturday and
1Y0te a1ainstf this napS% udIa dew6avvs
thereby PUBLISHING q he world thai
1.-The ". uttcrrances q eth Committee, All
Without foundation. B Us doing. i
will assist ~ laying The foundation ri
aerssatsar Dlckineoa lily sin which
1hs Wiz lstadkseesS ppftisde.s ono ~ will counl
ltts proud prlyilsse nxhich to live.
S5s.} xSPAYER
ES&1x handssn m chaas