The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-01


don q candidafes ~ sn2ans 81 ! non.
partisan primary has eliminated party
politics from the city government.
This seems TO be true. The claim that
under this form the people take I'M
creased interest In public AFFAIRS seems
to be Justified. The largest vote IL
always polled in city elections
How tho Plan 10 Regarded by the
People OF Des Moincs.
/ We ma that q few of the citizens
of Des Moines of good standing are
distinctly hostile to the commission
plan, claiming that 1t ia undemocratic
In theory and inefficient in practice.
But the number Of these Is so small
as to be almost negligible. The very
great majority, while admitting Its
defects, to be presently mentioned, re-
gard 1t is a vast Improvement over
the former government. These could
INTO be induced to return to the OLD
order of things, though many OF them
express themselves as dissatisfied with
the plan in its present shape.
Defects.
While, as above stated, the great
majority OF the people consider Com
mission Government a distinct Inn
provement over the old type, there
are very few who express unqualin-
ed approval OF 1t. Most people one
meets will volunteer the informa-
ton that the plan lacks administra-
tive unity and harmony. This was
one of the first things said TO US by
the Mayor. Mayor Hannah has been
in once I'VE years.
AS a result of his experience he ex-
pressed 70 us the conviction that the
city Manager plan would be prefer
able to that now In use In Des MONIES.
The weakness of the commission
plan. as he sees 1t, lies in the fact
That with a fiye-headed administration
established, each commissioner Is ike
ly TO center his thought and EFFORT
upon his own department, and there
IL no one person whose duty 1t Ii &c
view the affairs of the city as whole
and plan and direct them as whole,
or who, II disposed to do so, possesses
the requisite power and authority
to administer them in their. entire
~.
Similar views were expressed by
Mr.. w. r. Mitchell. the only other
now in office VINO we
had an opportunity to see. mar. MIL
cheli in the beginning OF this inter-
view volunteered to say that II the
affairs of the city are really TO De
put upon a business basis. there
should. in his judgemnt. be a caty
Manager. =,
One phase of the present plan Is
In the case of Mr.. Mitchell
himself. He has been in office about
one year. His nomination was
brought about by the business men
of the city and he was regarded as
the business mems candidate ne
was a man of large practical expert
ence as a contractor and builder, In
which pursuit he has been very sue
cessfuI. Those who supported him
confidently expected that he would De
assigned to the department OF streets
and Public improvements. He him.
self felt that II there was any one
department for which ne was spe'
cially qualified II was this. Instead
however. he was given the department
of Public Safety. for which he Tel
no spectai fitness, and lawyer wa.
assigned to TO the Department OF
Streets and Public improvements
This last named department appeared
10 us to be below the general stand
are In Des Moines, the streets IN Ger
tain sections of the city showing neg.
lect both as respects cleaning and
repairs.
Mr.. Mitchell also says that ther'
are at times conflicts of more or iesi
serious character between two o.
more departments as respects mat
ters that must be dealt with 3.
each, which would be obviated undel
CITY Manager plan. We also talked
with Mr.. John Macyicar. "a formel
member of the commission. and q
gentleman of wide experience In mu'
nacipai matters. Mr.. Macvicar u
satisfied with the Des Moines gov
eminent as Ii Is. While believing
that the City Manager plan 10 tbs
ideal In theory. yet for local reasons
he does not think IL advisable tc
adopt II there.
We also conferred with the heads
fof two local labor organizations. They
informed us that the labor element
of the city was disposed to support
the government and generally speak
ing were satisfied with IL. except that
they realized Its weakness In the par
ticuAars above mentioned. and felt
that there should be a manager with
power to appoint competent heads
Of departments; or II this were not
attainable. then at least the Commits
sioners should be elected as heads
OF specific departments.
We deem IL proper to add that the