Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-01-20
. THE UPS AND DOWNS OF
DIES MONIES,

v. - THE UPS AND DOWNS OF
DIES MONIES.
Des Moines, Jan. IL. - This city has
recently been witnessing a demonstra-
ton Of some OF the i~mperfections OF
commission government. The commits
sioners have been squabbling n
pickering among themselves, opposing
each others projects, getting their
personal ambitions between the spokes
of the wheels of government.
The story of Des Moines for the last
eight years is the story of the rise,
and to some extent Of the fall. OF civic
righteousness. 1t shows most clearly
how commission government will work
and how 1t may stop working. Above
all, it proves that unless the average
citizen keeps n eye on his municipal
interests, they are apt to get away
from him.
Undoubtedly, one of the chief
reasons for the success of commission
government is that the campaign for
the reform attracts public attention TO
public business. How to keep ina
public attention awake is a problem
that many of the reform cities VIII
have to face in the future. Des Moines'
which adopted commission govern
ment in 1907, may be said to nave rae
ed it already, and therein lie the I'M
p%ortance of her story.
Before the change, conditions in this
city were picturesquely bad. Ward
politics, which are the pettiest politics
on earth, had the city by the neck Inc
present commission occasionally quar-
rels, but in those good old days council
meeting used to occasionally n IN
fist fights. Graft was openly charged
and it's existence commonly believed.
A mayor upon leaving office bcasted OF
the money he had received from con
tractors. The quality OF the city ON
Gals is indicated by the fact that one
retiring mayor went to work as a par
keeper, while another n drove a art
wagon shortly after his term expired
The citizens finally awoke to the
fact that they were not getting any
thing for their taxes, and a commits
sion government was instituted. There
was an instantaneous change from
black to white. The new commission
was on the job early and late. Big
CITY improvements were launched and
completed. Party and ward politics
were eliminated by the non-partisan
ballot. The city administration In
ever respec vas almost incredibly
good.
h. The people of Des Moines were as
pleased with their commission govern
ment as q. boy with a new sled. They
liked to try it and see it work. A mai
who had been trying in vain to get an
abandoned telephone pole removed
from his parking, called up the COM
mission and had the pleasure of seeing
the pole hauled away the same DAY.
Little things such as this, ana DIG
things such as paving and Fairgrounds
gave the people complete faith in nell
commission, They concluded that they
could forget all about the town let
the commission run it.
Once you get the habit of politics, 1t
is very hard to quit. When the 1rst
Des Moines commissioners, who
hard working business men, had done
their turn of public service. some OF
them were glad to retire. And every
time a good man retired, a hungry
nolitician was glad to take his place.
The neople Of Des Moines more or less
suddenly awakened to the fact tnat
they had the wolf of politics In the
Sleeps clothing of commission govern
ment.
# ia not meant to imply, however,
that commission government has been
a failure in Des Moines. No charge OF
dishonesty or corruption has been
made against any of the commission
ers. but all Of them are charged with
PLAYING personal politics instead OF at
tending TO the city's business. Two OF
~. nresent commissioners are describ-
ed as old politicians. A third is
labor union representative. The fourth
encouragement at Manila absolute