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WLLACIES    OF 


THE  DES  MOJNES  PLAN 


Presented  to  the 

UNIVERSITY  OF  TORONTO 
LIBRARY 

by  the 

ONTARIO  LEGISLATIVE 
LIBRARY 


1980 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/foxygovernmentorOOryanuoft 


FOXY  GOVERNMEN 

h^^^  OR.  -^ 

Fallacies  of  the  Des  Moines  Plan. 


BY 

P.  H.  RYAN, 

of  the   Des  Moines  Bar. 


COPYRIGHT,   1912,  BY  P.   H.  RYAN. 


7 


Preface. 

A  preface  to  a  book  is  like  a  niau  introducing  himself — an 
awkward  and  generally  a  useless  piece  of  business.  A  prologue 
to  a  promised  epic  might  serve  the  purpose  of  an  advertisement, 
but  in  this  instance  would  be  distasteful.  The  writer  is  not  seek- 
ing notoriety ;  he  is  no  defeated  office-seeker  nor  aspirant  for  any 
IX)litical  office,  and  writes  from  a  sense  of  duty  only,  that  the  un- 
wary may  evade  the  man\'  pitfalls  in  tlxat  form  of  municipal  gov- 
ernment known  as  the  Des  Moines  plan. 

Our  thought  today  is  hurry  and  short  cuts.  We  think  initia- 
tive, recall,  referendum  and  commission  government  is  what  we 
want.  Xovelty  and  changes  are  expected  and  we  want  them  right 
now  with  no  thought  of  the  dangers  inherent  in  them.  Our  con- 
sideration of  modes  and  means  are  hasty  and  erratic.  We  an- 
nounce immediate  cures  for  the  l3ody  politic  and  the  public  jumps 
at  the  panacea.  The  result  is  mistake  after  mistake,  all  of  them 
costly. 

No  attempt  is  made  to  cover  the  field  strewn  with  blunders, 
failures  and  political  chicanery  wiiere  this  new  government  has 
been  set  in  motion  :  only  brief  mention  has  been  made  with  the 
hope  that  what  has  been  humbly  said  may  throw  a  small  ray  of 
light  on  this  prodigy,  and  thiat  such  information  will  meet  with  a 
reception  at  the  hands  of  the  public,  sufficient  to  arouse  the  people 
to  a  realization  of  what  foisting  upon  them  such  government 
means. 

In  what  has  been  said  nothing  is  intertded  to  harm  or  wound 
the  feelings  of  any  city  official  or  other  person.  It  is  the  sophis- 
try of  this  style  of  government  and  the  pernicious  methods  its  op- 
eration permits  to  which  attention  is  directed.  Whatever  vision- 
ary speculations  are  advanced  by  advocates  of  commission  gov- 
ernment, there  is  nothing  to  verify  the  predictions.  Wherever  the 
scheme  is  in  operation  there  is  found  instead  of  political  freedom, 
aristocracy  and  the  very  climax  of  boss  rule. 

If  but  a  small  portion  of  American  citizens  about  to  become 
disfranchised  by  this  plan  of  government;  who  delegate  their 
brains  to  the  keeping  of  three  incompetents,  and  who  are  willing 
to  be  taxed  without  a  voice  in  conducting  the  affairs  of  their  city 
will  peruse  this  brief  synopsis  of  the  so-called  Des  ^loines  Plan, 
it  will  be  ample  appreciation  for  the  effort  undertaken. 

P.  PT.  RYAX. 
Des  Moines,  Iowa,  February,  191 2. 


T  T  A<T\'    T  V  S()V\r\()\  >    l  .\    ( ,<  a  l.l:  \  M  1 .  .\  1  5 

Hasty  Innovations  in  Government. 

( )iif  people  seem  to  he  in  a  hurry  ahout  something-.  They 
rival  the  old  time  Oreek  in  this  respect.  They  are  forever  on  the 
lookout  for  novelty  and  are  particularly  g-iven  to  manufacturing 
political  inventions.  We  are  a  good  natured  people,  kind,  helpful 
to  one  another  and  disposed  to  take  a  charitahle  view  even  of 
wrong-doers.  Our  anger  sometimes  Hame  up,  hut  the  hlaze  is 
soon  extinguished.  Cruelty  nowhere  is  more  ahhorred.  It  is 
said  that  even  a  moh  lynching  a  horse  thief  has  consideration  and 
compassion  sufficient  to  give  the  criminal  a  good  drink  of  whisky 
hefore  he  is  swimg  from  the  telegraph  pole. 

Still,  we  are  a  lot  of  implacable  disputants.  Every  imaginary 
reform  is  to  be  the  remedy  for  all  ills  to  which  we  are  personally 
or  nationally  subject.  The  country  is  becoming  evolutionary ;  at 
least  we  have  several  years  ahead  of  us  on  such  troublesome 
questions  as  tariff,  morality,  referenchim,  recall,  prohibition  and 
amplification  of  governirLental  authority ;  the  idea  being  that 
everything  must  yield  to  the  interests  of  society.  The  American 
habit  of  agitation  threatens  to  become  chronic.  It  has  already 
attracted  the  attention  of  foreign  visitors  who  have  publicly 
speculated  upon  the  probable  result.  It  is  a  healthful  thing  in  its 
proper  season,  but  perpetually  at  it  after  the  occasion  for  it  has 
passed,  is  like  a  fever  in  the  blcKxl,  and  quite  as  dangerous  to  the 
national  health  as  a  fever  to  the  individual. 

The  time  has  come  when  the  sober-minded  citizens  of  the 
United  States  should  turn  their  backs  upon  the  professional  sen- 
sationalist ;  upon  the  fellow  who  is  forever  agitating  new  schemes 
for  rules  of  administration  -and  governmental  changes,  because 
fickleness  and  fluctuation  in  such,  matters  are  dangerous  to  good 
government.  A  step  of  this  sort  is  essential  if  prosperity  is  to 
be  the  continued  guest  of  this  country,  and  our  people  to  remain 
the  most  favored  under  heaven. 

We  should  take  time  to  draw  a  long  breath  now,  and  again, 
in  our  hasty  rush  of  commercial  pursuits,  to  inquire  into  and  ex- 
amine the  cause  of  all  this  agitation  in  governmental  affairs  both 
state  and  national,  and  especially  in  so  far  as  it  concerns  the 
government  of  the  town  or  city  in  which  we  go  forth  year  after 
year  to  earn  our  daily  subsistence.  We  should  inform  ourselves 
as  to  who  it  is  that  is  causing  all  this  agitation  and  whether  they 
know  or  much  care  what  government  is. 


6  FALLACIES  OF  THE  DE:s   MOINES  PLAN 

Governments  are  organized  for  the  purpose  of  regulating  the 
affairs  of  the  people  and  are  the-  fundamental  rules  of  which  the 
nation,  state,  city  or  other  body  politic  are  adjusted,  their  laws 
administered  and  the  social  actions  of  the  individual  members  re- 
stored to  order.  Ours  is  a  republican  form  of  government  b\- 
which  is  understood  one  by  representatives  chosen  by  the  people 
where  the  whole  wield  sovereign  power,  and  a  system  such  as 
Lincoln  described  as  "A  government  of  the  people,  by  the  people, 
for  the  people."  Efficiently  managed,  it  is  conducive  to  industry 
and  mutual  happiness,  and  when  judicially  conducted  all  derive  a 
benefit  therefrom. 

A  great  trouble,  however,  in  the  administration  of  the  law 
is  that  from  time  immemorial  some  one  or  a  select  few,  through 
some  mc*de  of  action  acquire  management,  and  either  through 
lack  of  adlequate  knowledge  in  business  or  moved  by  considera- 
tion of  personal  profit,  dissatisfaction  in  public  affairs  result,  and 
the  people  becoming  discontent,  seek  changes  in  the  existing 
form. 

Since  the  early  days  of  mankind,  on  clown  through  barl)ar- 
ism,  and  the  ages  when  shepherds  and  herdsdmen  hunted  wild 
beasts  and  watched  their  flocks  on  the  declivities  of  the  moun- 
tains; when  nobles  were  military  chieftains  in  camps  or  walled 
cities ;  when  people  formed  no  idea  of  the  spiritual  world  or  a 
spiritual  divinity ;  when  the  fertile  fancy  of  ancient  times  filled  the 
earth,  the  air,  the  sea  and  sky  with  imaginary  beings,  and  when 
every  cave  and  valley  had  an  imaginary  occupant,  down  the  many 
years  to  the  present  time,  governmient  in  some  form  always  existed. 

In  all  these  different  arrangements  from  the  most  crude  in 
primitive  times  to  the  modern  edition  of  the  twentieth  century, 
some  person  or  clique  ambitious  to  govern  according  to  their  own 
fancy,  regardless  of  the  wishes  of  others,  take  charge,  and  too 
often  without  regard  of  what  the  cost  in  life  or  property  mav  be 
and  with  no  consideration  for  it. 

Social  instinct  causes  mankind  to  gather  and  live  in  com- 
munities w^hether  the  most  enlightened  or  the  barbarous  savage ; 
hence,  rules  for  the  guidance  of  those  having  common  interests 
are  necessary.  Here  trouble  is  always  arising  by  a  change  of  such 
rules  being  sought  by  someone  more  versatile  than  prudent  either 
for  the  effect  of  novelty  or  often  to  become  ruler  uoder  the  new 
regime  and  incidentally  contribute  to  personal  welfare. 

Fickleness  is  an  attribute  of  man ;  this  perhaps  should  soothe 


WHEN  ABRAHAM  TRIED  THE  COMMISSION  PI. AX  7 

the  evil  propensity  of  lii.s  cliang^eable  character.  To  rule,  is  per- 
haps an  hereditary  trait  of  his  make-up.  We  are  told  that  in  the 
;<^iays  of  l(jnjj  aj^^o,  when  g^reat  whales  and  every  livinp^  creature 
that  movetli  in  the  waters,  every  winged  fowl  of  the  air,  the  cat- 
tle and  every  cree()ing  thing-  and  beast  of  the  earth,  came  into 
being,  man  though  last  created  was  first  to  rule  over  the  rest 
of  creation  and  exercise  dominion  over  the  new  and  first  gov- 
ernment. 

Xo  ^^ixn]  purpose  could  now  be  served  in  attempting  to  place 
the  exact  location  where  that  government  was  put  into  operation. 
The  surv^eyors'  stakes  are  gone.  A  person  not  too  precise  about 
geography  wall  be  satisfied  by  thinking  it  was  probably  some- 
where in  the  Euphrates  valley.  The  location,  however,  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  ideal  and  the  government  first  class.  All 
there  went  well  till  a  disturber  of  contentment  came  along  and 
wanted  a  change.  Filial  devotion  to  our  venerable  ancestor  pre- 
cludes any  thought  of  laxity  in  the  rendering  a  pro<j)er  account  of 
his  stewardlship,  at  least  till  he  succumbed  to  the  machinations  of 
the  ix)litician  from  Gehenna. 

Accepting  the  apple  core  was  a  frivolous  piece  of.  conjugal 
gaiety,  and  from  events  that  developed  later  on,  it  is  fair  to  pre- 
sume that  instead  of  sampling  a  willow  twig,  Adam  was  handed 
a  lemon.  He  lost  his  job  all  right,  and  a  flaming  sword  that 
turned  every  way,  presumably  similar  to  a  Dutch  windmill,  was 
placed  at  the  east  gate  of  the  municipality  to  prevent  a  recurrence 
of  his  exercising  further  authority  in  that  baliwick  or  accepting 
perquisites  and  emoluments  of  his  former  office.  Thus  was  the 
first  government  reduced  to  smithereens  because  a  meddler  who 
should  be  attending  other  business,  wanted  a  change  and  a  pos- 
sible throne. 


When  Abraham  Tried  the  Commission  Plan. 

The  Israelites  appeared  at  the  very  dawn  of  history  on  the 
banks  of  the  Jordan.  The  annals  of  the  Jew  is  the  history  of  na- 
tions. From  the  very  first,  and  for  hundreds  of  years  afterwards, 
they  lived  almost  as  one  family  in  so  far  as  a  ruler  and  mode  of 
government  was  concerned.  Now,  and  then,  dissentions  in  the 
manner  of  conducting  affairs  appeared,  and  finally  when  they 
became  too  manifest,  Abraham  decided  there  was  better  picking 


8  FALLACIES  OF  THE  DFS  MOINFS  PLAN 

for  him  elsewhere,  and  packing  his  suit  case,  bid  adieu  to  his 
companions  in  Ur  and  hiked  out  for  Canaan. 

There  he  set  up  a  government  on  material  different  lines 
from  the  one  in  use  by  his  idolatrous  relatives  back  on  the  old 
homestead,  and  lived  a  rich  life  among  the  wandering,  movable 
tribes  of  Palestine,  till  growing  restless  and  in  pursuit  again  of 
still  other  and  different  modes  of  state  polity  for  the  Canaanites, 
got  into  a  scrap  with  the  king  of  Shiner,  and  finally  brought  up 
near  Hebron.  There  his  two  sons,  Isaac  and  Ishmael  began  mis- 
chief right  away  in  the  conduct  of  home  rule. 

In  quest  of  new  forms  of  government,  Isaac  started  up  one 
suitable  to  his  conception  of  good  things,  and  Ishmael,  taking  up 
his  abode  in  Arabia,  promulgated  another.  Even  with  Abraham 
and  his  people,  their  greatest  disturbance  seems  to  have  been  a 
change  of  prescribed  rules  for  the  guidance  of  their  tribes,  and 
because  of  this  peculiarity,  more  so  perhaps  than  any  other  reason, 
fragments  are  seen  today  in  practically  every  inhabitable  place 
on  the  globe  of  a  once  most  powerful,  prosperous  and  happy 
people. 


Clamoring  For  a  Changi:  in  Govern me^nt  Along  the  Banks 

OF  THE  Tiber. 

The  ancient  territory  of  the  Roman  empire  moved  along 
fairly  well  under  the  peculiar  modes  of  antiquated  guidance  until 
the  twin  brothers  reported  for  duty,  those  whom  tradition  say  the 
woodpeckers  fed,  and  a  she- wolf,  their  foster  mother,  divided 
with  them  the  nourishment  belonging  to  her  own  offspring.  As 
they  grew  up,  quarrels  with  the  herdsmen  for  supremacy  and 
new  government  arose. 

The  twins  claimed  as  children  of  Mars  and  the  vestal  vir- 
gin Rhea,  to  be  princes  and  the  rightful  heirs  to  the  throne,  and 
determined  to  build  a  city  and  establish  a  government  of  their 
own.  Grief  over  the  new  style  of  government  came  with  vehe- 
mence. One  of  the  brothers  desired  laws  and  regulations  in  ac- 
cordance to  his  dictates,  and  would  have  the  capital  city  located 
on  Pal^ine  Hill.  The  other  brother  just  as  determined,  insisted 
that  rules  should  be  of  his  declaration  and  the  capital  located  on 
Aventine  Hill. 

The  augury  of  vultures  deciding  the  location  of  the  city  in 


CIIANGK  IN   COVKRNMeNT  ALONG  THE  BANKS  OI-   THF-    TIIU-R      9 

lavt>r  of  Rcjmuliis,  work  on  the  new  town  mil-  ldiiiiiiiik  c«!  l»y 
lirst  building  a  defense  around  it  consisting  of  a  plowed  furrow. 
Ivcnuis  was  inclined  to  poke  fun  at  the  breast-works,  and  as  the 
legend  goes,  mocked  his  l)rother's  ramparts.  Romulus  became 
huffy  at  Ihis  seemingly  interference  of  his  engineering  and  ar- 
chitectural accomplishments,  and  picking  up  a  mattock  or  neck- 
yoke,  or  something  of  that  sort,  jokingly  swiped  his  twin  a 
crack  in  the  solar  plexus,  putting  him  out  of  commission- and  all 
earthly  imperiQUsness. 

Romulus  now  having  full  swing,  set  out  to  regulate  and 
establish  laws  for  the  new  commonwealth.  His  discipline  did 
not  take  kindly  with  discordant  elements,  and  new  and  multifari- 
ous forms  of  government  sprang  up  ever  and  anon  till  the  tale  of 
the  downfall  of  Rome  is  histnry.  Its  story  from  inception  which 
is  a  time  so  long  ago,  that  its  origin  is  past  recall,  on  down  the 
centuries  to  the  present,  is  governments  subject  to  more  di- 
versity and  constant  vacillation  than  the  hues  of  the  chameleon, 
and  generally  for  no  better  reason  than  a  desire  for  change  like 
that  of  the  boy  when  locked  outside  the  flower  garden  anxiously 
pleads  to  get  in,  and  when  locked  within,  cries  to  get  out. 


New  Style  of  Government  a  Hobby  of  Alexander. 

Every  age  has  had  its  officious  enthusiast  eager  for  superior- 
ity and  power  in  things  pertaining  to  government.  A  change  in 
the  established  prescribed  laws  opens  a  magnificent  field  for  such 
persons  to  exercise  authority,  to  gratify  personal  ambition  and 
become  head  chieftain. 

Alexander  the  Great  is  a  notable  illustration  of  this  type  of 
political  assumption.  He  not  only  changed  the  code  of  laws,  but 
knocked  the  props  from  under  governments  with  alacrity  seldom 
attained  by  the  professional  in  strewing  ten-pins  in  a  bowling  al- 
ley. Before  twenty  years  of  age  he  concliKied  the  government 
of  the  Greeks  was  sorely  in  need  of  revision,  and  going  about 
it  with  the  vim  of  a  man  mowing  hay,  quickly  put  in  motion  rules 
of  his  own  invention,  andi  proclaiming  himself  c  omnia  mite  r-in- 
chief,  set  out  for  the  conquest  of  Asia. 

There  the  style  of  government  did  not  begin  to  comport  to 


lO  FALLACIES  OF  TtlE  DES   MOINES    I'LAN 

his  aesthetic  ideas  ;  they  were  soon  framed  to  conform  to  his  no- 
tions. Takmg-  tlie  Persians  to  task,  they  were  speedily  requested 
to  move  over  and  make  room.  He  beat  down  the  Walls  of  Tyre 
as  the  operator  hackles  flax,  and  crossing  over  to  Egypt,  changed 
the  government  the^re  so  that  its  mother  would  not  have  known  it. 
He  proclaimed  himself  liberator  of  those  people,  and  that  they 
might  remember  who  their  benefactor  was,  and  to  gratify  his 
egotism,  founded  a  city  naming  it  Alexandria,  a  fitting  rebuke  to 
the  ironical  change  in  government. 

Mourning  for  still  other  worlds  to  conquer  and  to  put  into 
operation  other  new  and  hitherto  unheard  of  forms  of  govern- 
ment, a  too  loving  acquaintance  with  the  fermented  output  of  the 
vineyard  put  him  out  of  business  when  only  thirty-three  years 
of  age,  and  from  further  activities  in  the  disruption,  change  or 
modifications  of  earthly  systems  of  administration.  But  while  he 
was  up  and  doing,  the  people  were  given  what  they  had  earned 
in  forms  of  government — a  change. 


Napoleon's  Ideas  of  Cpiange  and  New  Forms  of  Government. 

There  will  be  spasms  in  the  modes  of  government  just  so 
long  as  there  are  scheming  politicians  seeking  office,  or  ambi- 
tious men  hunting  themes  by  which  they  can  get  into  the  lime- 
light. The  biography  of  Bonaparte  is  a  recital  of  the  destruction 
and  ruin  of  cities  and  countries  in  the  shifting  of  their  forms 
of  management.  He  was  a  class  leader  of  the  spasmodic  cohorts 
in  their  fickle  diemand  for  "reform,"  and  iost  no  time  in  taking  ad- 
vantage of  their  credulity ;  indeed,  in  that  line  his  actions  were 
that  of  pernicious  activity  as  one  of  our  former  statesmen  might 
have  said. 

