Baxter Springs news., 1918-02-08
The A. B. c.
OF THE CITY MANAGER PLAN

Answer. A set Of three or fv'
commissioners elected from the city
at large who serve for q nominal sal
airy only; these in turn hire a city
manager who executes or carries out
their program for a city government
Q. Has it been tried out?
A. Yes, extensively over the q. s
In Kansas as the last legislature pas
sed the law making it possible but il
is not new to other states.
Q. Is 1t a success and If so why?
A. 1t is a decided success because
it gives to city the same degree Of
careful and efficint management as is
found in the management of any
large, money-making bank, factory
or mercantile establishment.
@. Does it eliminate red tape?
A. Positively yes; If you find some
broken pavement or a broken water
main or an electric light wire down,
you don't have to petition the Hon.
Mayor to have it fixed; you merely
call up the office Of the City Manager
who at once sends a mechanic out and
the work is done forthwith.
Q. Has this form of government
been approved by the Federal govern
ment?
A. Read what President Wilson
says: Il regard the commission
manager plan of municipal govern
ment as q marked advance over any
plan hitherto tried in this country,
from the standpoint of both efficiency
and demOcracy."-WOODROW WILL
SON.
Q. Why hire an expert for this
managers place? Why not give it to
some of the retired citizens at home?
A. For the simple reason that if
you want a plow sharpened you drive
to the blacksmith and not to the un-
dertaker. Again, for the reason that
the up-to-date man on the job knows
from an engineering view point the
cost of sewer materials; of paving
costs; of freight rates; Of the pros
poets of getting materials in Pitts
burg, Pa, or Memphis, Tenn. If sew
er tile can be had quicker in st. Louis
or lola, if the Wabash can deliver in
to Kansas City quicker by three days
on hurry up shipment than the l. C.
or Sante Fe. These things count in
time; an expert has a way Of finding
them out. The City man likely
guesses at it or says he doesn't know.
Q. Is the Manager plan spreading
to other governments than city?
A. Yes. Some counties over the
u. S. has displaced the old form of
county officers with this plan and it is
meeting with great success. Some
states are advocating this now. Kan
sas printed into her statutes last leg
islature such q law and we really
have State Manager; this seems to
be news to many people. Read the
law on this.
Q. Do politics enter into the new
elections for these Commissioners?
A. Partisan politics do not-party |
lines are abolished; some few dis
gruntled office holders will seek to in
ject politics but the issue will be to
elect men who are clean, progressive |
and above all, men who are success
full in their ebusiness.
Q. Are ward lines eliminated?
A. They are; the commissioners |
are elected at large from the city.
Q. Do the "big fellows" stand the i
best show for these places?
A. They do not. Mr.. Average
Voter has voice in saying who gets
these places, exercise your vote as the
Federal constitution guarantees to
every qualified voter. You are not
good citizen if you don't vote.
Q. Can the women vote?
A. You bet-and they are going
TO this time. Their mind is already
made up.
Q. How does his new form help
civic improvement?
A. By encouraging clean streets;
all lawns sown to grass; plenty Of
water to keep them green through the
hot summer likely a forester for all
public trees and the parks; city gar
dens; all weeds cut on vacant lots.
No rusty cans or rubbish allowed to
littler the streets and alleys. No old
machines or unsightly,
broken down wagons to block street
passage ways on back lots as is now
In vogue.
Q. When will the first commission
be electe?
A. At the regular spring election
held in April. Il
Q. Is it what we want for Baxter !.
SbrinRs?