The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-10
THE TOPEKA PLAN.

We nave neard nucn Oh Adte, LII
emissaries from Dayton, Ohio, about
the wonderful showing the city of
Dayton makes in it's government under
the city manager plan, whereby man
is brought in from outside at a high
salary to manage the city as general
manager of a railway or other cor
poration would manage the affairs of
his institution.
These experts from Dayton have
come here with the idea that they
were showing us plan of government
which was working more successfully
with them than ours is with us. In
their egotism and enthusiasm they
have assumed this, but the facts do
not bear out their assumption.
As a matter OF. fact, Topeka's city
government which is known as the
commission form, and which has been
successfully developed here in Topeka.
has now become more or less of a
model and might truly be CALLED the
Topeka plan. 1t is more efficient and
less expensive, so far as Topeka is con
cerned. than the Dayton plan is in
Dayton: that is. with Dayton it costs
more per capita to run the city than
1t does in Topeka, and that is the real
test. if both are ordinarily efficient.
The point of this article is that To-
peka need not concern itself, at least
not now, over a city manager. We are
doing mighty well under our present
form of government. OF course. Day
ton had a bad government, it was said
to be a rotten" government, and with
-ha eft Of
course, the people were more or less
elated and enthusiastic and thought
they had the only plan on earth.
Topeka is fortunate in being what
may be classed a well governed city.
The commission plan works well here.
1t is modification of the city man
ager plan in that our five commits
sioners are like the board of directors
of a corporation or institution, with
the further provision that each COM
missioner has charge of a particular
department, all have concern over the
whole city and all the departments.
and the mayor is the executive head.
We have five commissioners. The
present commissioner of finance and
his predecessor have made splendid
=
finances are in good shape, it's bonds
are in demand; they have been sold at
a premium, have been over-subscribed
several times; many of them are held
by our own people, so we are paying
interest to ourselves; the city is secur-
ing larger per cent of interest on its
surplus from several banks in the city
than it ever received before
Our commissioner fwaterworks and
municipal lights has recently an
nounced that after putting the water
system in first-class shape, spending
all the money that could wisely be
spent at this time, he can make a
large reduction in rates, and this re-
duction has already been announced.
The municipal lighting plant has real
~ made a wonderful showing. White
ways and electric lights have been ex-
tended and there is no doubt but the
city would be warranted in adding
equipment to this department.
Our commissioner in charge of the
public parks makes a showing in his
department which is little short of
marvellous. Topeka's parks and play
grounds are becoming more numerous
and more practical every year-they
speak for themselves. The thousand;
of people who enjoy them, the new
Ripley park which has just attracted
$4,000 from the Santa Fe, the inn
provements at Gage, and other parks
make showing of which the commits
sioner and the city are both proud.
The commissioner in charge of
streets and walks is probably as eff
cient as can be found in any city of our
size, and this department is continually
making improvements and is believed
TO be well and economically admins
tered.
The mayor, as the executive of the
city has displayed intense. efficient
ana successful interest in the conduct
of his office.
So, take it all in ali, Topeka has
other things to concern itself about 10
better advantage than its serious con-
sideration of changing its present
form of government. AT this time we
may well devote our energies along
other lines.
OF course few meetings, of more
or less mass" character, may be en-
pertaining and informative. but thew.
do not necessarily imply that there is
any great demand for a change in the
government of Topeka. U. S. A.