When  but  a  young  non-commissioned  officer,  the  turbulent 
faction  in  Corsica  were  clamorous  for  something  new  in  their 
government.  That  was  his  first  real  opportunity  for  prestige. 
Taking  up  arms  against  his  native  town  Ajaccio,  and  meeting  de- 
feat in  his  attempt  to  compile  new  laws  for  his  former  towns- 
men, did  not  deter  him  from  helping  out  other  persons  in  search 
of  political  fads.  The  inhabitants  of  Marseilles  and  Avignon 
were  quickly  supplied  with  new  rules  for  their  conduct.  At  Tou- 
lon, old  forms  in  the  management  of  city  affairs  were  so  changed 
as  to  lav  the  foundatit)n  of  his  whole  career.    Everv  city  in  Italy 


NKW   S'i^'LK  OF  r.()\KKNMKNT — A   HOBBY  OF   ALEXANDER  I  I 

received  a  shake  up  in  the  way  oi  doing  business,  tliey  never  lac- 
ing consuhed  as  to  their  wishes  concerning  the  modus  oi>eran<li. 

The  cry  for  a  change  went  up  from  the  villagers  in  tlie  realm 
of  the  king  of  Sardinia.  They  got  it,  l)ut,  in  a  way  they  were  not 
looking  for.  Trance  was  so  enthused  about  innovations  that  an 
empire  for  breakfast,  a  republic  for  dinner  and  a  kingdom  for 
the  evening  meal  was  only  an  ordinary  bill  of  fare.  Carinthia 
and  Tyrol  must  have  a  change.  They  got  it  to  their  sorrow.  \"en- 
ice  ha(i  long  been  noted  for  its  conservative  methcxls  in  the  con- 
duct of  its  affairs ;  it  invited  change  and  its  constitution  was 
turned  topsy  turvy  and  inside  out.  Genoa  and  Liguria  were 
merged  and  a  new  code  of  laws  formed  different  from  what  either 
before  possessed.  The  governments  of  Malta  and  Alexandria 
were  considered  in  the  innocuous  desuetude  group  and  given  new 
rules  for  their  personal  guidance.  Milan,  Turin,  and  Genoa  were 
given  provisional  governments  for  a  change.  Even  governments 
of  the  poor  benighted  Negro  underwent  change  and  slavery  re- 
established. 

To  continue  the  list  on  down  would  require  pages.  During 
the  career  of  this  man  in  his  meteor-Hke  flight,  well  adapted 
rules  and  laws  for  the  gui-dance  of  countries,  states  and  munici- 
palities were  swept  aside  and  in  their  stead  was  implanted  the 
code  Xapoleon.  The  inference  is  plain.  If  we  scan  the  register 
of  Bonaparte  in  giving  titles  to  his  victorious  generals,  the  care- 
ful and  considerate  welfare  of  his  marshals,  brothers-in-law, 
brothers  and  sisters,  distributing  among  them  various  principali- 
ties, his  restoration  of  the  etiquette  of  royalty,  himself  at  the 
head,  it  should  teach  a  wholesome  lesson  to  those  considering 
changes  in  stable  governments  that  as  the  world  revolves,  to  not 
flv  off  at  a  tano^ent. 


Changes  in    Government    Should   be   Deliberate   and   In- 
frequent. 

The  United  States  is  the  only  republic  existing  for  a  greater 
period  of  time  than  any  other.  Why  this  fact  should  confound 
so  many  skilled  in  the  science  of  government,  must  be  ascribed  to 
the  good  reason  that  the  fundamental  rules  of  the  constitution 
have  remained  intact  from  the  beginning.    True,  there  were  some 


12  FALLACIES  OF  THE:  DE:S  MOINES  PLAN 

radical  alterations  the  first  few  years,  and  some  amendments 
later  on  tacked  to  the  original  document. 

The  articles  of  confederation  adopted  in  1777,  and  put  into 
eflfect  1781,  caused  much  dissatisfaction,  and' in  1786,  a  conven- 
tion of  delegates  met  at  Annapolis  and  recommended  the  calling 
of  a  convention  from  all  thie  states  to  propose  changes  in  the  arti- 
cles of  confederation.  The  plan  they  adopted  was  approved  by 
congress  at  Philadelphia,  1787,  and  the  new  constitution  went  into 
effect  1789.  All  this  save  the  amendments  since  added,  was  in  the 
formative  state,  however,  or  what  may  be  termed  the  period  of 
incubation,  and  was  not  the  outcry  of  a  clique  willing  to  disrupt 
good  government  with  changes  that  personal  ambition  might  be 
gratified,  and  the  management  of  affairs  placed  in  the  hands  of 
their  leaders  to  parcel  out  perquisites  to  themselves  and  political 
adherents. 

After  the  new  adjustment  of  affairs  the  wheels  ran  on 
smoothly,  the  only  jar  being  honest  differences  in  political  par- 
ties such  as  might  be  expected  to  arise  in  any  well  regulated  fam- 
ily. Occasionally  a  scrap  with  a  warring  tribe,  or  a  bout  on  the 
green  with  some  pugnacious  foreigner  broke  the  monotony,  but 
tJncle  Sam,  with  a  half  Nelson  always  came  out  with  colors 
flying. 

A  time  came,  though,  when  the  tricksters  ever  looking  for 
a  "change,"  stirred  up  a  pretty  serious  affair  for  the  people.  In 
December,  i860.  South  Carolina  adopted  an  ordinance  of  seces- 
sion from  th^  Union.  Before  the  following  May  eleven  other 
states  had  seceded.  A  congress  met  at  Montgomery,  Alabama, 
and  formed  a  constitution  for  the  ''Confederate  States  of  Amer- 
ica," and  Jefferson  Davis  was  placed  at  the  helm.  The  history  of 
that  change  in  government  is  not  so  easily  forgotten  that  details 
concerning  it  should  be  gone  into  at  this  time.  It  seems  needless 
to  add  the  "change"  was  a  complete  failure.  The  result,  however, 
has  not  discouraged  a  class  of  people  who  ^.re  never  content  only 
when  concocting  new  schemes  for  change  in  the  administration 
of  public  affairs. 

Federal  and  different  state  governments  being  administered 
in  all  their  departments  by  agents  of  the  people  selected  from  their 
own  ranks,  and  chosen  by  themselves,  either  directly  or  indi- 
rectly, there  can  be  no  substantial  reason  advanced  why  cities 
should  not  be  governed  in  the  same  manner.  They  are  important 
<:ogs  in  the  fomiation  of  the  whole,  and  in  a  great  extent  to  the 


V  1'Olkon's  idkas  of  change  and  new  forms  of  govern  !aENT     1  3 

state  what  that  body  is  to  the  nation — a  part  and  parcel,  all  bear- 
ing a  family  likeness,  a  sort  of  wheel  within  a  wheel,  the  na- 
tional government  being  the  head  center  from  whence  the  others 
derive  their  l^eing  and  vitality.  Their  growth  m  the  United  States 
has  been  most  significant  the  past  decade  and  as  a  consequence 
government  for  them  is  therefore  a  matter  of  high  concern. 

Much  honest  and  intelliufent  effort  is  put  forth  in  a  desire  to 
establish  rules  for  the  improvement  of  municipal  self -guidance, 
while  on  the  other  hand,  the  change  often  propose<l  and  put  into 
execution,  is  the  work  of  the  rule  or  ruin  element.  Laws  which 
regulate  municipalities  are  so  diverse  from  one  another,  having 
but  little  uniformity,  the  general  welfare  and  prosperity  of  the 
place  is  too  often  a  secondary  consideration  when  election  day 
rolls  around.  Hence,  a  variety  of  methods  have  been  devised  for 
their  social  comlitions  and  general  government  in  attempts  to 
frame  efficient  laws,  and  placing  in  charge  officials  to  properly 
.-Khilinister  them. 

Every  city  receives  its  form  of  government  from  the  state  in 
which  it  is  located,  with  various  modifications ;  that  is,  there  are 
general  laws  by  which  the  city  may  incorporate  and  receive  a 
charter.  Special  legislation  for  the  benefit  of  particular  cities 
continue  to  be  very  frequent  late  years,  and  an  inward  persuasion 
bordering  on  a  craze  is  rampant  in  several  communities  to  change 
existing  forms  of  government  in  municipalities. 

It  is  not  to  be  gainsaid  changes  are  often  an  absolute  ne- 
cessity for  the  betterment  of  government.  We  have  not,  and 
must  not,  expect  uniformity  in  our  cities  laws ;  neither  should  we 
expect  any  two  cities  to  have  the  same  ordinances.  To  require 
that  the  city  ordinances  of  Bad  Axe,  Kennebunkport  or  Skagway 
be  the  same,  is  inconsistent  with  the  idea  of  self-government. 
Local  government  needs  adjustment  as  much  as  the  regulator 
hanging  in  the  office  of  the  train  dispatcher,  and  to  grope  along 
in  soriinolent  comatose  inactivity  is  about  as  distasteful  to  the 
enterprising  American  as  t^  invite  him  to  go  sit  by  himself  at  a 
time  when  he  is  eager  to  miake  a  social  hit  at  an  evening  enter- 
tainment. 

The  change  in  extremes  though,  from  making  a  few  altera- 
tions when  actually  desired  by  practically  the  whole  communitv. 
or  a  modification  of  some  particular  established  rule,  to  relegating 
former  methods  of  excellence  to  obscurity  causing  complete  revo 
lution  closely  allied  to  anarchy,  is  a  vast  difference.    In  time,  tne 


14  FALLACIES  OF  THF  DES   MOINES   PLAN 

people  of  every  city  awake  to  the  fact  thiat  the  problem  of  how 
to  get  efficiency  from  its  officers  and  employes,  and  full  value 
for  money  expended  must  be  solved.  Those  who  make  public 
office-holding  a  Hfe  calling  become  lax  in  official  duties ;  careful 
observance  of  expenditures  are  ignored ;  the  public  service  be- 
comes practically  worthless,  and  attention  to  afifairs  in  general  be- 
come sadly  neglected. 

Then  it  is  the  fellow  with  new  fads  for  municipal  govern- 
ment bobs  up  anxious  to  demonstrate  some  Utopian  phantasm. 
A  feeling  of  unrest  is  created  among  those  too  busily  engaged  in 
their  several  commercial  vocations  to  give  politics  attention, 
with  the  result  an  entirely  new  contrivance  to  manage  affairs  is 
selected,  the  old  officers  sent  back  to  their  former  posts  and  sal- 
aries revised  upward.  The  people  are  jollied  and  told  a  wonder- 
ful innovation  has  taken  place,  which  is  sadly  true,  but  the 
promised  d'awn  of  the  millennium  just  peeking  over  the  brow  of 
the  horizon  proves  to  be  a  mirage. 

New  pastures  in  which  so-called  progressives  are  waxing  fat 
and  operating  with  ingenious  audacity,  is  a  chimerical  contrivance 
purporting  to  blot  out  and  thoroughly  destroy  all  evil,  real  and 
imaginary  in  the  conduct  of  municipal  affairs,  is  a  form  of  gov- 
ernment lately  going  the  rounds  in  spasmodic  Marathon  stunts, 
known  by  the  sobriquet  "The  Des  IMjoines  Plan,"  which  when 
taken  from  the  realm  of  theory,  and  put  in  actual  practice,  is  an 
illusion. 


A  Brief  Narration  of  Des  Moines. 

Des  Moines  having  received  so  much  notoriety  as  being  the 
abode  of  a  real  commission  form  of  municipal  government,  and 
a  general  belief  that  here  the  system  was  conceived  and  first  put 
into  operation,  a  few  words  descriptive  of  the  city  may  not  be 
out  of  place. 

As  it  is  generally  conceded  to  be  one  of  the  leading  and  finest 
cities  in  the  country,  little  else  need  be  said  of  it.  It  is  the  capital 
of  the  state  of  Iowa,  located  at  the  confluence  of  the  Des  Moines 
and  Raccoon  rivers.  Its  population  according  to  the  last  federal 
census  is  86,368.  If  to  this  number  were  added  the  students  at- 
tending schoolsf^nd  *^^leges,  state  officials  and  employes,  all  of 
which  make/thlslTieir: 'pjractical  home  though  enumerated  else- 


'is^^ti 


CHANGES  IN  GOVERNMENT  SHOULD  BE  DELIBERATE  I  5 

where,  not  to  nienti<^n  a  floating  contingency  who  make  homes 
here  the  greater  j)ortion  of  the  year,  the  figures  given  hy  the  cen- 
sus would  he  materially  increased.  In  fact,  the  last  city  directory 
shows  the  population  to  he  al3out  112,000,  and  this  does  not  in- 
clude those  connected  with  the  Army  Post  or  \'alU'\  hinction 
l)oth  suburbs  of  the  city,  and  in  reality  part  of  it. 

Des  Moines  is  beautifully  situate<l  amid  wooded  hills  and  val- 
leys on  either  bank  of  the  rivers  mentioned,  a  score  of  bridges 
si)anning  the  streams  connecting  the  city  into  an  undivided  com- 
bination of  the  whole.  It  covers  an  area  of  fifty-four  square 
niles,  being  about  the  same  size  of  Minneapolis  or  St.  Louis,  in 
territory,  and  embraces  more  ground  than  any  other  city  of  its 
population  in  the  United  States.  This  condition  makes  it  an  ideal 
lionie  city,  enabling  more  people  to  own  their  own  home  at  less 
cost  than  in  a  place  more  densely  populated. 

The  inhabitants  are  very  much  cosmopolitan,  the  native  born 
being  in  the  majority,  with  Iowa  furnishing  the  largest  share.  II- 
liiKiis,  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Missouri  come  next  in  the  order 
named,  but  practically  every  state  furnishes  a  good  quota.  Of 
the  foreign-born  inhabitants,  Sweden,  England,  Ireland,  Canada, 
and  Scotland  lead  in  the  order  here  given,  but  Austria,  Bohemia, 
iM-ance,  Germany,  Holland,  Italy,  Norway,  Poland,  Russia,  Swit- 
zerland, Wales,  West  Indies,  Turkey,  Australia  and  Roumania, 
are  all  represented  more  or  less ;  even  the  native  of  China,  Japan, 
India,  Cuba,  Alexico,  Finland,  Greece,  Luxemburg,  Pacific  Is-^ 
lands,  South  America,  Spain,  and  Africa,  the  latter  native  much 
less  than  the  others  named,  all  find  this  a  congenial  place  to 
abide. 

The  finest  cavalry  post  in  the  world  is  located  four  miles 
south  of  the  city  ;  the  pay  and  subsistence  of  the  troops  amounting 
to  about  v$200,GOO  annually,  most  of  which  finds  its  way  into  cir- 
culation in  Des  Moines.  Art  schools  are  numerous;  public  build- 
ings, commercial  structures,  parks  and  homes  are  everywhere  evi- 
dent. There  are  twenty  national,  state  and  savings  banks.  Al- 
most every  form  of  eleemosynary  institution  is  maintained,  in- 
cluding home  for  friendless  children,  home  for  the  aged,  rescue 
home,  and  various  others  of  that  sort.  There  are  102  churches, 
a  remarkable  feature  being  the  ''Church  squav^  '^  about  a  single 
block  in  the  central  portion  of  the  city  iq^^xilClL  Jbfeen  of  the  lead- 


^  !^i  .1 


l6  FALLACIES  OF  THi;  DKS  MOINFS  PLAN 

ing  ones  are  located  around  it.  Almost  every  denomination 
known  in  the  United  States  are  represented  with  splendid  church 
edifices,  some  of  them  nine  or  ten.  The  Y.  W.  C.  A.  owns  a  mag- 
nificent home  and  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  is  rapidly  pushing  their  new 
building  to  completion. 

There  are  large  quantities  of  clay  in  and  around  the  cit} 
practically  inexhaustible,  accompanying  the  great  coal  fields  well 
adapted  to  the  manufacturing  of  brick,  tile  and  pottery,  and  ac- 
cording to  tests  made,  the  sand  in  the  Des  Moines  river  is  avail- 
able for  the  manufacture  of  glass.  Tlie  social,  literary,  commer- 
cial and  other  organizations  of  that  character  are  so  numerous, 
the  proper  way  to' enumerate  them  is  to  say  they  are  all  here. 
No  better  schools  are  to  be  found  anywhere,  and  in  addition,  there 
are  colleges  of  art,  law,  medicine,  osteopathy,  dentistry,  phar- 
macy, theology,  engineering,  and  telegraphy,  to  where  young  peo- 
ple from  all  parts  of  the  country  flock. 

Among  the  other  good  things  Des  Moines  is  a  port  of  entry 
which  enables  merchants  to  deal  directly  with  foreign  houses, 
paying  their  duty  here,  avoiding  the  inspection  by  the  custom  of- 
ficers at  the  place  of  arrival.  According  to  expert  reports  it 
would  take  Des  Moines  4,000  years  to  exhaust  the  supply  of  coal 
underlying  its  immediate  vicinity  at  its  present  rate  of  consump- 
tion, so  that  any  -danger  of  a  fuel  famine  is  rather  remote. 

The  climate  of  Des  Aloines  is  most  salubrious ;  48.8  has  been 
the  average  annual  temperature  for  the  past  thirty  years.  The 
average  annual  rainfall  is  32.54  inches.  During  the  past  twenty 
years  the  average  mean  temperature  for  January  is  19  degrees ; 
April,  51;  June,  70;  September,  65,  and  December,  26  degrees. 
Statistics  show  Des  Moines  the  healthiest  city  in  the  entire  coun- 
try, with  the  lowest  death  rate  of  any  city  in  the  United  States 
over  30,000  population,  with  but  two  exceptions. 

Des  Moines  is  a  city  of  beautiful  parks  and  a  scheme  was  put 
in  practice  several  years  ago  which  will  eventually  give  it  the  best 
system  of  parks  of  any  city  in  the  country.  There  are  ninety-nine 
miles  of  paved  streets.  Electric  and  steam  railroad  lines  radiate 
to  all  parts  of  the  country  making  the  city  famous  as  a  distrib- 
uting point.  It  is  a  great  manufacturing  center,  and  possessing 
in  a  large  degree  cheap  raw  material,  cheap  power,  and  a  vast 
market  capable  of  absorbing  the  output.  It  is  destined  to  become 
the  greatest  manufacturing  city  in  the  middle  west. 


A  BRIEF  NARRATION  OF  DES  MOINES  I7 

It  is  growing  with  wonderful  rapidity,  not  a  mushroom 
<T;-rowth  to  burst  forth  in  a  boom,  but  a  healltliy,  existing,  advanc- 
ing speed  that  is  destined  to  make  its  proportions  metropoHtan, 
and  except  all  business  ami  commercial  signs  fail,  to  be  a  city  of 
300,000  people  at  no  distant  day.  This  is  only  a  brief  synopsis 
of  what  might  be  truthfully  written  of  the  qualities  and  character 
of  Des  Moines.  What  has  been  said  is  far  from  being  a  bill  of 
particulars. 

There  is,  however,  a  "fly  in  the  ointment;"  at  present  the 
city  is  governed  or  rather  misgoverned  by  a  system  of  commission 
government  kncnvn  as  the  Des  INFoines  plan,  but  regardless  of  this^ 
the  energy,  endurance  and  enterprising  genius  of  its  inhabitants, 
coupled  with  the  natural  resources  Des  Moines  is  heir  to,  the 
city  has  a  magnificent  bright  future  and  will  forge  to  the  front 
though  there  were  commission  governments  established  at  each 
corner  of  its  confines. 

Judging  from  what  a  large  majority  of  the  people  say,  feel- 
ing towards  the  new  plan  of  government  is  vastly  diflferent  from 
what  it  was  when  v'oting  for  its  adoption,  and  unless  radical 
change  is  made  in  some  way  regarding  it,  the  expression  at  this 
time  is,  that  the  old  style  of  government,  with  perhaps  some 
modification  and  slight  alterations  here  and  there,  will  be  again 
invoked. 


Commission  Government  a  High-Toned  Imposition. 

