The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-04-11
Waxing WARMER


With the city election one week
away. and with five issues to be pre-
scented to the electors. interest seems
to have centered largely in the on
test for the one position on the city
commission that will become vacant,
and in the plan Of city government.
Friends Of both J. A, Johnson and ].
kundert, who are opposing each
other for city commissioner, are out
in support of their respective cendi-
dates.
Adherents of the commission form
Of city government say that the COM
mission plan here has proved without
doubt that ii is the only system, so
far tried out. on which the city can
be operated on a modern business
basis. They point out that under the
commission plan alone are the city
heads held responsible, in the literal
sense of the word, for the municipal
ity's welfare. Also, it is declared,
that being held strictly accountable
for their every action, a board of city
commissioners are not permitted,
even if so disposed, to allow personal
feeling to enter into their work to the
detriment of civic affairs. The old
fashioned board of aldermen is lik-
ened here. and in nearly all of the
scores of other cities that are flour
ishing under the commission plan, as
a government presided yer by a So
ciety. some of whose members attend
important meetings only when not
otherwise engaged, and who are in IN
ideal position to blame expensive
mistakes onto the other member, and
more frequently onto the other fac
ton, of the city council. They point
out that factionalism and good bust
ness never have run hand in hand in
city administrations.
With regard to the referendum
vote on the Egan en- paving,
property owners along the city's main
thoroughfare today reiterated their
declarations that while the improve
ment will be enjoyed by the whole
city. it is really an issue that has al
ready been decided by the persons di-
rectly interested-Egan avenue prop
erty owners who will pay for the
whole cost of the work. They de-
clare that they cannot conceive of 4
voter %objeeting 10 a public conyen-
fence, the urgent need for which is
generally acknowledged. when ii is
given to him absolutely free. One
reason advanced for the belief that
the opposition against the paving will
not be great. is the fact that where
in most other cities street intersee-
tions are paid for out of city taxation,
Egan avenue property owners, realiz-
ing the pressing need Of the paving,
\ decided. rather than to longer de-
prive the city of an Improvement
justly her due, TO bear the whole eX-
pense out of their own pockets.
Men behind the saloon license cam
paign declare they have ample
grounds for believing that the mum
Der Of votes they will poll will sur
prise the opposition. Temperance
workers. who have been doing con
siderable active work, say they are
not i'm doubt as to the success of their
principles. They are confident, they
say, that d larger dry" vote will be
cast this spring than there was a year
ago, when saloons were voted out.
While more or less overshadowed
by the activity displayed during the
last couple of days by candidates for
county offices, indications are that a
large vote will be cast at the city cleo
ton polls. The total registration for
the city election a year ago was
1927. and the numbmer of vote:
cast was 924. At $3.50 o'clock this
afternoon 993 names were on the
poll registry.