By  the  term  "commission  form  of  government"  as  applied  to 
numicipalities  is  meant  what  is  generally  known  as  the  Des 
Moines  Plan.  Any  pretense  to  its  origqnality  being  of  Des 
Moines  ancestry,  however,  will  reveal  an  imperfect  chain  of  title. 

There  is  a  story  of  the  dim  past  reciting  that  Zadok  and  a 
few  of  the  neighbors  sought  out  Solomon  as  the  worthy  successor 
of  a  certain  king,  and  setting  him  astride  a  mule  made  him  ride 
into  town,  whereupon,  the  populace  blew  their  trumpets  and  piped 
upon  pipes,  and  proclaimed  him  their  guiding  head.  That  upon 
assuming  control  a  commission  government  was  established  by 
naming  the  sons  or  other  relatives  of  those  who  boosted  him  into 
office  as  heads  of  the  departments  created.  Jehoshaphat  was 
given  the  portfolio  of  recorder;   Azariah,  son  of  Zadok,  was 


1 8  FALLACIES  OF  the:  DFS  MOINES   PLAN 

made  a  priest  or  cominiandiant  of  another  "department;  Benaiah 
was  made  head  of  the  host,  a  sort  of  secretary  of  war,  and  Zadok 
was  remembered  by  appointment  to  office  in  the  same  department. 
Ahishar  was  placed  at  the  head  of  the  department  of  the  house- 
hold, and  so  on  down,  each  department  given  a  head  till  the 
politicians  were  fairly  well  taken  care  of. 

Unlike  the  head  of  latter  day  commission  governments,  Solo- 
mon was  not  abridged  in  exercising  the  veto  power.  On  his  in- 
auguration trip  he  rode  on  a  mule  borrowed  for  the  occasion, 
whereas  the  city  officers  of  Des  Moines  cavort  in  automobiles  be- 
longing to  the  taxpayers.  Asidte  from  those  little  discrepancies, 
a  striking  resemblance  exists  in  the  two  methods  of  administra- 
tion if  we  compare  the  crude  manipulations  of  ancient  govern- 
mental science,  to  the  graceful,  smooth-running  gear  of  the  latest 
improved  political  machine,  but  to  say  either  form  originated  in 
the  fertile  brain  of  any  person  proudly  claiming  Des  Moines 
his  or  her  habitat  as  the  case  may  be,  is  a  mean  insinuation 
;against  the  famed  modesty  of  those  sojourning  within  its  borders. 

No  place  or  person  canj'ustly  claim  sole  authorship  of  the 
'so-called  Des  Moines  plan  of  municipal  government,  and  if  they 
could,  the  diistinction  would  lack  merit  of  extensive  approbation. 
The  plan  is  one  that  has  existed  with  many  variations,  at  different 
times  and  places  for  ages  past,  but  as  present  constituted,  is  an 
evolution  of  the  ''Galveston  plan." 

When  th^  great  disaster  of  1900  overcame  that  unfortunate 
city  of  Texas,  extreme  methods  were  required,  and  under  very  pe- 
culiar and  drastic  circumstances  a  local  government  was  put  into 
effect  as  a  sort  of  war  measure ;  three  men  without  any  authority 
of  law  whatever,  took  charge  of  affairs  and  military  rule  was 
established  throughout  the  city.  Those  three  men  were  usurpers 
pure  and  simple  and  ruled  by  the  right  strength  gave  them  to 
•dominate  over  their  fellow  beings ;  but  something  out  of  the  or- 
dinary had  to  be  done  to  prevent  riot,  robberies,  starvation,  and 
restore  order  out  of  chaos. 

Whilst  such  methods  of  government  are  always  unpleasant 
in  a  time  of  profound  peace,  those  men  accomplished  good  things 
at  the  time,  and  it  was  their  work  then  that  appealed  to  the  Texas 
legislature  to  formulate  laws  giving  cities  authority  to  promul- 
gate rules  and  management  for  self-government.  In  this,  no 
vd'oubt  the  intentions  were  ?dl  right,  but  the  politicians  were  quick 


COMMISSION   GOVERNMENT   A   HIGH-TONED  IMl^SITION  I9 

to  take  advantag^e  of  the  power  granted  and  began  exploiting  it 
to  their  personal  gain. 

What  that  government  for  Galveston  was  then,  is  another 
thing  now.  The  courts  of  Texas  hekl  that  the  new  way  of  doing 
things  in  Galveston  was  an  infringement  on  local  self-government, 
then  it  was  the  |x)liticians  got  busy ;  a  scheme  was  concocted  and 
put  into  execution  to  eliminate  ward  lines  arvl  cVm  t  commission- 
ers from  the  entire  city. 

About  that  time  some  Iowa  pilgrims  journeying  whither  the 
wind  listeth,  foresaw  l)eauty  unadorned  in  the  latent  ]x>ssil)ilities 
of  self-government  as  applied  in  the  city  by  the  Gulf.  They  re- 
turned homeward  with  owl-like  mien,  proclaiming  the  Texans 
certainly  had  a  pro<ligy  to  excite  surprise.  Why  not  try  it  on 
the  dog?  Tliat  the  capital  city  of  Iowa  might  not  stray  from 
the  path  of  rectitude  to  sacrilegious  iniquity  as  other  cities  were 
alleged  to  have  done,  the  three  tailor's  from  Tooley  street  re- 
solved that  Des  Moines  was  sorely  in  need  of  a  revised  fonn 
of  government,  and  while  the  populace  slept,  to  use  a  vulgarism, 
there  was  one  "slipped  over  on  them." 

Hecause  of  the  notoriety  this  system  of  government  has 
brought  Des  Moines,  being  a  leader  so  to  speak  in  the  move- 
ment, and  the  place  others  turn  when  seeking  information  on 
the  subject,  to  that  city  reference  is  chiefly  made  herein  when 
speaking  of  municipal  government.  The  plan  is  a  hybrid  of  the 
Galveston  method  crossed  with  a  species  of  evtravagant  enthusi- 
asm. Its  friends  declare  it  a  panacea  for  the  ills  of  graft  and 
dishonesty  in  city  affairs,  that  public  funds  are  economized  and 
politics  eliminated.  Its  opponents  insist  it  opens  hitherto  un- 
heard of  avenues  for  boodling  and  corruption,  that  politics  domi- 
nate everything,  taxes  increased,  efficiency  in  public  service  im- 
paired, participation  in  city  matters  denied  the  public  and  an  aris- 
tocracy set  up  in  the  place  of  a  democracy. 

Briefly  stated,-  a  democracy  is  a  commonwealth  in  which  the 
people  as  a  whole  legislate  and  choose  executive  and  judicial  of- 
ficers directly  or  indirectly  through  elected  representatives.  A 
form  of  government  lodged  in  a  council  composed  of  nobles  or 
select  persons  exclusive  oi  the  common  people,  is  a  short  defini- 
tion of  an  aristocracv.  As  to  which  of  these  two  forms  exist  un- 
der the  Des  Moines  plan,  and  whether  it  is  a  signal  from  the 
light  house  on  the  rocky  promontory  or  a  will-o-the-wisp,  is  the 
verdict  to  be  rendered  by  those  having  to  do  with  it. 


20  FALLACIES  OF  TH^  D^S  MOINES  PLAN 

Quite  a  few  places  have  started  to  experiment  with  this  form 
of  government.  The  census  does  not  give  the  number  of  rain- 
bow chasers  doing  business  in  this  country,  that  is,  not  under  the 
head  of  that  particular  cognomen,  but  observation  convinces  us 
there  are  a  goodly  number,  and  like  the  poor,  they  are  always 
with  us ;  it  is  comforting  to  note,  however,  that  o,f  the  cities  vot- 
ing on  the  adoption  of  this  new  form  of  government,  a  wholesome 
sanity  still  prevails  with  the  American  voter  in  sufficient  quantity 
to  squelch  the  proposition  when  its  true  meaning  and  objects  are 
pointed  out. 


Complications  in  the:  Law. 

At  the  very  start  of  the  Des  Moines  charter,  ample  leeway 
is  provided  for  all  emergencies  possible  to  arise  by  peason  of  the 
new  law  not  being  elastic  enough  to  cover  everything  the  most 
fastidious  may  long  for  in  the  way  of  newly  established,  or  past 
usage.  Section  3,  states,  "All  state  laws  not  in  conflict  or  incon- 
sistent with  this  law  are  retained  and  remain  in  full  force  and 
effect." 

Who  can  tell  what  laws  are  inapplicable  h.y  the  language  of 
that  section?  Disputes,  strife,  and  no  doubt  much  litigation,  will 
surely  come  under  the  construction  and  interpretation  of  a  law 
of  such  uncertainty ;  not  only  that,  but  under  its  two-fold  mean- 
ing, rules,  regulations  and  ordinances  can  be  passed  such  as  no 
one  expected  or  believed  would  be  undertaken. 

If  the  commissioners  cannot  find  what  they  want  in  the  new 
establi.^ied  code  of  city  procedure  when  in  a  mood  of  constructing 
some  capricious  rule  of  conduct  for  the  populace,  a  little  leger- 
demain will  juggle  the  state  law  to  suit  the  occasion,  and  with  the 
adroitness  of  a  flea  can  skip  thither  and  yon  from  city  to  state 
laws,  not  knowing  or  caring  very  little,  which  prevails,  the  peo- 
ple in  the  meantime  perplexed  and  in  a  quandry  as  to  what  their 
charter  really  mean,  and  how  to  settle  the  various  vexatious 
problems  d'Cstined  to  bob  up  und'er  its  peculiar  syntactical  ar- 
rangement. 

The  framers  of  that  piece  of  legislation  had  an  ingenuity  of 
inventing  means  adapted  to  a  purpose  of  supplying  any  suddenly 
arisen  demand.  It  does  not  require  an  astute  philosopher  to  dis- 
cern the  complicated  devices  in  it:  It  is  ful!  of  opportunities  for 
conflict,  friction  and  all  the  necessary  requirements  of  failure. 


COMPLICATIONS  IN  TH^  LAW  21 

lo  be  practical  and  efficient,  laws  should  be  stable,  having  a 
character  of  purpose,  and  not  a  game  of  "now  you  see  it,  now 

vou  don't." 


Eliminating  Ward  Lines. 

Des  Moines  has  a  nia}'or  and  four  commissioners  elected  by 
the  city  at  large,  that  is,  ward  representation  is  eliminated,  de- 
stroN'ing  a  representative  form  of  government.  Right  here  is 
where  the  friends  of  commission  government  are  exceedingly 
noisy.  Tli^  ward  system  they  say  is  exceedingly  vicious;  that 
no  city  can  well  be  governed  if  it  is  not  considered  as  a  unit ;  that 
where  ward  lines  are  drawn,  weak,  incompetent  aldermen  are 
elected,  with  an  intense  devotion  to  the  ward  he  is  supposed 
to  represent,  and  not  faithfiil  to  the  city  as  a  whole,  because  he 
cantjot  look  after  local  and  general  interests  at  the  same  time, 
and  that  too  many  temptations  are  offered  for  graft. 

Let  us  examine.  Can  the  principle  be  right  that  places  in  the 
power  of  three  men,  who  in  this  instance  say  are  not  incompe- 
tents, the  right  to  declare  the  form  of  government  for  an  entire 
city?  Is  it  prudent  to  permit  three  men  to  make  laws  and  regu- 
lations for  an  entire  community,  appoint  officials,  make  contracts 
and  handle  the  public  funds  without  any  check,  behind  closed 
doors  and  in  secrecy  that  could  not  be  accomplished  were  there 
a  larger  lx)dy  of  the  people's  representatives  elected,  all  to  be 
consulted  on  such  matters  and  each  watching  with  jealous  eye 
the  action  of  his  fellow  alderman? 

When  the  ward  system  is  eliminated  and  representatives  are 
elected  at  large  without  respect  to  any  political  division,  control 
of  affairs  are  removed  too  far  from  the  people;  indeed,  repre- 
sentation ceases.  Suppose  congressional  districts  were  wiped 
out  and  our  representatives  elected  from  the  state  at  large,  how 
could  the  person  elected  from  one  corner  of  the  state  intelligently 
work  for  the  interests  of  those  living  at  the  other.  If  represent- 
atives are  chosen  from  different  portions  of  the  state,  each  knows 
best  the  needs  of  his  constituency,  and  all  meeting  collectively  can 
make  laws  becoming  the  needs  of  each  particular  district,  and 
for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  state  the  same  time. 

If  the  government  of  a  state  is  too  large  an  affair  for  every 
voter  to  keep  informed  in  every  political  pliase  and  it  becomes 


22  FALLACIKS  Ol'    TTIlr   DKS    MOINES   PLAN 

necessary  to  choose  legislators  to  take  care  of  our  interests,  it  is 
equally  true  that  public  matters  of  the  city  are  such  that  its  citi- 
zens cannot  all  keep  in  touch  with  the  requirements  necessary 
for  its  management,  and  that  legislators  from  the  different  com- 
munities br  wards  should  be  chosen  to  fairly  represent  them.  To 
place  unlimited  power  in  the  hands  of  one  man  or  three  men 
to  govern  the  state  or  city,  is  a  system  our  ancestors  nearly  one 
hundred  and  fifty  years  ago  laid  down  their  lives  to  overthrow. 

Representation  or  no  taxation  is  the  American  idea.  To 
eliminate  legislative  boundaries  and  ward  lines  did  not  appeal  to 
our  forefathers,  and  to  simplify  matters  they  gave  to  us  a  repre- 
sentative form  of  government.  So-called  reformers  would  now 
destroy  all  this  and  establish  an  aristocracy.  Three  men  are  not 
capable  of  properly  managing  the  affairs  of  a  city.  The  human 
mind  is  not  able  to  grapple  with  responsibilities  beyond  a  cer- 
tain limit,  and  to  employ  an  army  of  subsidiary,  political  ad- 
herents to*  take  charge  of  affairs  is  far  from  being  representa- 
tive government. 

The  name  of  Governor  Wilson  of  New  Jersey  is  readily  rec- 
ognized as  good  authority  on  political  and  economic  questions  of 
the  day.  He  has  spent  vears  in  close  observation  of  public  life 
and  public  measures,  and  has  waged  constant  war  ag'ainst  boss- 
ism.  In  an  address  delivered  by  him  before  the  St.  Louis  Civic 
League,  March  9th,  1909,  here  is  what  he  had  to  say  about  the 
ward  system: 

"But  T  am  afraid  that  we  are  carrying  simplification  too 
far.  For  example,  take  the  Des  Moines  and  the  Galveston  plans 
of  city  government.  If  you  reduce  the  number  of  persons  who 
are  tO'  have  the  full  responsibility  for  conducting  the  affairs  of  the 
mimicipality  to  four  or  five,  I  dbubt  if  four  or  five  men  can  thor- 
oughly enough  inform  themselves  with  regard  to  the  various 
things  that  it  is  necessary  to  do  through  the  instrumentality  of  a 
modern  city  government.  For  you  must  remember  how  much  we 
are  multiplying  our  city  government's  tasks,  and  how  impossible  it 
is  for  a  small  number  of  persons  "eally  to  inform  themselves  thor- 
oughly with  regard  to  them.  I  doubt  also  whether  it  is  wise  to 
have  these  persons  elected  on  a  general  vote,  that  is  to  say,  to 
have  all  your  candidates  at  large,  not  for  particular  portions  or 
sections  of  the  city,  because  in  some  of  our  cities  there  are  sec- 
tions of  which  there  is  nothing  that  can  properly  be  called  pub- 
lic spirit  which  can  by  combination  outvote  those  sections  of  the 


ELIMINATING  WARD  LINES  2$ 

city  which  can  fairly  l)e  called  public  spirited  aiid  intelligent.  You 
involve  \ourselves  again  in  the  dangers  of  a  long  ticket  niade  up 
by  bargain  and  conference." 

To  eliminate  ward  lines  and  deny  the  fyeo^^le  representation 
when  selecting  persons  in  whose  hands  are  i)laced  the  c(jnduct 
of  managing  the  affairs  of  a  city,  and  instead  place  full  control 
in  five  men  who  are  not  a  rc^)resentative  body,  and  resiK)nsible 
to  no  one  for  their  official  actions,  is  to  turn  the  municipality  over 
to  five  despots,  any  three  of  which  have  absolute  and  entire  con- 
trol. A  better  plan  adapted  to  the  building  up  of  an  irresistible 
machine  could  hardly  ])e  conceived.  The  whole  system  runs  di- 
rectly counter  to  all  the  teachings  of  rrwxlern  municipal  experi- 
ence. 

The  councilinan  elected  by  the  entire  city  becomes  an  hypo- 
critical synchopant  before  election  and  an  aristocratic  snob  after- 
wards. To  expect  to  be  elected  from  the  city  at  large  from  a 
field  of  fifty  or  more  candidates  with  nothing  perhaps  to  recom- 
mend them  for  the  ix)sition  than  a  desire  to  hold  office,  pro- 
duces a  low  cringing  servility  that  would  not  be  thought  of  or 
employed  by  the  candidate  chosen  by  his  immediate  acquaintances 
in  a  ward  or  certain  portions  of  the  town  where  everyone  knows 
who  his  neighbor  is,  and  who  can  best  represent  them  and  look 
after  their  needs  in  their  portion  of  the  city. 

This  sort  of  candidate  need)  not  go  deceitfully  creeping  to 
court  favor;  his  neighbors  acquaint  him  with  their  wants  and 
elect  him  to  look  after  them,  and  to  legislate  for  the  city  in 
general.  After  election  he  does  not  become  haughty  and  assume 
dictatorial  power  over  them.  As  to  the  argument  that  a  body  of 
councilmen  selected  by  the  ward  system  is  vicious.  The  less  said 
about  that,  the  l>etter,  perhaps.  The  vicious  quarrels  and  unseem-. 
ly  manner  in  which  the  present  council  of  Des  Moines  indulge 
in,  scrapping  at  meetings  like  so  many  fish  women,  cause  so  much 
despicable  notoriety  with  outside  newspapers,  that  a  resident  of 
the  city  when  aw^ay  from  home  is  always  greeted  with  "Oh!  I 
have  heard  of  your  commission  form  of  government ;  tell  us 
about  it." 

The  fact  that  three  men  have  absolute  power  to  manage  every 
department  of  the  city  not  being  the  representatives  of  any  division 
or  ward  within  it,  permits  bickerings,  strife  and  political  chican- 
ery to  such  an  extent  that  the  mayor  of  Des  Moines  chastens  the 


24  FALLACTKS  OF  THE  DKS  MOINES  PLAN 

commissioners  in  a  statement  which  in  part  the  city  newspapers 
publish  as  follows: 

''Mayor  Hanna  deplores  the  present  conditions  at  the  city  hall 
and  demands  that  the  trouble  be  adjusted  at  once,  so  that  the 
departments  shall  get  down  to  settled  conditions,  that  the  pres- 
ent conditions  'are  bad  for  the  city  at  home  and  put  us  to  shame 
abroad.'  " 


Depriving  the  Voter  From  the  Right  oe  Choice. 

After  the  commissioners  have  been  inducted  into  office,  there 
are  a  few  other  things  the  voters  may  experience.  Section  4,  of 
the  law  reads  like  this  :  "If  any  vacancy  occurs  in  any  such  office, 
the  remaining  members  of  said  council  shall  appoint  a  person  to 
fill  such  vacancy  during  the  balance  of  the  unexpired  term."  Is 
not  that  rather  a  foxy  piece  of  sagacity?  Suppose  any  of  the 
commissioners  should  incur  general  dissatisfaction  and  it  be- 
comes evident  a  petition  for  removal  will  succeed,  what  is  to 
prevent  such  commissioner  resigning  and  the  remaining  mem- 
bers of  the  council  filling  the  vacancy  by  appointment.  In  this 
way  the  petition  for  his  removal  would  be  nullified  and  the  peo- 
ple deprived  of  any  choice  in  the  selection  of  the  new  member. 

If  the  intelligent  American  voter  is  willing  to  stultify  his 
independence  in  asserting  his  right  to  choose  who  may  govern 
over  him,  he  will  take  kindly  to  the  plan  which  is  now  the  law 
in  cities  having  this  new  style  of  government.  If  he  is  not  so 
willing,  then  he  better  not  have  such  a  tyrannical  rule  of  con- 
duct placed  over  him.  Salt  can  be  further  rubbed  in  on  the 
tender  spot  by  the  remaining  members  of  the  council  appointing 
to  the  vacancy  created,  the  very  one  one  who  resigned,  and  the 
petition  for  removal  would  necessarily  have  to  be  started  all 
over,  which  would  assume  the  nature  somewhat  of  an  extended 
farce. 

Would  such  bickering  as  this  be  found  among  persons  occu- 
pying positions  of  supposed  honor  and  trust,  and  would  the 
people  tolerate  such  disreputable  antics?  The  people  having  no 
voice  in  the  matter  they  are  not  consulted ;  it  is  a  matter  abso- 
lutely in  the  hands  of  the  commissioners.  Taking  the  most  op- 
timistic view  of  that  section  of  the  law,  the  voter  is  ignored  in 
any  event,  in  expressing  any  wish  as  to  who  the  new  member 


UKPRIVIxr,  THE  VOTER  FROM  THE  RIGHT  OF  CHOICE  25 

shall  be.  Whether  any  of  the  chicanery  and  tricks  made  possible 
woiiki  be  resorted  to,  it  can  l>e  said  the  law  permits  such  con- 
duct, nni\  wr  are  a  law-abiding  people. 


The  Primaries. 

Candidates  to  be  voted  for  at  the  municipal  election  shall  l>e 
nominated  by  a  primary  election,  and  no  other  names  shall  be 
placed  ujx)n  the  ballot.  The  fellows  who  make  politics  their 
calling  see  to  it  the  true  and  loyal  only  get  their  names  on.  Any 
person,  no  matter  how  worthy  or  capable,  is  scorned  in  any  at- 
tempt to  secure  a  nomination  except  he  cater  to  the  "boss." 

The  two  persons  receiving  the  highest  number  of  votes  for 
mayor  at  the  primary  and  no  others  shall  be  the  candidates  for 
mayor.  The  ^ight  persons  receiving  the  next  highest  number 
of  votes  for  commissioner  or  all  such  persons,  if  less  than  eight, 
shall  be  candidates  and  the  only  candidates,  whose  names  shall 
be  placed  upon  the  ballot  for  commissioner.  If  after  the  nomi- 
nations are  made,  one  of  the  candidates  for  mayor  should  fail  to 
qualif}'  or  for  any  reason  cease  to  be  a  candidate  or  stand  for 
election,  thus  leaving  but  one  candidate  in  the  field  for  that  office, 
what  choice  have  the  voters?  None  but  HobsOn's.  If  both  should 
fail  to  quality,  leave  the  state,  death  call  them  away,  or  for  any 
reason  decline  to  run  for  the  office,  or  accept  if  elected,  what 
would  be  the  result.  Why,  the  council  elected  would  fill  the 
vacancy  by  appointment  and  deprive  the  voters  of  all  choice  for 
mayor. 

No  shell  game  about  that !  It  is  the  simplicity  of  the  com- 
mission plan  that  its  friends  say  works  with  such  "little  friction, 
doing  the  right  tiling  at  the  right  time  promptly  with  tremendous 
efifectiveness."  Conditions  of  that  sort,  however,  cause  unseem- 
ingly  remarks  and  a  rich  abundance  of  impolite  language  among 
friends  of  representative  government.  The  plea  is  advanced  that 
under  the  watchful  guidance  of  the  primary,  only  persons  of 
character  and  efficiency  will  seek  a  nomination  and  as  a  conse- 
(juence  only  competent  men  will  be  elected.  That  assertion  is 
sill}'.  The  number  of  men  who  estimate  highly  their  intellectual 
powers  and  feel  capable  of  filling  worthily  any  public  position 
are  legion.  Why  should  not  ever}^  one  of  them  seek  a  nomina- 
tion?   If  they  all  do  not,  it  is  because  the  "bosses"  manage  af- 


26  FALLACIES  OF  THE  DES   MOINES  PLAN 

fairs  so  adroitly  they  are  headed  off.  If  as  alleged  there  are  no 
politics  about  it,  then  there  will  be  a  galaxy  of  good,  bad  and 
indifferent  names  presented  at  the  primaries,  with  the  result, 
however,  that  men  who  for  years  have  held  some  sort  of  politi- 
cal office  being  the  winning  candidates.  Such  a  large  list  of 
names  would  bring  out  a  large  vote,  but  nevertheless,  the  combi- 
nations win. 


Some  Loopholes. 

Judges  of  election  are  appointed  by  the  council.  Two  and 
only  two  challengers  are  appointed  by  the  judges.  Ballots  are 
canvassed  by  the  city  clerk,  an  appointee  of  the  council.  Returns 
from  the  voting  places  must  be  made  within  six  hours  after  the 
closing  of  the  polls.  These  are  a  few  of  the  provisions  of  the 
commission  plan  for  purity  of  elections  and  the  safeguarding  of 
the  franchise,  that  we  are  told  will  tumble  the  vicious  kind  of 
former  days  from  its  pedestal,  jolt  the  ward  heeler  from  his  res- 
ervation and  purify  the  ballot  box  with  the  thoroughness  that  a 
health  officer  fumigates  a  cess  pool. 

Our  people  never  whine  if  beaten  fairly,  but  are  apt  to  be- 
come boisterous  if  a  cold  deck  is  run  in  on  them..  In  the  game 
here  played',  suppose  in  canvassing  the  ballot  the  clerk  should 
blunder  in  his  count  and  the  error  be  in  favor  of  his  employer, 
how  will  it  be  righted  the  employer  being  sole  arbiter?  If  the 
returns  are  not  brought  in  within  the  six  hours  from  precincts 
antagonistic  to  the  commission  plan,  is  the  vote  invalidated?  If 
dilatory  or  inexperienced  judges  are  appointed  in  wards  which 
are  likely  to  oppose  the  administration  and  returns  are  belated  be- 
yond the  hour  at  which  they  should  be  brought  in,  are  the  wishes 
of  the  voters  in  such  places  destroyed? 

Why  limit  the  number  of  challengers  to  two,  and  why  are 
they  selected  by  the  judges  whom  the  council  appoints?  If  fair- 
ness and  a  square  deal  is  expected  at  the  polls,  should  not  judges 
and  challengers  be  free  from  the  domination  of  a  political  circle 
who  chance  for  the  time  being  to  be  in  power?  If  the  adminis- 
tration may  select  judges,  clerks  and  challengers  for  election  day, 
should  not  others  who  are  also  candidates  for  office  select  a  part 
of  them?  A  scheme  of  that  sort  has  a  suspicious  appearance  for 
the  establishment  of  perpetuity  in  office,  and  will  work  so  won- 


UK    PRIMARIES 


del" fully  nice  for  that  piirix>se  tliat  astute  politicians  will  adopt 
it  entire  and  abandon  the  older  style  of  political  machine  to  the 

junk  pile. 


GovKRNRD  r>Y  Three  Men,  Not  Five. 

^riic  friend's  of  commission  government  contend  with  much 
ardor  that  five  persons  is  the  correct  number  to  properly  admin- 
ister affairs  of  a  city ;  tine  idea  l)eing  to  create  five  different  de- 
j)artments  with  one  of  such  persons  at  the  head  of  each.  A  great- 
er number  they  declare  is  cumbersome,  unwieldy,  more  apt  to 
peculation,  and  a  lesser  number  not  sufficient  to  properly  cope 
with  the  many  intricacies  constantly  arising  in  the  business  of  a 
nuinicipality. 

Seven  ivS  considered  a  magic  number,  but  the  magicians  ig- 
nored that  when  constructing  the  Des  Moines  Plan.  Five  has 
its  sup|X)rters,  too.  There  are  five  natural  grand  divisions  of  the 
globe,  exclusive  of  Doc  Cook's  outlots.  The  human  family  is 
classified  into  five  races,  aside  from  the  shirtless  Doukhobors. 
Then,  there  is  the  five-spot,  a  trump  to  win  tlie  booby  prize  at 
evening  card  parties,  and  there  are  five  fingers  on  the  hand,  count- 
ing the  thumb.  In  this  connection,  if  the  ball  of  the  thumb  is 
adjusted  in  proper  juxtaposition  with  the  apex  of  the  nose,  the 
fingers  apart,  extended  in  the  direction  of  Hawaii,  and  wig- 
wagged at  the  other  fellow  in  a  contemptuous  manner,  an  in- 
sinuation of  disdain  is  implied  that  may  have  been  the  inspira- 
tion that  led  to  the  selection  of  a  quintette  as  the  most  feasible 
galaxy  of  units. 

If  municipal  worries  are  banished  by  placing  all  governing 
power  in  the  hands  of  five  men,  no  more,  no  less,  how  shall  we 
reconcile  that  dictum  to  section  6,  of  the  charter  that  reads  in 
this  manner:  "Three  members  of  the  council  shall  constitute  a 
quorum,  and  the  affirmative  vote  of  three  members  shall  be  neces- 
sary to  adopt  any  inotion,  resolution,  or  ordinance,  or  pass  any 
measure."  That  sentence  was  inserted  for  a  purpose  or  it  w^ould 
not  be  there.  If  three  affinnative  votes  will  adopt  any  motion, 
resolution,  or  ordinance,  or  pass  any  measure,  which  includes  ap- 
propriations of  money,  then  it  is  plain  three  men,  not  five,  take 
full  control  of  the  entire  city  government.  Those  three  men  may 
have  lived  in  the  city  just  long  enough  to  obtain  a  legal  resi- 


28  FALLACIES  OF  THE  DES   MOINES  PLAN 

deuce,  perhaps  pay  not  a  cent  of  taxes,  but  their  acumen  in  poli- 
tics secures  them  office,  and  being  clothed  with  executive,  judicial 
and  legislative  power,  have  authority  over  all  officers  and  em- 
ployes in  every  department  of  the  city  besides  being  custodians 
of  the  cash  box. 

Imagine  a  city  in  the  hands  of  three  irresponsible  men  with 
authority  to  appoint  an  unlimited  number  of  political  friends  and 
henchmen  to  office  and  subordinate  positions,  with  no  limit  to 
their  power  to  spend  the  hard-earned  money  of  the  taxpayer  of 
limited  means ;  thtink  of  the  vast  amount  of  money  passing 
through  the  city's  treasury  with  three  incompetents  to  appropri- 
ate it  as  they  wish.  Consider  if  you  can  the  power  invested  in 
^  those  three  to  incur  expenses,  and  with  a  liberal  hand  pay  all  bills 
out  of  public  money.  Is  this  an  open  door  for  graft?  Will  taxes 
be  increased?  Will  public  improvements  cease  for  lack  of  suf- 
ficient funds  or  will  bonds  be  issued  to  pay  the  debt  incurred  in 
making  them?  What  or  where  is  the  limit  to  the  power  given 
those  fellows,  and  who  treat  the  common  herd  as  brainless  juve- 
niles. 

To  place  the  management  of  the  affairs  of  a  city  in  the 
hands  of  five  men,  especially  of  a  class  that  have  no  conception 
of  business  only  as  applied  to  petty  politics,  and  then  clothe  them 
with  legislative,  executive  and  judicial  power,  without  bond  or 
other  security  for  their  official  acts,  is  something  the  ordinary 
person  does  not  fully  realize  when  voting  for  the  adoption  of 
the  commission  plan  of  government.  This  would  seem  to  be  as 
far  as  any  person  endowed  with  common  sense  would  care  to 
go,  but  when  all  this  power  is  given  to  three  of  the  number,  who 
with  a  wave  of  the  back  of  the  hand  can  motion  the  common 
people  to  ''go  'way  back  and  sit  down,"  novelty  in  mimicipal  gov- 
ernment has  reached  the  limit. 

Under  the  old  form  of  government  there  was  no  place  for 
such  work  nor  could  such  things  occur.  Instead  of  three  men 
taking  full  control,  a  two-thirds  affirmative  vote  of  the  council 
on  many  propositions  and  a  three-fourths  affirmative  vote  on 
others  was  necessary.  The  city  was  fully  represented  and  all  had 
a  say,  and  it  was  obligatory  upon  the  wdiole  council  to  consider 
and  pass  upon  questions  that  are  now  placed  in  the  hands  of  just 
three.  Then,  too,  the  mayor  could  use  his  veto  power  which  is 
a  healthy  check  on  extravagance  and  vicious  legislation.     Under 


SOME  LOOPHOLES  29 

the  new  law  the  mayor  is  deprived  of  his  veto  power,  and  free 
and  unobstructed  reign  placed  in  three  members  of  the  council. 


Compared  With  a  Board  of  Directors. 

By  the  terms  of  the  Des  Moines  plan  of  municipal  govern- 
ment, the  executive  and  administrative  powers  are  distributed 
into  and  among  five  departments  as  follows : 

1.  Dei)artniciit  of  Public  Aflfairs. 

2.  Department  of  Accounts  and  Finances. 

3.  T>q)artment  of  Public  Safety. 

4.  Department  of  Streets  and  Public  Improvements. 

5.  Department  of  Parks  and  Public  Property. 

Mere  is  where  the  council  becomes  absolute  rulers  of  the 
entire  city  government  and  converts  the  city  into  an  aristocracy 
with  a  supreme  ruling  body  of  five,  three  of  whom  possess  all 
powers  and  authority  whose  will  is  supreme  as  that  of  any  ruler 
in  an  absolute  monarchy.  The  members  are  not  required  to  give 
bond  or  any  sort  of  security  for  any  of  their  official  acts.  The 
number  of  business  concerns  operating  in  that  way  are  few  and 
far  between.  From  the  highest  clerk  or  official  in  the  land  who 
handles  the  money  of  his  employer,  down  to  the  poor  urchin  who 
sells  **uxtra's"  after  school,  are  required  to  give  security  for  the 
faithful  performance  of  the  duties  assigned  them  if  they  handle 
the  funds  of  others.  A  borhd  would  work  no  hardship  to  the 
honest  man,  nor  would  it  reflect  on  his  integrity ;  for  the  rascal, 
it  would  be  an  incentive  to  keep  in  flie  narrow  path,  and  would 
relieve  others  concerned  of  much  anxiety.  But,  such  is  commis- 
sion government. 

The  council  possesses  and  exercises  all  powers  and  duties 
formerly  held  by  the  mayor,  nine  aldermen,  board  of  public 
works,  park  commissioners,  library  trustees,  fire  commissioners, 
board  of  water  works  trustees  and  police  commissioners.  Under 
section  7,  of  the  charter,  the  council  becomes  the  custodian  of  the 
city  funds,  and  while  another  section  provides  for  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  treasurer,  it  is  provided  he  shall  perform  such  duties  as 
are  provided  by  ordinance.  The  council  may  therefore  give  to 
the  treasurer  custody  of  such  funds  as  it  sees  fit,  retaining  a 
portion  of  all  the  funds,  if  it  desires,  or  it  may  give  the  custody 
to  one  of  its  own  members,  as  this  section  provides  that  the  mem- 
bers of  the  council  may  execute  these  functions. 


30  fallacie:s  of  thk  des  mointcs  plan 

It  is  said  the  heads  of  the  different  diepartments  are  selected 
with  the  care  and  for  the  same  purpose  as  would  be  the  heads  of 
the  departments  of  a  private  corporation,  and  resembling  that  of 
a  board  of  directors.  If  that  is  true,  a  person  may  be  nominated 
and  elected  because  of  his  peculiar  fitness  for  some  one  of  these 
departments.  Now,  there  is  no  designation  on  the  ballot  where- 
by the  voter  is  informed  what  particular  department  any  person 
is  a  candidate  for.  The  ballot  simply  reads  ''Vote  for  four." 
Plowever,  if  a  person  is  elected  with  an  implied  understanding 
he  will  be  placed  at  the  head  of  some  particular  department,  it 
should  be  remembered  three  members  of  the  council  have  arbi- 
trary power  to  select  the  heads  of  all  departments,  so  there  is 
no  assurance  the  place  intended  for  any  candidate  by  the  voter, 
will  be  given  him.  Is  that  the  way  private  corporations  select 
the  heads  of  departments  ?  Is  it  the  way  a  board  of  directors  are 
chosen?    Is  it  not  a  touch  of  aristocracy  and  a  jolt  to  democracy? 

To  illustrate  how  this  theory  of  selecting  heads  of-  depart- 
ments as  a  corporation  would  do,  when  put  into  operation,  Des 
Moines  elected  a  commissioner  with  the  understanding  he  was 
to  be  placed  at  the  head  of  the  department  of  public  safety.  The 
place  was  assigned  him  as  expected,  but  recently,  because  the 
head  of  another  department  desired  to  shift  him  about,  presented 
a  resolution  for  that  purpose  one  morning  at  a  meeting  of  the 
council,  when  but  three  members  were  present,  the  one  sought 
to  be  changed  being  absent,  with  the  result  that  when  he  arrived 
at  his  office  he  found  himself  in  the  predicament  of  a  certain  gen- 
eral, with  a  title,  but  no  armV  to  command.  Things  were  patched 
up  by  the  deposed  superintendent  being  placed  at  the  head  of 
streets  and  public  improvements,  and  the  commissioner  causing 
the  change  pulled  on  the  shoes  left  vacant  in  the  department  of 
public  safety. 

Beauties  of  the  co-mmission  plan  of  government  were  very 
pronounced  for  a  while  thereafter.  The  commissioner  changed 
to  the  department  of  public  safety  immediately  commenced  to 
make  changes  in  clerical  help,  and  police  officers  from  chief  down. 
The  one  transferred  to  streets  and  public  improvements  followed 
suit,  re-instating  in  his  department  those  deposed  from  the  other, 
and  vice  versa,  little  heed  given  to  civil  service  rules,  the  whole 
performance  if  not  a  game  of  politics,  a  ver\^  poor  example  of  ef- 
ficiency in  public  affairs,  but  such  might  be  expected^  under  this 
style  of  government.     Instead  of  the  management  of  affairs  of 


■  I 


i  % 


COVKRNKU  BY  THRICE  MEN,  NOT  I-IVE  3  I 

the  city  being  carried  on  in  the  manner  a  board  of  directors 
would  do  for  a  corporation,  the  conduct  transpiring  and  permitted 
by  this  form  of  government,  as  lias  well  been  said,  "puts  us  to 
shame  at  home  and  abroad." 


Offices  Created  and  Appoim  mi.ats  Made. 

Ivach  and  every  city  employe  receive  their  official  position 
from  the  commissioners ;  all  are  mere  clerks  to  the'  council,  ab- 
solutely subservient  to  the  will  of  its  meml>ers,  and  not  to  the 
])eople.  It  appoints  the  city  clerk,  city  solicitor,  corporation  coun- 
sel, assessor,  treasurer,  auditor,  city  enginicer,  city  physician,  and 
their  assistants.  Appointments  are  also  made  of  police  judge, 
market  master,  milk  inspector,  street  commissioner,  chief  of  po- 
lice, chief  of  fire  department,  library  trustees,  and  every  executive 
officer,  their  assistants  and  clerks,  with  unlimited  power  to  create 
any  additional 'offices.  In  the  selection  of  these  officers  the  voter 
is  absolutely  disfranchised'. 

If  an  appointee  becomes  so  umnindful  as  to  not  properly 
kowtow  in  servile  submission  to  his  superior  officer,  a  vacancy  is 
moing  to  occur  and  a  person  of  more  graciousness  given  the  f>o- 
sition,  the  competency  of  the  disburdened  one  or  his  successor 
not  considered,  and  the  efficiency  of  the  public  service  given  no 
thought. 

To  say  this  cannot  be  done,  that  civil  service  rules  will  pre- 
vent it,  is  to  admit  a  sorrowful  incomprehension  of  the  struc- 
tural arrangements  of  the  commission  plan.  Section  8,  of  the 
law  reads  "Any  officer  or  assistant  elected  or  appointed  by  the 
council  may  be  removed  from  office  at  any  time  by  a  vote  of  a 
majority  of  the  members  (three)  of  the  council,  except  as  other- 
wise provided  for  in  this  act."  The  proviso  part  of  this,  is  in 
reference  to  rules  of  the  civil  service  which  are  easily  manipu- 
lated to  meet  emergencies.  It  is  openly  charged  this  part  of  the 
law  is  constantly  violated  in  Des  ■Moines,  no  direct  proof  of  it 
perhaps,  being  furnished.  Some  of  the  appointments  do  not  come 
under  that  head  in  any  event. 

When  it  came  to  creating  offices  for  the  government  of  a 
city  under  the  commission  plan,  it  was  done  with  a  lavish  hand, 
and  with  an  eye  for  a  political  army ;  yet,  lest  something  might 
have  been  overlooked,  and  that  the  forces  might  be  increased  as 


32  FALLACIES  OF  THE  DES  MOINES  PLAN 

elections  approached,  a  further  provision  was  made  in  section  9, 
of  the  law,  which  gives  three  commissioners  unlimited  power  to 
create  any  new  and  additional  offices  and  to  provide  compensa- 
tion for  all  new  officers  and  appointees.  Des  Moines  has  been  in 
no  manner  dilatory  in  improving  the  advantages  offered  by  this 
section  of  the  law,  and  offices  have  been  created  and  appointments 
made  for  no  apparent  reason  so  far  as  the  public  can  discern  other 
than  to  repay  political  obligations. 


Look  at  That  Picture  Then  Upon  This. 

The  salaries  of  the  mayor  and  commissioners  are  fixed  in  ac- 
cordance to  the  population  of  the  different  cities.  In  Des  Moines 
the  mayor  receives  an  annual  salary  of  $3,500  per  year,  and  the 
commissioners  $3,000  each.  The  salaries  of  other  officers  and 
appointees  are  fixed  by  the  council.  Formerly  the  mayor  received 
a  salary  of  $1,500,  and  was  required  to  give  bond  in  the  sum  of 
$5,000.  The  duties  of  mayor  then,  was  much  more  arduous  than 
at  present;  now  that  official  appears  to  have  ample  time  to  at- 
tend his  private  business,  go  on  lecturing  tours  and  such  like, 
and  has  a  secretary  at  a  salary  of  $1,500  per  year  to  look  after 
the  office.  Still,  the  office  of  mayor  aside  from  the  secretary's 
salary,  costs  the  city  $2,000  yearly  more  than  it  did  under  the 
old  system,  and  no  bond  or  other  security  from  the  mayor  either 
as  of  old,  but,  the  people  wanted  a  "change." 

Under  the  old  system  aldermen  received  a  salary  of  $250  per 
year.  The  position  was  considered  a  high  post  of  honor,  but  not 
a  sinecure  as  the  case  now  is,  and  because  of  this  mark  of  re- 
spect a  desirable  class  of  men  was  easily  secured  willing  to  per- 
form the  required  duties  for  a  nominal  sum.  The  total  of  their 
salaries  for  a  year  was  $2,250.  The  total  salaries  of  the  four 
commissioners  under  the  new  plan  is  $12,000.  The  combined 
salaries  of  mayor  and  aldermen  under  the  old  law  for  a  year  was 
$3,750.  The  total  yearly  salaries  of  mayor  and  commissioners  the 
new  way  of  doing  things  is  $15,500:  a  difference  of  $11,750  be- 
tween then'  and  now,  in  the  salaries  alone  of  mayor  and  commis- 
sioners for  one  year,  for  thie  humble  workingman  to  contemplate 
when  meditating  between  novelties  in  government  and  the  con- 
tents of  his  dinner  pail. 

The  salary  of  the  city  solicitor  prior  to  the  new  innovation 


COMrARKi)    WITH    A    HOARD   OF    DIReCTORS  33 

was  $2,000,  and  he  was  required  to  give  bond  in  the  sum  of 
$2,000.  To  mention  lx)n<is  in  connection  with  an  oflFicial  under 
the  commission  plan,  is  but  a  mild  term  for  gross  insolence.  In 
the  case  of  solicitor,  however,  the  standing  of  the  law  fraternity 
is  such  that  bonds  for  their  deportment  are  seldom  exacted. 
The  assistant  city  solicitor  under  the  old  regime  received  a  salary 
of  $1,200  per  year,  and  the  second  city  solicitor's  salary  was  $600 
per  year.  The  city  solicitor  now  receives  $4,000  per  year;  as- 
si.stant  city  solicitor,  $1,600;  second  city  solicitor,  $1,560,  and  a 
claim  agent,  $900.  Lest  city  solicitors  l:)ecome  as  numerous  as  the 
Smith  family,  the  office  of  corporation  counsel  has  been  created, 
and  to  comport  to  the  dignity  of  the  euphonious  appellation,  a 
salary  of  $4,000  goes  with  it. 

The  new  law  gives  authority  to  create  as  many  offices  as 
three  men  see  fit  to  do,  and  to  fix  the  salaries  of  the  officials. 
The  legal  department  might  just  as  well  profit  by  this  essential 
peculiarity  in  the  new  government  as  any  other.  Why  not?  The 
salaries  combined  of  the  legal  department  under  the  old  law  was 
$3,800;  under  the  new  it  is  $12,060.  This  diflference  of  $8,260 
per  year  is  referred  to  by  the  so-called  progressives  as  a  bagatelle. 
Others  call  it  by  a  more  harsh  name. 

The  city  treasurer  received  heretofore  a  salary  of  $1,500, 
and  gave  a  bond  in  the  sum  of  $2,000 ;  his  salary  now,  is  $2,000. 
The  auditor's  salary  used  to  be  $1,500  and  furnished  bond  for 
$1,000.  That  officer  now  receives  a  salary  of  $2,200  per  annum 
and  is  furnished  a  dieputy  and'  assistant ;  the  deputy  receives  a 
salary  of  $1,400  per  year,  and  the  assistant  $1,200.  The  salary  of 
the  license  collector,  an  attache  of  the  auditor's  office,  is  boosted 
from  $i,coo  to  $1,400.  The  salaries  of  the  city  librarian  and  her 
assistants  are  increased  to  figures  much  in  excess  of  what  was 
formerly  paid  them,  and  such  is  the  arrangement  of  things  in 
every  one  of  the  departments. 

It  is  meet  and  just  that  city  officials  just  as  much  as  em- 
ployes in  any  other  concern,  should  be  liberally  remunerated  for 
their  services,  and  it  is  the  delight  of  fair-minded  persons  to  pay 
to  them  an  honest  wage.  Taxpayers  seldom  object  to  compen- 
sating the  right  man  in  the  right  place  fairly,  but  they  very  prop- 
erly find  fault  when  an  incumbent  makes  his  place  a  sinecure, 
where  appointments  are  made  to  do  the  work  of  others  or  where 
the  office  is  unnecessary.  The  instances  mentioned  of  increased 
salaries  and  new  offices  created  border  closely  on  willful  extrav- 


34  FALLACIES  OF  THE  DES   MOINES   PLAN 

agance;  practically  all  such  new  creations  are  unnecessary,  and 
no  dbubt  many  of  thiem  for  the  purpose  of  fulfilling  ante-election 
promises.  If  this  is  the  boasted  economy  promised,  it  has  taken 
root  nicely. 

It  is  doubtful  if  any  employe  in  the  city  ever  received  any- 
thing near  such  salaries  before ;  as  to  earning  the  money,  there  are 
a  few  isolated  cases  perhap,s  where  such  is  the  case,  but  most  of 
the  positions  are  nothing  but  rapacious  sinecures.  There  is  no 
clerical  position  within  the  realm  of  commission  government  that 
cannot  be  competently  filled  at  much  less  cost,  and  none  in  Des 
Moines  for  not  to  exceed  $1,200  per  year.  There  is  no  assurance 
either  that  salaries  will  not  continue  to  soar;  the  schedule  is  fre- 
quently •changed  and  invariably  raised.  It  is  a  trick  to  frequently 
announce  that  some  clerk  has  resigned  or  is  going  to  do  so  be- 
cause he  can  command  better  salary  elsewhere;  there  is  a  con- 
ference held  to  estimate  how  much  more  the  people  will  stand, 
and  up  goes  the  scale.  As  to  any  clerk  resigning,  it  has  so  hap- 
pened that  some  few  have  been  asked  to  perform  that  duty,  but 
instead  of  hurrying  to  accept  a  proffered  position  at  an  increased 
salarv',  their  friendship  for  municipal  environment  cause  them  to 
linger  on,  awaiting  decisions  of  appeals  to  the  civil  service  board, 
and  resisting  to  their  utmost  being  pried  loose  from  their  jobs. 

Bookkeepers  and  cashiers  of  wide  experience  and  responsibility 
are  to  be  had  in  private  enterprises  for  $1 ,200  per  year.  Would 
it  not  be  better  to  put  some  of  the  political  derelicts  who  hold 
city  jobs,  and  who  would  find  it  difficult  to  get  employment  at 
$600  per  year  in  private  employment  at  something  where  they 
might  earn  their  money,  if  they  are  to  he  retained  at  all,  put  the 
■city  on  a  business  basis  and  banish  the  idea  that  a  public  office  is 
a,  private  snap. 

Certainly  the  tellers  in  banking  institutions,  where  selec- 
tions are  made  for  experience,  merit  and  responsibility,  are  of 
superior  importance  to  any  of  the  titled  clerks  nesting  about  the 
city  hall  where  municipal  government  is  practiced.  Any  banking 
institution  will  experience  no  difficulty  in  getting  first  class  tel- 
lers for  $1,800  a  year  or  less.  Private  enterprises  would  not  have 
a  horde  of  incompetent,  unnecessary,  hunian  wind-falls  on  the 
payroll;  such  a  system  of  free-booting  did  not  exist  prior  to 
the  new  form  of  government,  and  for  decency's  sake,  if  no  other, 
it  should  not  be  tolerated  now. 

$12,000  salary   for  commissioners  is  an  exorbitant  sum  to 


OFFICES  CREATED  AND  APPOINTMENTS  MADE  35 

pay  to  any  set  of  four  men  whose  business  lives  have  been  fail- 
ures, and  who  cxnild  not  earn  a  living-  outside  of  politics  with  rare 
exceptions.  Possibly  the  old  form  of  law  whereb)^the  councilman 
received  but  the  nominal  sum  of  $250  for  his  services  should  be 
amended  so  as  to  ^ive  better  compensation ;  a  medium  figure  be- 
tween that  and  $3,000  as  now  paid,  should,  perhaps  be  arranged, 
and  it  would  seem  able  men  to  perform  the  duties  commissioners 
are  supposed  to  do,  could  be  had  at  a  figure  of  from  $1,200  to 
$1,500  per  year.  Then,  too,  a  salary  of  $3,500  for  mayor,  that 
official  not  l>eing-  even  a  figurehead,  and  in  whose  office  least  of  all 
work  for  the  city  is  performed,  is  a  sad  commentary  on  the  boast- 
ed economy  of  public  fund's. 

The  salaries  paid  the  mayor,  commissioners,  treasurer,  audi- 
tor, attorney,  and  some  few  other  city  officials,  in  Des  Moines, 
equals  and  in  many  cases  exceeds  the  compensation  received  by 
state  officers  including-  that  of  governor  in  many  of  the  states.  For 
exani])le,  the  mayor  of  Des  Moines  draws  a  salary  of  $3,500,  whilst 
$3,000  is  the  amount  paid  the  g^ovemors  each  of  Maine,  Arizona, 
New  Hampshire,  New  Mexico,  Rhode  Island,  South  Carolina 
and  South  Dakota ;  the  g-overnor  of  Vermont  receives  but  $2,500 
salary.  The  salary  of  the  city  solicitor  of  Des  Moines  is  $4,000, 
his  assistants  extra,  and  a  corporation  counselor  at  $4,000  per 
year.  The  attorney  general  of  North  Carolina,  Missouri,  Wash- 
ington, Wyoming,  and  Maryland  have  each  a  salar}'  of  $3,000; 
the  salary  for  the  same  office  in  the  states  of  Alabama,  Arizona, 
Arkansas,  Delaware,  Kansas  and  Nebraska,  is  $2,500,  and  that 
of  South  Carolina,  $1,900. 

Des  Moines  pays  its  treasurer  $2,000.  That  is  the  amount 
Georgia  and  Virginia  each  pay  their  treasurers,  whilst  the  treas- 
urer of  South  Carolina  receives  but  $1,900;  Vermont,  $1,700, 
and  Connecticut,  $1,500.  The  state  of  Iowa  pays  its  auditor  a 
salary  of  $2,200.  The  city  auditor  of  Des  Moines  is  paid  a  like 
amount  and  is  furnished  a  deput}'  and  assistant.  The  auditors  of 
Utah  and  Nebraska  receive  each  but  $2,000,  whilst  South  Dakota 
and  Maryland  pay  their  state  auditors  each  only  $1,800. 

The  list  of  extravagance  and  what  could  well  be  termed  po- 
litical vice  might  be  extended  to  every  branch  of  the  entire  city 
government.  There  was  no  place  for  such  corrupt  practices  un- 
der the  old  form,  and  it  is  strange  what  virtue  any  person  can 
see  in  the  commission  plan  that  inaugurates  and  puts  into  ef- 
fect a  system  whereby  unworthy  holders  of  public  trust  can  dis- 


36  FALLACIKS  OF  TlIF  DKS    MOINES  PLAN 

sipate  public  funds.  When  conitemplating  a  change  from  old  and 
tried  methods,  to  some  wild,  fanatical  and  illogical  forms  of  self- 
government,  it  would  seem  a  perusal  of  the  commission  plan 
should  be  seriously  considered  before  adopting  it. 


A  Few  Impositions-. 

There  is  no  denying  that  the  government  of  cities  is  the  one 
conspicuous  failure  of  the  United  States.  Many  places  are  mak- 
ing an  honest  endeavor  to  relieve  their  cities  from  styles  of  gov- 
ernment that  were  sad'ly  in  need'  of  correction.  Several  methods 
have  been  devised  with  good  results.  St.  Paul,  Minnesota ;  Kan- 
sas City  and  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  are  among  the  cities  that  have 
framed  new  governments  that  seem  to  be  accomplishing  good 
things,  and  though  advocates  of  the  Des  Moines  plan  claim  those 
cities  are  operating  under  that  form,  their  methods  are  on  en- 
tirely different  lines.  Paterson,  N.  J.,  is  another  city  with  a  pe- 
culiar form  of  commission  government  that  is  working  excellent, 
but  is  so  much  different  from  the  Des  Moines  plan,  that  when  the 
Daily  News  of  that  city  and  a  coterie  of  politicians  tried  the 
past  year  to  foist  it  on  the  people,  it  met  with  disastrous  defeat. 

It  is  not  claimed  the  old  style  of  government  in  Des  Moines 
was  perfect,  but  to  say  the  commission  plan  is  an  improvement  in 
any  particular,  is  either  a  lack  of  understanding  its  perniciousness 
or  an  intentional  violaVon  of  the  truth,  for  a  more  crazy,  idiotic 
and  asinine  form  of  municipal  government  could  not  well  be  im- 
agined. If  anything  was  wrong  before,  the  officers  chosen  rather 
than  the  style  of  government  was  the  trouble ;  but  the  new  style 
will  not  cure  that  difficulty.  It  is  human  to  err ;  the  language  of 
the  old  colored  lady  is  quite  appropriate  as  she  remarked  when 
her  boy  was  overtaken  in  a  rummage  about  the  chicken  coop,  that 
"Rastus  was  always  the  white  sheep  of  the  flock."  The  new  style 
of  government,  however,  is  far  from  being  a  remedy  for  the 
evils  complained  of,  and  the  more  seen  of  it,  the  more  apparent 
is  its  failure. 

Under  the  Des  Moines  plan  a  number  of  important  offices  are 
filled  with  meni  possessing  little,  if  any  fitness,  for  the  important 
duties  they  are  called  upon  to  discharge.  They  get  their  places 
by  exertion  that  none  but  politicians  are  adepts  at.  If  they  were 
to  depend  on  the  voluntary  suffrage  of  their  neighbors,  or  their 


LOOK  AT  THAT   PICTURK  THEN    UPON  THIS  2;j 

competency,  they  would  stand  no  more  chance  of  beinji^  lifted 
into  office  than  would  a  g-oat  in  an  attempt  to  raise  sideburns. 
Animated  by  the  ex|x'ctations  of  unlawful  emoluments  they  make 
promises  before  hand  which  they  well  know  they  cannot  carry 
out;  offices  arc  create<l  and  places  filled  to  satisfy  the  crowd  of 
political  friends :  needless  ])ubl,ic  works  must  be  undertaken  in 
order  to  make  a  showing  of  prosperity ;  appropriations  for  ex  • 
travaj^ant  salaries,  fooHsh  junkets,  reckless  contracts  often  made 
without  bids  for  competition,  the  incidentals  in  jj^eneral  for  the 
runninc:  of  the  city  affairs  and  a  variety  of  illegitimate  objects, 
all  go  to  make  up  the  amounts  on  which  taxation  is  eventually 
based. 

Those  so-called  reformers  are  wise  in  their  day  and  well 
know  that  if  all  these  sums  of  money  and  unlawful  demands  were 
asked  for  at  once,  the  lev}^  for  taxes  would  produce  dissatisfaction 
and  alarm.  For  the  purpose  of  averting-  such  consequences,  and 
at  the  same  time  carry  the  idea  something  wonderful  is  being  ac- 
comjjlished  for  the  people,  various  pretenses  and  suggestions  are 
made  as  to  how  such  bills  may  l)e  paid,  by  loans  of  money,  and 
in  the  end,  taxes  are  often  made  to  appear  as  being  reduced,  all 
caladated  to  not  arouse  the  public  to  action^  and  any  failure  thus 
to  raise  a  sum  sufficient,  is  supplied  by  an  issue  of  bonds. 

We  shudder  at  the  name  ''mortgage"  if  it  applies  to  our  lit- 
tle home :  a  mortgage  on  our  city  would  put  us  in  an  equally  bad 
frame  of  mind.  Yet,  bonds  of  the  city  are  mortgages  disguised 
in  a  more  palatable  form,  and  while  we  are  comforting  ourselves 
on  the  new  form  of  government  meeting  all  obligations  and  a  cash 
balance  on  hand,  we  do  not  realize  that  such  money  is  borrowed 
funds  for  us  to  liquidate  as  far  as  able,  the  residue  an  inheritance 
for  our  children  and  grandchildren. 

The  commission  government  frequently  boasts  of  paying  off 
the  debt  inherited  from  the  old  system.  That  is  the  simpering  of 
a  braggadocio.  In  so  far  as  it  applies  to  Des  Moines,  the  old  form 
of  government  went  out  of  business  with  no  debt  other  than  tliat 
which  became  necessary  for  legitimate  improvements,  such  as 
any  citv  with  the  best  form  of  government  might  have  incurred, 
and  a  debt  not  near  so  large  as  the  present  administration  has 
chalked  up  against  the  taxpayers.  It  is  well,  however,  to  re- 
member that  cities  are  not  institutions  generally  expected  to  earn 
inoney,  but  to  save  it.  Instead  of  making  money  for  us,  we  ex- 
pect to  furnish  funds  for  their  legitimate  running  expenses. 


38  FALLACIES   OF  THF  DES    MOTNES    PLAN 

From  what  source  then  has  the  money  been  derived  to  pay 
off  former  debts  and  meet  the  astounding  amounts  required  to 
meet  present  extravagant  expenditures.  Has  it  been  done  l)y  an 
increased  levy  for  taxes,  or  has  a  new  issue  of  bonds  been  placed 
in  the  keeping  of  a  friendly  broker  who  clips  a  coupon  when  his 
interest  is  promptly  remitted?  It  is  related  that  Mlary  Ellen 
Lease,  addressing  an  audience  on  a  certain  occasion  advised  the 
Kansans  to  raise  less  corn  and  more  hell.  The  expression  is  de- 
void of  much  elegance,  but  its  cogency  is  a  forcible  reminder  of. 
fermenting  government  on  a  rampage. 


Secret  Sessions  of  the  Council. 

One  of  the  arguments  of  commission  government  is  that  all 
their  meetings  are  public.  "No  secret  meetings."  "No  caucusses 
behintd  closed  doors."  "Everything  open  and  above  board."  So 
say  the  friend's  of  the  Des  Moines  plan.  They  point  with  pride 
to  it;  it  should  be  viewed  with  alarm.  Under  the  old  style  of 
government  secret  meetings  were  prohibited  and  were  always 
open  to  the  public.  Why,  then,  are  the  exultations  about  no  se- 
cret sessions  now?  The  fact  is  the  new  method  permits  every 
meeting  to  be  secret ;  not  one  act  need  be  done  in  public. 

Section  1 1  of  the  charter  says,  "All  meetings  of  the  council, 
regular  or  special,  at  which  any  person  not  a  cit}'  officer 
is  admitted,  shall  be  open  to  the  public."  Now,  that  seems  to 
say  all  meetings  should  be  public,  doesn't  it?  x\dmit  none  but  a 
city  officer — one  of  their  own  number  or  an  apypointee — and  every 
meeting  can  be  a  star-chamber  session.  Rut  the  commissioners 
would  not  do  such  a  thing  you  say  ?  It  is  being  done  right  along 
where  the  new  plan  is  in  operation.  Des  Moines  gives  little  heed 
to  that  provision  of  the  law,  which  before  its  adoption,  was  a 
vigorous  appeal  for  publicity  in  everything  pertaining  to  manage- 
ment of  city  affairs. 

The  city  of  Denver,  having  heard  of  the  wondrous  things 
this  new  style  of  government  was  accomplishing,  a  representative 
of  the  Times  of  that  city  came  to  Des  Moines  to  learn  about  some 
of  its  achievements.  '  What  he  gathered  about  council  meetings 
held  secretly  is  best  told  in  his  description  of  a  session  he  at- 
tended, and  which  was  published  in  the  Times  upon  his  return 
home.    As  he  describes  a  few  other  things  about  commission  gov- 


A  Few  IMPOSITIONS  39 

ernment  aside  from  the  secret  sessions,  liis  .irticlc  Is  !'iv<Mi  in  u^]] 
as  follows  : 

"The  writer  had  the  j^oad  lurtune  to  sec  the  Uo.  Moines 
commission  government  in  actual  operation  at  one  of  the  tri- 
weekly meetings  of  the  council.  The  experience  was  not  one  that 
tended  to  increase  respect  for  the  plan. 

"Laying^  aside  the  question  of  efficiency,  the  present  body  is 
certainly  not  one  clothed  in  disunity.  The  memory  of  certain  in- 
formal and  rather  liilaritnis  meeting-s  of  tlie  Ix^ard  of  aldermen  in 
Denver  did  not  furnish  anything-  quite  so  democratic.  There 
were  times  when  nolwdy  seemed  to  know  or  care  whetlier  the 
council  was  in  session  or  not. 

''jVs  it  was,  however,  the  council,  a  few  interested  specta- 
tors, who  were  working-  for  the  construction  of  a  new  bridge,  and 
the  newspaper  men  seemed  to  get  into  a  g-eneral  mixup.  \\'hen- 
ever  a  councilman  left  his  chair  at  the  long  table  where  they  sat, 
a  newspaper  man  flopped  into  the  vacant  seat  and  took  a  languid 
interest  in  what  was  going  on  at  the  table.  Newspaper  men  and 
spectators  seemed  to  have  the  habit  of  pawing  the  councilmen 
quite  affectionately. 

"There  was  one  old  fellow,  F,  M.  Hubbell,  many  times  a 
millionaire,  71  years  old,  who  stood  at  one  end  of  the  council 
table  through  most  of  the  meeting  and  surveyed  the  proceedings 
with  a  fatherly  interest,  offering  a  quiet  word  of  suggestion  now 
and  then.  Tt  appeared  that  Hubbell  wanted  John  Mac\^icar  to 
get  a  measure  through  the  council  providing  for  the  construction 
of  a  bridge  across  the  Des  Moines  river.  Kubbell  owns  property 
at  one  end  of  the  proposed  bridge.  There  was  also  a  knot  of 
Masons  in  the  room,  but  at  a  more  respectful  distance,  who  called 
MacVicar  out  to  speak  to  him.  It  turned  out  that  Hubbell  had 
promised  to  give  the  Masons  a  new  lodge  building  if  they  would 
get  John  MacVicar  to  construct  the  bridge  across  the  river.  Mr. 
MacA^icar  got  the  council  to  pass  the  bridge  measure,  but  there 
was  no  time  set  in  the  inotion. 

"All  members  of  the  council  left  their  seats  intermittently 
and  mingled  with  little  groups  beyon-d  the  railing.  J.  Wesley 
Ash,  who  acts  as  secretary  of  the  council,  frequently  called  for 
votes  on  measures  while  councilmen  were  away  from  their  places. 
Councilmen  voted  'yes'  on  measures  when  it  was  utterly  impos- 
sible that  they  knew^  what  was  going  on  at  the  table. 


40  FALLACFKS  OF  THE  DES    MOINES   PLAN 

"The  mayor,  James  R.  Hamia,  sat  at  the  head  of  the  table 
and  seemed  to  be  going  through  the  motions  of  being  chairman, 
but  he  cut  very  httle  figure,  for  the  secretary  brought  up  the 
business  in  order  and  called  the  votes.  The  mayor  votes  as  any 
other  member  of  the  council,  and  has  no  veto  power  on  any 
measure. 

'The  chief  matter  of  business  on  this  particular  occasion  was 
a  petition  asking  for  the  paving  of  a  street.  The  council  practi- 
cally abandoned  business  for  an  hour  while  property  owners  af- 
fected by  the  measure  arguod  with  the  council  or  with  one  another 
about  the  necessity  for  the  improvement.  At  the  end  of  the  hour 
the  petition  was  referred  to  the  department  of  streets  and  public 
improvements,  or,  in  other  words,  to  John  MacVicar. 

"Mr.  MacVicar  explained  afterward  thtat  this  was  rather  an 
unusual  meeting,  and  that  usually  these  petitions  were  thrashed 
out  before  him  and  that  the  council  either  adopted  or  refused  his 
recommendation,  but  he  had  been  away  from  the  city. 

"After  the  paving  petition  was  disposed  of,  the  bridge  mat- 
ter came  up  and  it  was  then  that  the  mingling  and  pawing  men- 
tioned above  began.  The  rail  that  stood  between  the  council  desk 
and  the  section  for  spectators  seemed  to  disappear  altogether. 
While  the  councilmen  were  holding  little  consultations  each  with 
his  own  group  of  petitions,  the  newspaper  men  were  endeavoring 
with  much  coaxing  to  get  from  MacVicar  a  reply  to  the  accusa- 
tion of  nepotism  and  disregard  of  the  rules  made  against  him  by 
the  civil  service  commission.  The  somewhat  incoherent  meetings 
of  the  Denver  board  of  aldermen  seemed  like  models  of  parlia- 
mentary rule  compared  with  this.  The  meeting  was  adjourned 
with  considerable  confusion. 

"There  is  a  clause  in  the  commission  charter  that  states  ex- 
pressly that  'there  shall  be  no  secret  meetings  of  the  commission,' 
but  the  meeting  had  scarcely  adjourned  before  they  were  in  ses- 
sion again,  this  time  downstairs  and  behind  closed  doors. 

The  writer  learned  on  pretty  good  authority,  that  the  council 
had  held  other  secret  meetings  at  different  times.  This,  like  the 
provisions  for  civil  service,  seems  to  be  one  of  the  things  that  it 
is  best  politely  to  ignore." 

It  is  but  fair  the  Des  Moines  commissioners  should  not  be 
singled  6nt  and  made  the  goat,  in  so  far  as  holding  secret  sessions 
of  the  council  are  concerned.  It  is  the  same  way  in  other 
places  where  the  commission  plan  has  been  adopted.     Trenton, 


SKCRKT   SESSIONS  OF   THIv   COUNCIL  4 1 

X.  J.,  is  operating  under  this  new  style  of  g-overnnient,  and  is 
constantly  referred  to  as  a  city  perfoiniing  wonderful  stunts  since 
its  adoption.  One  of  the  newspapers  of  that  city  also  sent  a 
representative  to  Des  Moines  to  learn  something  definite  of  the 
working  capabilities  of  the  plan  and  it  seems  he  was  put  "hep" 
as  (leorge  Ade  would  say,  to  the  secret  session  process.  The 
Newark  Star  comniienting  on  it,  says : 

"The  first  growl  at  the  new  commission  government  in  Tren- 
ton may  be  noted.  The  Trenton  Times  declares  to  the  commis- 
sion that  'holding  conferences  behind  closed  (kH)rs  to  consider  the 
public  business  is  not  calculated  to  excite  the  confidence  in  the 
new  city  commission  that  will  bring  results.'  The  growl  is  a 
mild  one.  Probably  no  attention  w^ill  l)e  paid  to  it.  The  conamis- 
sioners  are  in  office  and  ix>vver  for  several  years,  and  can  do  wha^ 
they  please,  and  the  most  natural  thing  in  the  world  is  for  them 
to  act  accordingly." 

The  Paterson  Call,  of  Paterson,  N.  J.,  has  this  to  say  alx>ut  it : 

"Trenton,  Aug.  27 — (Special  Despatch). — The  new  city  com- 
mission which  was  recently  elected  under  the  Walsh  act  advocated 
by  Governor  Wilson  and  passed  by  the  legislature,  is  being 
charged  in  many  quarters  with  breaking  the  law  under  which  it 
is  operating  by  holding  secret  conferences. 

.  "The  act  provides  that  all  meetings  shall  be  public.  Several 
of  the  star  chamber  conferences  were  heW  last  w^eek,  and  while 
the  commissioners  are  claiming  that  they  have  a  right  to  confer 
together  privately  on  municipal  matters,  as  long  as  their  action 
is  public,  the  secrecy  of  the  conferences  held  has  called  forth  a 
strong  protest  from  those  who  favored  the  adoption  of  commis- 
sion rule  from  the  start  purely  to  liave  all  public  business  done 
openly. 

"These  persons,  and  they  are  considered  many  in  number,  de- 
clare that  the  commission's  secret  conferences  are  no  different 
from  the  old  party  caucuses  held  behind  closed  doors. 

"The  sentiment  against  the  secret  conferences  is  becoming  so 
strong  that  it  may  be  made  the  basis  of  a  recall  for  all  the  commis- 
sioners elected.  The  prospect  of  five  recalls,  another  primary  and 
another  election  is  by  no  means  pleasing  to  the  citizen  at  large. 

'We  have  been  handed  a  nice,  juicv  lemon  tonight,'  de- 
clared a  citizen,  who  has  been  a  strong  advocate  of  commission 
rule.  "We  were  given  to  understand  that  as  soon  as  this  pana- 
cea for  all  political  ills  got  busy  municipal  affairs  would  be  con- 


42  FALLACIES  OF  THF  DES   MOINES   PLAN 

ducted  in  the  limelig-ht.  The  pubhc  was  to  know  everything  that 
was  going  on,.  Instead  of  this  we  find  that  five  men  can  get 
behind  closed  doors,  discuss  and  act  upon  the  city's  business  and 
then  formally  ratify  their  star  chamber  action  at  a  subsequent 
public  meeting,  at  w^hich  none  of  the  things  they  have  discussed 
in  secrets  need  be  told. 

"The  commissioners'  contention  that  they  have  a  right  to 
have  secret  <:onfercnces,  providing  their  official  acts  are  done 
publicly,  it  seems  to  me  is  only  an  attempt  to  circumvent  that 
section  of  the  law  which  provides  for  public  meetings.  •  If  this 
practice  is  to  continue  we  will  soon  have  a  commission  of  czars." 

Passaic,  New  Jersey,  voted  for  a  "change"  too,  and  imme- 
diately sought  out  the  star  chamber  that  could  never  have  been 
located  undfer  the  old  style  of  governing.  Here  is  the  way  the 
Paterson  Call  speaks  of  it : 

"The  first  thing  the  Passaic  commission  did  was  to  hold  se- 
cret meetings,  the  same  as  they  did  in  Trenton,  despite  one  of 
the  main  arguments  in  favor  of  an  elective  commission  govern- 
ment was  that  all  meetings  should  be  open  to  the  public  and  all 
that.     What  a  humbug!" 

It  would  seem  the  public  should  not  be  debarred"  from  listen- 
ing to  what  action  is  being  taken  and  done  in  connection  with 
the  management  of  utmost  concern  in  city  matters.  Closed  doors 
to  discuss  w^hat  friends  shall  be  installed  in  office  and  whom 
ousted,  where  exorbitant  bills  are  ordered,  where  graft  games  are 
put  up  and  general  crooked  business  is  transacted,  keeping  the 
taxpayer  in  ignorance  of  what  is  going  on,  cannot  be  conducive 
to  good  government.  The  commissioners  are  not  under  bond 
for  their  official  acts,  an-d  as  they  are  naturally  looking  out  for 
their  friends  regardless  of  the  efficiency  of  new  clerks  and  assist- 
ants, they  like  to  keep  the  public  unacquainted  with  what  they  are 
doing,  at  least,  till  the  harm  is  dbne.  But,  it  is  a  part  of  the 
system  for  those  seeking  a  "change." 


Some  Absurdities  to  Contemplate. 

Evidently  those  desiring  this  new  style  of  municipal  gov- 
ernment to  better  conditions,  do  not  fully  comprehend  its  purport. 
To  say  that  they  will  be  sadly  disappointed  if  adopting  it  is  the 
experience  of  those  who  took  the  leap  before  looking.    "For  ways 


SO.MIC  AIISURDITIES  TO  CONTRMPLATK  43 

tliat  are  dark  and  tricks  that  are  vain"  commend  u.-^  i-/  i..c  com- 
mission plan.  Section  ii,  of  the  charter  read's,  "Regular  meet- 
ings of  the  council  shall  l)e  held  on  the  first  Monday  after  the 
clecti(jn  of  councilmen,  and  thereafter  at  least  once  a  month." 

To  pay  an  annual  salary  of  $15,500  to  five  fxiliticians  to  hold 
meetings  a  few  hours  once  a  month  to  devise  methods  of  extrava- 
gance, unravels  to  a  certain  extent  the  mystery  of  the  high  cost 
of  living.  It  is  not  necessary  the  five  should  discommode  them- 
selves by  all  attending  any  one  meeting ;  three  of  thein  constitute 
a  quorum  to  transact  business,  so  they  can  change  about  and 
take  turns  as  to  which  three  shall  attend.  It  is  not  compulsory 
all  five  shall  be  present  at  any  one  meeting,  and  it  is  not  obliga- 
tory that  more  than  one  such  meeting  be  held  in  any  one  month. 
The  members  can  easily  take  care  of  all  their  private  business, 
take  pleasure  jaunts  -at  the  expense  of  the  taxpayers,  while  their 
salaries,  like  the  little  brook,  runs  on  forever. 

Another  feature  of  the  law  which  is  far  from  democratic  is 
that  which  places  in  the  hands  of  three  inexperienced,  incompe- 
tent men,  an  aristocratic  power  that  surely  the  common  people 
would  not  desire,  nor  would  they  approve  did  they  but  under- 
stand its  fuH  meaning.  It  is  section  12,  of  the  charter,  which 
reads  as  follows:  "Xo  franchise  or  right  to  occupy  or  use  the 
streets,  highways,  i)ridges  or  public  places  in  any  city  shall  be 
granted,  renewed  or  extended,  except  by  ordinance."  Now,  that 
sounds  all  right ;  it  is  more  melodious  even  than  the  clause  recit- 
ing that  all  meetings  of  the  council  shall  be  public.  It  is 
a  poisoned  arrow,  however,  secreted  in  honied  language. 

Suppose  there  are  public  utilities,  such  as  w^ater  works,  street 
railway  and  telephone  systems — are  any  of  their  franchises  alx)Ut 
to  terminate  or  will  they  expire  while  the  commission  plan  is  be- 
ing experimented  with?  If  so,  three  men  have  the  power  to  ex- 
tend or  renew  them  on  such  terms  as  they  see  fit.  The  language 
of  that  section  can  be  construed  no  other  way.  The  question  need 
not  be  submitted  to  the  people.  "Except  by  ordinance"  says  the 
law.  Let  it  be  remembered  three  affirmative  votes  of  the  council 
will  pass  any  ordinance. 

To  grant,  renew^  or  extend'  franchises  for  public  utilities  are 
questions  of  vital  importance  and  matters  in  which  the  taxpayers 
should  not  be  ignored  and  the  common  people  not  given  an  op- 
portunity to  indicate  their  wishes.  Problems  of  such  important 
moment  \vherein  the  whole  city  is  financially  interested  should 


-q.4  FALLACIES  OF  TIIK  DKS    MOINES   PLAN 

have  the  serious  consideration  of  the  populace.  It  is  too  large 
an  undertaking  for  any  three  men  to  deal  with  haphazard,  es- 
pecially should  the  three  be  persons  who  are  not  competent  to 
manage  a  small  business  of  their  own,  and  who  if  engaged  in 
any  enterprise  outside  of  petty  politics  would  excite  about  as 
much  attention  as  the  parents  of  the  groom  at  a  wedding. 

There  is  one  particular  phase  of  the  commission  form  of 
government  that  its  exponents  never  weary  in  telling  about.  To 
hear  them  exploiting  its  grandeur  is  music  equalled  only  by  the 
mellifluous  strains  of  a  tin  solo  at  a  charivari.  It  is  that  portion 
of  section  13,  of  the  charter,  that  prohibits  any  officer  or  employe 
of  the  city  in  participating  in  any  contract  or  job  for  work  or  ma- 
terials, or  the  profits  thereof,  with  any  person,  firm  or  corpora- 
tion, to  be  furnished  or  performed  for  the  city.  This  section  we 
are  told  removes  bodily  all  attempts  at  boodling  and  graft.  That 
its  provisions,  alone,  are  ample  reasons  and  sufficient  cause  for 
any  person  of  ordinary  intelligence  to  abandon  the  old  style  of 
city  government  and  adopt  the  commission  form. 

That  this  is  a  good  provision  for  cities  and  city  officials,  every 
honest  person  will  ad^iit.  Practically  every  city  in  the  land  is 
operating  under  a  law  of  that  sort  or  one  very  sinfilar.  A  great 
trouble  with  it,  however,  it  is  not  lived  up  to  and  is  not  en- 
forced as  it  should  be.  Why  the  advocates  of  commission  gov- 
ernment should  place  so  much  dependence  on  its  character  as 
to  offer  it  as  one  of  the  foremost  reasons  for  changing  from  the 
old  style  of  city  government  to  the  commission  plan,  can  be  only 
accounted  for  as  being  an  artful  piece  of  effrontery  to  impose  on 
the  credulity  of  the  unsophisticated,  for  it  is  substantially  a  re-en- 
actment of  a  law  passed  by  the  Thirty-second  General  Assembly 
of  Iowa,  known  as  the  Municipal  League  bill,  which  became  oper- 
ative long  before  the  act  providing  for  government  of  cities  by 
commission  was  created. 

It  would  seem  the  number  13  had  enough  afflictions  without 
a  circle  of  egotists  attaching  it  to  their  charter  as  the  weapon  with 
which  "we  killed  the  bear."  If  such  law  is  of  any  account,  we 
have-  had  it  before ;  it  is  no  ingenious  contrivance  invented  or 
discovered  by  the  Des  Moines  plan.  How  it  is  manipulated  at 
secret  sessions  behind  closed  doors  is  something  the  public  re- 
mains unacquainted  with,  and  never  will  have  any  definite  knowl- 
^edge  of  it. 

So  far  as  graft  and  unseemingly  methods  are  resorted  to 


CI\  II.  SERVICE  RULES  AND  THE  MERIT  SYSTEM  45, 

in  contracts,  material  or  work  for  the  city,  perhaps  the  new  style 
of  gfovenimetit  is  no  worse  than  the  old  kind,  nor  no  better,  the 
difference  if  any,  l>einj^  that  if  anything-  of  tlmt  character  goes 
on  now,  the  common  people  have  little  opportunity  to  learn  of 
it.  Hvidentl\-  three  men  if  so  inclined,  can  exploit  nefarious 
methods  of  that  kind  to  their  own  advantage  with  the  ease  and 
complacency  not  afforded  a  larger  lx)dy  such  as  that  composed  by 
representatives  from  each  ward  in  the  city. 


Civil  Service  Rules  and  the  Merit  vSystem. 

To  keep  minor  offices  out  of  politics,  to  make  them  tenable 
for  life,  and  obtainable  by  merit,  is  the  ambition  of  American  re- 
formers in  all  political  parties.  Among  such  institutions  as  rail- 
way companies,  other  different  corporations  and  many  private 
business  houses,  appointment  to  positions  are  made  in  accord- 
ance with  a  sort  of  merit  system,  the  prevailing  tendency  being 
to  establish  such  a  rule  in  general. 

To  make  every  subordinate  appointment  to  public  office  a 
life  job,  is  considered  by  many,  a  vicious  practice  and  detrimental 
to  efficiency.  The  "ins"  say  it  is  the  finest  thing  conceived,  but 
the  *'outs"  claim  the  holdovers  have  an  unfair  advantage  in  not 
having  to  compete  from  the  start  with  the  other  fellows ;  that  be- 
ing voted  for,  or  appointed  to  office  for  a  specified  term,  they 
now  retain  their  official  positions  against  all  comers  regardless 
of  their  efficiency  or  the  worthiness  of  others. 

The  appointments  made  by  Mhr.  Adams  of  the  "midnight" 
judges  when  Jefferson  was  about  to  succeed  him  in  the  presiden- 
tial office,  lead  many  to  believe  the  same  artifice  is  resorted  to  in 
latter  days  when  civil  service  rules  are  about  to  control  official 
appointments  and  where  such  rules  are  even  in  practice. 

There  is  no  question  but  that  the  official  who  figures  on  hold- 
ing a  life  job  becomes  dilatory,  lax  and  inefficient.  Rotation  in 
office  is  the  one  great  check  against  trickery  and  crookedness. 
The  only  true  form  of  republican  government  is  that  which 
changes  its  officers  occasionally,  and  a  question  worthy  of  re- 
spectful consideration  is,  if  elective  officials  should  rotate  in  of- 
fice, why  not  the  subordinate  ones.  This  applies  even  more  forc- 
ibly to  cities  under  the  commission  plan  of  government  than  to 
SLVvy  other  as  only  five  positions  of  the  entire  army  of  officers  and 


46  FALLACIES   OF  THF  DES    MOINES    PLAN 

employes  are  chosen  by  the  voters.  Then,  too,  positions  made 
tenable  during  good  behavior,  especially  in  cities,  is  open  to  the 
objection  that  it  will  prevent  the  dismissal  of  incompetent  per- 
sons against  whom  no  specific  charge  can  be  proven. 

If  good  behavior  is  reason  sufficient  to  retain  a  life  position, 
then  no  matter  how  incompetent  or  inefficient,  a  few  applications 
of  a  corresponding  school  on  the  art  of  obedient  submission,  a 
lesson  from  some  nearby  dancing  master  on  how  to  walk  lightly 
across  the  office  carpet,  and  the  imperturbable  official  becomes  a 
Chesterfield  in  politeness,  good  behavior,  and  immune  from  any 
terrors  of  civil  service  law. 

There  are  honest  differences  in  regard  to  the  good  or  evil 
effects  of  civil  service  rules  when  applied  to  minor  public  places. 
It  is  not  a  political  question  and  never  considered  such.  That 
the  commission  plan  of  government  should  claim  it  as  its  own 
special  accomplishment,  is  undue  assumption  of  that  which  be- 
longs for  years  to  all  creeds  and  parties  political  or  otherwise. 
If  any  virtue  exists  in  such  a  system,  its  beauties  are  eliminated 
by  its  construction  and  mode  of  operation  and  is  civil  service  in 
name  only. 

Under  the  Des  Moines  plan,  the  law  provides  three  civil  ser- 
vice commissioners  shall  be  appointed  by  the  council  to  determine 
the  qualifications  for.  positions.  That,  like  several  other  insidious 
features  of  the  so-called  self-government,  sounds  like  a  fair, 
square  deal  for  all ;  yet  it  is  a  delusion.  Its  provisions  give  the 
council  power  to  prescribe  rules  and  regulations  for  the  con- 
duct of  the  board ;  the  council  is  also  given  power  to  remove  from 
office  or  employment,  anv  person  subject  to  civil  service. 

If  the  board'  of  civil  service  cannot  make  rules  for  the  conduct 
of  their  official  duties,  and  if  those  recommended  for  appointment 
by  them  can  be  removed  by  the  council,  it  is  plain  such  a  board  is 
not  of  very  much  consequence.  And  that  is  not  all.  The  council  not 
only  can  remove  appointees  certified  by  the  civil  service  board, 
but  four  members  of  it  can  remove  even  the  board  of  commis- 
sioners and  appoint  a  new  set — men  that  will  conform  more  -to 
their  ideas  of  reciprocity.  In  fact,  one  of  the  members  of  the  civil 
service  board  in  Des  Moines  was  told  his  resignation  would  be 
accepted  if  presented  to  the  council. 

Thas  is  a  well  known  polite  way  by  which  many  public  officials 
heretofore  have  been  discharged.  This  particular  official  was  loathe 
about  sending  in  his  resignation,  as  he  claimed  he  was  guilty  of 


civil.  SiCRVlCK  RULES  AND  THK   MHRIT  SYSTEM  47 

no  misconduct.  It  was  charged,  however,  from  one  source  and 
another,  tliat  pi-ood  and  efficient  employes  of  the  city  had  been  dis- 
charged for  no  other  reason  than  to  make  room  for  friends  of 
oiie  of  the  commissioners,  and  that  others  who  never  made  any 
pretense  of  taking-  civil  service  examinations,  were  apix)inted  to 
fill  the  places  of  those  deposed.  After  much  vitriolic  wrangling 
between  the  civil  service  Ixjard  and  a  member  of  the  council,  the 
civil  service  member  resigned  after  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to 
have  him  discharge<^l. 

Of  course,  a  person  discharged  by  the  council  has  a  right  to 
m  appeal.  Until  recently  the  judges  who  heard  and  determined 
I  lie  merits  of  his  case,  was  the  council  who  did  the  discharging, 
<o  that  an  appeal  could  not  be  expected  to  bring  very  much  com 
fort.  The  Iowa  legislature  at  its  last  session  changed  the  law  so 
as  to  give  the  civil  service  commissioners  power  to  discharge 
civil  service  employes.  It  would  seem  the  employe  had  ample 
opportunity  to  get  relieved  from  dlity  before  if  he  was  not  want- 
ed ;  under  the  duplex  swing,  the  ixx>r  fellow  will  have  to  do  some 
lively  sidestepping  to  evade  the  ax.  Like  the  possum  trap  of  the 
old  colored  man,  it  is  set  to  "kotch  him  goin'  and  a  comin'." 

As  amended  the  law  also  permits  any  person  discharged  by 
the  council  to  appeal  to  the  board  of  civil  service,  and  if  dis- 
charged by  the  civil  service  board,  he  can  appeal  to  the  district 
court,  and  all  trials  of  civil  service  employes  will  be  heard  by 
the  civil  service  commission  instead  of  the  council.  Giving  a  dis- 
charged employe  a  right  to  an  appeal  to  the  district  court  is  a 
kind  way  of  saying  to  him  "Forget  it."  The  fellow  who  incurs 
the  enmity  of  his  employer  and  simultaneously  pried  from  his 
job,  will  encounter  sundry  obstacles  tripping  up  his  appeal.  To 
begin  with,  an  appeal  to  the  district  court  will  not  lie  from  the 
findings  of  the  council — just  from  the  civil  service  board. 

§ome  of  the  preliminaries  for  an  appeal  are  to  procure  a 
transcript  of  the  proceedings  that  led  up  to  the  discliarge,  no- 
tice served  of  the  taking  of  the  appeal,  witnesses  subpoenaed  and 
a  petition  filed  in  the  office  of  the  clerk  of  the  district  court.  The 
officer  who  serves  the  subpoenas  and  notice  of  appeal  must  be 
compensated;  the  fees  for  filing  the  petition  and  having  it  en- 
tered for  trial  must  be  paid,  and  all  such  expenses  are  cash  in 
advance.  It,  will  require  the  services  of  an  attorney  to  properly 
prepare  and  draw  the  petition  and  other  necessary  papers,  and  to 


48  FALLACIES  OF  THfe  DKS   MOINES   PLAN 

attend  the  trial  of  the  case ;  he  too,  will  expect  compensation  for 
his  work. 

Sessions  of  the  district  court  are  held  from  two  to  five  times 
each  year,  varying-  according  to  location.  It  may  be  several 
months  from  the  time  the  appeal  is  taken,  to  the  first  term  there- 
after of  court.  The  appearance  term  is  not  the  trial  term,  so 
there  is  a  further  delay  to  await  the  next  session.  At  the  second 
term  of  court  the  appeal  may  not  be  reached  as  it  must  take  its 
turn  for  trial  with  hundreds  of  other  cases  waiting-  adjudication. 
As  it  is  nearing-  its  turn  on  the  calendar,  for  some  unforeseen 
happening-,  it  may  be  continued  till  the  next  succeeding  term,  with 
no  assurance  it  will  even  then  be  reached  for  trial.  When  finally 
it  at  last  gets  to  trial  and  judgment  rendered  ordering  the  ap- 
pellant to  be  restored  to  his  fonner  position  as  an  employe  of  the 
city,  all  the  loose  strands  in  his  rope  seems  to  show  up  at  once  by 
an  appeal  being  taken  to  the  supreme  court. 

Those  delays  coupled  with  the  inroads  court  expenses  are 
making  on  a  jejune  purse,  are  far  from  making  the  fellow  who 
is  waiting  to  be  reinstated  feel  like  one  of  the  idle  rich.  If  he 
has  remained  averse  to  manual  labor  all  this  time,  expecting  to 
have  his  old  job  handed  back,  he  is  a  chap  that  well  deserves 
to  go  hence.  In  all  probabilities  he  has  secured  other  employ- 
ment and  cares  very  little  about  the  outcome  of  the  appeal.  To 
add  to  his  discomfiture  he  should  bear  in  mind  an  appeal  is  not  a 
reinstatement.  The  case  may  be  decided  against  him  in  which 
event  a  judgment  is  rendered  against  him  for  all  costs.  In  theory, 
this  feature  of  the  law  sounds  quite  well ;  in  practice  it  is  a  re- 
minder of  what  the  girl  said  when  asked  how  she  enjoyed  horse- 
back riding,  her  reply  being  that  the  sport  of  riding  was  fine,  but 
that  she  detested  falling  oflf. 

When  the  law  was  changed  by  the  last  legislature  it  was  sup- 
posed to  be  for  the  purpose  of  getting  rid  of  undesirables,  includ- 
ing those  appointed  to  positions  in  disregard  of  civil  service  rules, 
to  give  to  the  person  discharged  by  the  council  an  opportunity  to 
appeal  his  case  to  a  judge  other  than  the  person  apppointing  him, 
and  to  correct  some  of  the  many  abuses  that  members  of  the 
councilwere  alleged  to  be  practicing  in  connection  with  removals 
and  appointments  of  employes. 

It  is  difficult  to  djscern  wherein  the  amendment  improves 
conditions.  The  council  still  remains  the  ''man  higher  up,"  and 
like  Ajax  defying  the  lightning,  they  retain  their  self  command 


CIVIL  SERVICE  RULES  AND  THE   MERIT  SYSTEM  49 

when  their  political  field  of. industry  is  threatened  with  invasion. 
What  if  a  person  discharged  by  the  head  of  a  department  does 
appeal  to  the  civil  service  board?  What  good  is  a  law  that 
provides  for  a  person  discharged  by  the  board  to  have  a  right 
of  appeal  to  the  district  court? 

The  council  is  empowered  to  make  rules  and  regulations  for 
the  official  conduct  of  the  civil  service  commission,  and  to  con- 
coct a  set  of  rules  that  will  nullify  everything  relating  to  appeals 
and  discharges  is  very  simple.  Not  only  that,  but  should  the  board 
assume  an  independent  attitude  to  conduct  their  affairs  as  they 
see  fit,  the  council  could  very  quickly  clip  their  wings  and  relieve 
them  from  further  duties  by  the  authority  given  them  in  section 
14,  of  the  charter. 

There  arc  various  appointments  entirely  outside  of  civil  ser- 
vice rules  where  members  of  the  council  have  free  hand  to  repay 
political  debts.  Here  are  a  few  01  them;  city  clerk,  corporation 
counsel,  city  solicitor  and  assistants,  assessor,  treasurer,  auditor,, 
city  engineer,  city  physician,  chief  of  police,  chief  of  fire  depart- 
ment, market  master,  street  commissioner,  library  trustees,  police 
judge,  the  mayor's  secretary,  and  various  other  clerks  and  assist- 
ants, all  laborers  whose  occupation  requires  no  special  skill  or  fit- 
ness, and  all  existing  employes  heretofore  in  the  service  of  the  city 
The  number  exempt  from  civil  service  rules  is  a  good  sized  army, 
no  doubt  willing  and  expected  to  stand  in  defense  of  their  chiefs. 

It  is  urged  that  any  employe  of  the  city  shall  not  exert  his 
influence  to  have  others  adopt  his  political  views  or  to  favor  any 
particular  candidate  or  person  for  office.  It  is  proclaimed  with 
much  gusto  that  politics  and  politicians  are  absolutely  terminated 
and  driven  into  obscurity  by  this  law.  Such  assertions  are  either 
hypocritical  or  a  woeful  display  of  immature  reasoning  power. 
To  illustrate  how  such  debased  mandates  are  ignored,  one  of 
the  Des  Moines  newspapers,  a  strong  advocate  of  the  commission 
plan,  referring  to  the  coming  campaign  for  city  officers,  has  this 
to  say: 

"The  coming  city  campaign  will  be  hard  fought  for  the  can- 
didates. It  will  be  interesting  for  the  voters.  Councilmen  Mac- 
\^icar.  Ash  and  Schramm  will  ask  the  voters  for  a  third  term. 
Their  race  will  form  the  most  interesting  part  of  the  campaign. 
The  interesting  question  of  the  coming  campaign  is  whether  the 
voters  will  return  Councilmen  Ash,  Schramm  and  MacVicar  to 


50  FALLACIES  OF  THE  DES    MOINES    PLAN 

serve  the  remaining  two  years  of  the  six  years  of  the  first  adop- 
tion of  the  commission  plan. 

"The  city  firemen  will  take  an  active  part  in  the  campaign. 
They  will  pledge  their  support  to  the  candidates  who  will  support 
the  fourth  day  off  proposition  to  the  fire  fighters  in  the  city  coun- 
cil." 

To  prate  about  politics  being  abolished  is  all  bosh.  Politi- 
cians may  grow  hysterical  about  the  sterilized  democracy  in  this 
feature  of  the  law,  but  inwardly  to  them  it  is  mirthful  glee.  It 
is  not  necessary  that  an  army  of  employes  should  meet  weekly 
or  monthly  to  discuss  how  to  s6rve  their  masters  best  on  election 
day.  It  is  not  expected  they  stand  on  the  city  hall  steps  and  ha- 
rangue the  brethren  to  come  to  the  rescue.  In  a  quite  unob- 
trusive manner  they  can  cogitate  along  the  highways  and  byways 
as  they  earn  their  daily  bread  about  the  powers  from  whom  such 
blessings  flow:  Should  they  be  unmindful  of  the  duties  they  are 
expected  to  perform  as  election  draws  near,  they  are  politely  in- 
formed, without  any  reference  to  politics;  that  work  is  slack  and 
to  call  and  get  their  time,  whilst  others  never  in  need  of  an  alarm 
clock  to  do  the  right  thing  at  the  right  time,  have  their  names 
entered  on  the  payroll. 

Saint  Paul  is  not  charged  with  having  thrown  a  stone  at 
Stephen,  but  it  is  recorded  he  was  present  and  consented  unto 
his  death.  Each  member  of  the  council,  perhaps,  should  not  be 
charged  simultaneously  with  firing  rocks  at  employes,  but  when 
decapitation  takes  place  they  stand  about  in  a  mood  indicative 
of  voluntary  approval.  This  law  has  done  away  with  what  has 
demonstrated  to  be  a  first  class  civil  service.  Instead  of  being  the 
promised  blessing  and  panacea  for  ills  of  politics,  the  way  it  has 
been  manipulated  and  its  efficiency  destroyed  under  the  coinmis- 
sion  plan  it  becomes  not  only  a  poor  make-shift,  but  a  monumen- 
tal farce. 


How  Partisan  Politics  are  Eliminated. 

A  stock  argument  in  favor  of  commission  government  is, 
that  the  Des  Mbines  charter  does  away  with  the  whole  machinery 
of  partisan  politics.  That  assertion  is  not  serious  enough  to  be 
considered  a  good  joke.  It  is  a  statement  no  more  fit  for  argu- 
ment than  a  reply  to  a  Chinese  gong  or  to  a  bad  smell.     Lillies 


HOW   PARTISAN   POLITICS  ARE  ELIMINATED  5 1 

of  such  eleg-ance  are  not  fit  for  the  rough  winds  of  heaven  and 
are  only  for  the  conservatory  to  be  made  into  bouquets  for  the 
credulous.  Still,  as  the  non-partisan  boast  is  injected  with  such 
acid  activity,  it  may  be  well  to  say  soinething  for  the  unsuspect- 
ing victim. 

Tlic  law  permits  any  citizen  to  become  a  candidate  for  mayor 
or  commissioner ;  the  only  requirement  being  a  [>etition  of  twenty- 
five  voters  attesting  his  fitness  for  the  position.  A  person  who 
cannot  obtain  a  document  of  that  character  is  a  strange  sort  of 
individual,  and  as  a  result  of  such  a  law  streak,  the  ballot  on 
primary  day  assumes  pro|X)rtions  resembling  the  rear  flap  of  a 
carriage  top  trailing  in  the  dust.  Of  course,  the  ix)litician  sees 
to  it  that  the  names  of  all  "desirables"  are  o-i  the  ballot  and  if 
other  names  appear  without  his  sanction  it  is  arranged  that  much 
will  not  come  of  it,  but  because  of  the  ambition  of  so  many  de- 
siring to  serve  their  country,  names  get  on  the  ticket  somehow 
and  it  is  nothing  out  of  the  ordinary  to  find  a  ballot  primary  day 
with  a  list  of  sixty  or  more  names  emblazoned  on  it,  where  only 
four  comimssioners  can  be  elected,  each  hungering  for  a  cut  of 
the  municipal  cake. 

The  old  system  had  its  quota  of  patriots  too,  but  the  repre- 
hensible methods  so  despicable  of  partisan  politicians  pursuing 
the  voter,  lining  up  heelers,  chasing  party  friends  even  through 
the  sanctity  of  church  doors,  leaving  in  his  wake  a  vapor  of  un- 
rest and  turmoil,  as  the  politicians  und^er  this  new  plan  is  com- 
pelled of  necessity  to  do  if  he  would  reach  his  goal,  was  not  per- 
mitted under  the  former  law  and  would  not  be  sanctioned  by  re- 
spectable people  if  the  new  plan  did  not  permit  and  encourage  it. 

No  politics?  When  the  -time  arrived  for  the  first  election 
of  officers  in  the  city  of  Des  Moines  under  the  new  plan  of  gov- 
ernment it  was  proclaimed  from  the  housetops  that  everything 
w^as  non-partisan,  that  politics  would  not  enter  the  campaign  or 
election  in  any  form,  and  to  suit  the  occasion,  the  names  of  -five 
men  were  selected  to  go  on  the  ballot  for  the  different  offices ;  it 
is  only  fair  to  say  that  all  five  of  those  candidates  w-ere  men  fairly 
well  adapted  for  the  public  position  sought. 

As  the  election  approached  the  politicians  began  to  realize 
their  subsistence  was  rapidly  liquefying.  The  industry  of  a 
beaver  would  be  termed  indolent  in  comparison  to  the  manner 
those  fellows  stepped  about  for  a  while  just  then.  John  ^lac Vicar, 
an  adroit  politician,  could  see  no  reason  why  he  should  be  shunt- 


52  FALLACIES  OF  THE  DES   MOINES   PLAN 

ed  from  a  hand  in  the  game.  He  had  l>een  the  former  burgo- 
master of  the  villagers,  and  a  recognized  past  master  in  the  rit- 
ualistic and  unwritten  work,  of  petty  politics.  A  new  set  of 
names  were  brought  out  for  commissioners,  MacVicar  heading 
the  list.  What  was  done  and  how  the  trick  accomplished,  is  a 
mystery  known  only  to  sagacious  politicians,  but  to  the  uninitiat- 
ed in  such  arts,  the  cunning  developed  when  the  ballots  were 
counted  and  an  announcement  made  that  caused  John  and  his  as- 
sociate warriors  to  execute  a  ghost  dance,  the  other  fellows  un- 
decided as  tO'  whether  they  had  ever  been  in  the  race. 

At  the  following  city  election  it  was  again  proclaimed  there 
was  to  be  no  partisan  politics,  that  time  for  certain.  A  ticket 
was  selected,  and  once  more  went  to  smash.  The  politicians  as- 
sembled their  forces  into  what  they  termed  the  "Consolidation 
club,"  not  a  misnomer  by  any  means,  for  it  was  a  solid  phalanx 
at  the  polls.  The  poor  innocents  whose  intakes,  found  lodgment 
for  the  sugar-coated  non-partisan  bait  were  slaughtered  and  a 
coterie  of  old  time  politicians  elected  commissioners,  Mac  \^icar 
in  the  van  of  the  boxers. 

In  the  long  list  of  names  on  the  ballot  arranged'  alphabetically 
from  A  to  Z,  a  list  of  from  25  to  100,  how  many  voters  would  go 
through  the  roll  ?  A  man  whose  name  commenced  with  W  would 
probably  not  get  a  solitary  vote,  he  would  be  at  a  decided  disad- 
vantage at  least.  From  the  very  extended  list  of  persons  seeking 
election,  just  one  for  mayor  and  four. commissioners  will  be  chos- 
en. Now,  the  trick  to  elect  is  plain.  The  party  machine  sends  out 
word  to  the  workers.  A  combination  is  made.  While  you  and 
I  are  voting  for  Smith,  Brown  -and  Jones,  the  combination  is 
voting  in  a  solid  body.  Our  votes  are  scattered.  They  bunch 
their  hits  'as  the  baseball  fan  would  say,  and  the  score  is  marked 
up  for  the  machine  combination.  Of  the  entire  vote  cast  perhaps 
the  winner  would  not  receive  twenty  per  cent  of  it.  How  is  that 
for  a  non-partisan  feature?  A  scheme  whereby  twenty  per 
cent  of  the  votes  cast,  to  win. 

Before  election  you  console  yourself  by  thinking  the  array 
of  names  presented  for  your  suffrage  will  defeat  any  attempt  of 
the  partisan  trickster.  That  is  a  sad  mistake;  the  greater  the  list, 
the  more  chance  for  the  combination  to  win.  Word  goes  out 
from  the  camp  of  so-called  leaders  of  fairplay  and  virtuous  elec- 
tions that  certain  men  are  to  be  voted  for  throughout  the  city. 
Yourself  and  neighbor  do  what  you  honorably  can  to  elect  whom 


HOW   PARTISAN   POLITICS  ARK  KMMIXATED  53 

you  think  most  worthy,  but  you  are  untutored  in  the  game  of  poli- 
tics. You  are  led  to  l>elieve  elections  conducted  under  commis- 
sion government  has  the  innocence  of  a  game  of  ping-pong,  and 
while  you  hiok  on  with  complacency,  you  are  buncoed  to  a  finish. 

A  native  wishing  to  show  his  friend  from  the  old  country 
some  natural  surprise,  took  him  to  lo(jk  u|Kjn  the  falls  of  Niagara, 
but  no  exclamation  of  wonder  l)eing  heard,  asked  what  he  thought 
of  the  great  torrent  of  water  falling.  His  friend  simply  replied, 
"Veil,  vot's  to  hinder  it."  That  same  answer  will  apply  if  asked 
if  politics  exists  under  the  Des  Moines  Plan.  Partisan  politics 
und'er  the  new  system  is  far  from  l>eing  a  lost  art.  At  the  Elgin 
conference  of  mayors,  October,  1909,  commissioner  MacVicar  in 
an  address  before  that  body,  is  quoted  as  saying  "The  commission 
form  of  government  does  not  eliminate  politics  but  improves  the 
brand."  Those  who  know  the  commssioner  will  admit  he  is  good 
authority  on  the  artful  management  of  politics,  and  that  the  state- 
ment he  is  alleged  to  have  uttered  is  eminently  correct. 

P>y  this  system  the  rough  places  are  smoothed  for  the  ''boss'' 
to  squirm  into  your  affections  and  incidentally  to  a  seat  in  an 
upholstered  swivel  chair  in  the  council  chamber.  Of  the  present 
four  commissioners  of  Des  Moines,  one  is  serving  his  second  tenn 
and  is  candidate  for  a  third  one ;  he  was  a  former  mayor  of  the 
city,  and  politics  his  livelihood  for  years  past.  Another  was  dep- 
uty sheriff  just  prior  to  being  elected  commissioner ;  he  too,  is 
serving  his  second  term  and  will  endeavor  to  be  elected  again.  A 
third  was  city  assessor  before  elected  to  the  council ;  like  the 
other  two,  he  is  serving  his  second  term  and  will  want  a  third 
one.  The  fourth,  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  when  elected  com- 
missioner, clinging  to  the  office  of  squire  till  the  city  election 
ballots  were  counted ;  he  also  wants  tb  be  re-elected.  The  mayor 
is  serving  his  first  term,  having  been  elected  by  a  majority  of 
sixteen  votes,  nine  of  which  were  in  doubt ;  being  an  astute  poli- 
tician, he  has  constantly  improved  every  opportunity  offered  and 
some  that  were  not,  for  a  more  pronounced  majority  at  election 
next  time. 

The  treasurer,  auditor,  and  about  all  their  clerks  and  depu- 
ties have  never  lost  step  in  the  political  parade  for  years.  Prac- 
tically all  the  faces  that  smile  through  the  different  little  wicket 
holes  as  you  enter  the  municipal  building,  have  the  familiar  ap- 
pearance of  a  bill  collector  on  pay  day,  while  the  perpetual  vet- 
eran of  old  associations  swinging  nonchalantly  in  the  various  of- 


54  FALLAClEvS  OF   THE  DFS    MOINES   PLAN 

fice  chairs,  like  the  old  guard  of  Napoleon,  never  surrender.  The 
people  who  were  so  clamorous  for  a  "change"  reinstated  former 
incumbents  at  additional  salaries  and  added  several  unnecessary 
assistants  and  clerks.  If  politics  have  been  hoisted  over  the  back 
fence  by  the  municipal  form  of  government,  no  one  seems  to 
know  about  it. 


■     Monthly  Printed  Proceedings  of  the  Council. 

"Nothing  hid  from  public  view."  "Every  action  of  the  coun- 
cil is  for  the  Open  scrutiny  of  all  concerned."  "The  fullest  pub- 
licity of  all  transactions  are  for  the  gaze  of  the  curious  and  in- 
vitation is  extended  to  peruse  with  care  each  and  every  official 
act  collectively  and  individually  of  the  council."  Such  is  the 
bluffing  declamation  of  the  disciples  of  commission  government. 

That  it  is  absurd  for  any  person  to  affect  ignorance  of  what 
is  going  on,  they  delight  in  specifically  referring  to  section  15, 
of  the  charter,  which  reads  as  follows :  "The  council  shall  each 
month  print  in  pamphlet  form  a  detailed  itemized  statement  of 
its  proceedings  during  the  preceding  month,  and  furnish  printed 
copies  thereof  to  the  state  library,  the  city  library,  the  daily 
newspapers  of  the  city,  and  to  persons  who  shall  apply  therefor 
at  the  office,  of  the  city  clerk."  This  section  provides  also  for 
}early  examinations  of  the  books. 

For  many  years  the  proceedings  of  the  city  council  have 
been  printed  in  pamphlet  form  as  soon  after  meeting  as  possible 
and  could  always  be  procured  by  calling  upon  the  city  clerk. 
Long  prior  to  the  new  style  of  city  government  the  old  law 
provided  for  the  yearly  examination  of  the  books  of  the  city  and 
for  expert  accountants  to  perform  such  work.  City  auditors  were 
required  to  file  an  annual  report  of  accounts  with  the  state,  and 
provision  was  made  for  publication  of  council  proceedings. 

A  person  convicted  for  stealing  an  overcoat  pleaded  in  miti- 
gation that  he  took  it  that  he  might  trade  it  off  and  get  one  of  his 
own.  To  purloin  an  old  statute  for  use  in  the  commission  plan 
and  proclaim  it  something  original,  is  in  keeping  with  the  fellow 
who  appropriated  the  coat.  If  detailed  itemized  statements  of 
receipts  and  expenses,  and  a  summary  of  the  proceedings  of  the 
council  are  printed  each  month,  copies  of  same  are  not  furnished 
either  to  the  state  or  citv  library.     Possibly  they  may  have  been 


MONTHLY    PRINTED   PRCKEEDINC.S  OF  THE  COUNCIL  55 

occasionally  heretofore,  but  not  as  required  by  law,  and  are  not 
g-iven  to  the  libraries  at  this  time;  neither  are  such  reports  pub- 
lished in  the  city  newspapers. 

So  far  as  I)es  Moines  is  concerned  the  features  of  the  law 
which  purports  to  keep  the  taxpayers  at  all  times  infonned  of  pro- 
ceeding's of  the  council,  is  utterly  ignored  and  no  doubt  it  is  given 
but  little  heed  in  other  places  where  commission  government  is 
in  operation.  The  city  of  Des  Moines  when  making  up  its  last 
estimate  for  appropriations,  set  aside  the  sum  of  $7,148.99  for 
printing  and  supplies  for  all  departments.  It  would  seem  after 
the  necessary  letter  heads  and  envelojjes  are  furnished  the  coun^ 
cil,  there  should  1)€  a  neat  little  sum  left  to  publish  and  give  to 
the  public  the  monthly  reports  required'  by  law. 

The  imi)eluous  spurting  of  enthusiasts  for  commission  gov- 
ernment about  the  publicity  features  of  it,  and  their  rantings  of 
liow  the  pcoj^le  know  each  month  from  printed  documents  what 
happened  the  month  previous  at  council  meetings,  is  so  furious 
at  times  that  an  exhaust  muffler  could  be  well  employed  to  re- 
lieve the  harshness  of  their  saw  mill  rhapsodies.  Were  the 
monthly  proceedings  of  the  council  printed  in  pamphlet  form  and 
given  the  state  and  city  libraries,  and  the  city  newspapers,  they 
would  be  read  by  the  people,  and  with  the  probable  result  of 
causing  excitement  bordering  on  hysteria. 

An  honest  old  man  calling  on  his  friend  said  to  him,  "My 
note  to  you  for  $200  is  due  tomorrow ;  I  have  failed,  cannot  pay 
you  and  now  tonight  1  cannot  sleep  me  a  vink."  His  friend  re- 
plied', "\'ell  den,  vy  did  you  tell  me  till  tomorrow  ;  now  neider 
can  I  tonight  sleep  me  a  vink."  If  the  monthly  jjroceedings  of 
the  council  are  printed  at  all,  and  then  let  remain  in  the  locker  of 
the  city  clerk,  the  populace  are  not  going  to  make  monthly  pil- 
grimages to  the  city  hall  to  peruse  them,  their  slumber  will  not  be 
disturbed — no  not  a  ''vink." 


Responsibility  Assured. 

Another  cast  in  the  commission  form  of  government  is  the 
claim  that  you  can  locate  responsibility ;  that  each  department 
having  a  separate  head  this  is  assured ;  that  if  there  is  a  grievance 
you  know  where  to  go  with  it ;  that  instead  of  the  blame  of  any 
complaint  being  shifted  from  one  to  another  and  no  person  be- 


56  1^'ALLACIKS  OF  THE  DKS    MOINHS  PLAN 

ing  responsible  for  any  specific  charge  of  official  neglect,  there  is 
a  head  directly  responsible  to  immediately  right  the  wrong  com- 
plained of. 

The  very  opposite  of  this  is  true.  Each  department  is  a  royal 
dominion  unto  itself,  and  the  commissioner  in  charge  an  auto- 
crat. His  assumption  of  dictatorial  power  is  not  infringed  upon 
by  any  other  member  of  the  council,  there  being  a  tacit  under- 
standing each  shall  conduct  the  affairs  of  his  department  with- 
out interference  or  molestation  from  any  other,  that  being  the 
law  of  commission  government  and  the  sentiment  of  those  advo- 
cating the  plan. 

As  a  result  of  this  procedure  if  the  department  head  you 
call  upon  dbes  not  wish  to  take  up  your  grievance  for  investiga- 
tion, you  are  politely  told  it  shall  be  looked  into  just  as  soon  as 
some  other  matter  is  disposed  of,  and  to  call  his  attention  to  it 
again.  After  waiting  a  prolonged  period  of  time  and  no  heed 
given  your  complaint,  you  once  more  in  trepidation  approach  his 
office,  and  are  informed  by  his  secretary  that  he  is  in  Detroit 
looking  up  the  matter  of  a  suitable  monogram  for  his  stationery 
and  will  not  return  for  two  weeks. 

Determined  to  have  your  grievance  attended  to  before  it 
grows  too  hoary,  your  series  of  trips  to  the  city  hall  assume  pro- 
gression sufficient  to  have  you  recognized  by  the  extra  help  in  the 
building  as  ''the  man  with  the  grievance."  Sly  insinuations  about 
your  mental  faculties  are  heard,  but  you  give  no  heed  to  the  un- 
seemly remarks,  your  mind  being  concentrated  on  the  ''griev- 
ance" and  a  desire  to  find  the  commissioner.  You  finally  locate 
him  one  day  as  he  is  contmanding  the  chauffeur  to  get  out  his 
automobile,  paid  for  out  of  the  contingent  fund,  for  a  spin  out 
to  the  ball  game.  He  is  in  a  hurry,  but  you  produce  a  thumb- 
worn  copy  of  the  commission  plan  where  it  indicates  your  "griev- 
ance" must  be  adjusted  instanter. 

You  become  a  trifle  downcast  when  informed  the  "grievance" 
you  have  been  nursing  belongs  to  the  other  department,  to  go 
there  and  you  will  be  fitted  out  with  the  utmost  celerity.  Some- 
what crest-fallen  you  amble  away  in  the  direction  of  the  other 
official's  quarters,  where  the  private  secretary  informs  you  his 
superior  officer  has  an  engagement  at  two  o'clock  with  a  party  of 
eastern  entomologists  whom  the  council  employed  to  give  ex- 
pert advice  upon  the  idiosyncrasies  of  a  male  germ  and  femal-e 


RESPONSIBILITY  ASSURED  57 

bacterium  in  sterilized  river  water;  that  he  cannot  be  seen  today, 
l)ut  just  leave  your  address,  please. 

You  beg-in  to  grow  fiidgety  and  wish  no  attempt  had  been 
made  to  ever  comfort  the  old  "grievance"  as  it  is  painfully  visible 
considerable  hilarity  is  indulged  in  alx)ut  your  crude  ideas  of  com- 
mission govermuent.  Some  years  ago,  you  had  occasion  to  com- 
plain to  the  city  council,  that  after  heavy  rains,  water  ran  across 
the  street  onto  and  over  your  lawn.  All  the  members  of  the 
council  were  not  present  at  the  meeting  that  nxyrning,  !)ut  that 
was  no  material  difference  as  no  particular  one  of  them  had  ab- 
solute power  and  control  of  streets.  You  told  your  story  to 
those  present,  and  next  day  a  g-an^  of  workmen  called  and  reme- 
died the  difficulty  you  complained  about,  and  all  was  serene.  Hut, 
that  was  before  the  days  of  the  Des  Moines  Plan. 

Cannot  business  be  attended  to  that  way  now?  Vou  are 
going-  to  find  out.  You  inquire  at  the  city  hall  whether  the  com- 
missioner is  yet  through  analyzing  the  animalculae  that  is  report- 
ed to  be  bathing  in  the  placid  waters  of  the  'Coon.  Yes,  he  is  for 
the  time  being,  but  is  now  on  a  lecturing  tour  in  Canada  on  the 
commission  plan  of  government.  Your  early  training  precludes 
any  sign  of  anger  at  the  time,  and  you  go  home  to  dinner.  You 
send  your  wife  and  grown-up  daughters  into  the  other  room,  and 
extricate  yourself  from  a  selection  of  mule  driver's  expressions 
that  have  been  accumulating  in  your  system  for  some  time  past. 
There  is  no  hope,  however,  for  the  "grievance"  till  the  commis- 
sioner returns  as  his  department  and  his  only,  has  full  control 
over  such  matters. 

In  olden  days  if  a  "grievance"  got  obstreperous  you  could 
arraign  it  before  the  council  and  have  its  merits  investigated 
without  waiting  for  some  particular  member  being  present.  If 
your  cause  was  found  meritorious  it  w^as  attended  to.  Should 
some  member  make  objection,  that  was  his  privilege  and  perhaps 
his  duty,  but  he  could  not  take  full  charge  of  the  matter  himself, 
refusing  to  give  you  a  respectful  hearing.  The  council  as  a  whole 
looked  into  the  trouble  complained  .of,  and  no  personal  reason  of 
some  one  man  for  delay  or  refusal  would  be  tolerated.  "That 
used  to  be  the  caper,  but  it  don't  go  now." 

After  various  unsuccessful  attempts  to  present  your  compli- 
ments and  thje  "grievance"  to  the  commissioner  after  returning 
from  his  gabfest  about  the  Des  Moines  Plan,  you  run  on  to  him 


5<S  FALLACIKS  OF   THR  DES    MOINES    PLAN 

as  he  is  making  up  estimates  for  an  appropriation  to  hear  the 
expense  of  any  delegation  coming  to  the  city  for  the  purpose  of 
interviewing  local  officials  about  the  new  style  of  government. 
He  gives  your  now  infirm  "grievance"  a  hurried  glance  and  tells 
you  he  is  not  sure  it  belongs  to  his  diepartment,  that  he  will  con- 
sult the  legal  department  and  then  advise  you  where  to  go  with 
it.  This  startling  bit  of  information  is  embarrassing  as  vou  men- 
tally compare  the  language  with  that  of  the  girl  who  replied  to 
the  young  man  who  proposed  marriage : 

"Go  to  father,"  she  said, 
When  I  asked  her  to  wed. 
•   Now  she  knew  that  I  knew 
That  her  father  was  dead. 
And  she  knew  that  I  knew, 
•     From  the  life  he  had  led, 
What  she  meant  when  she  said, 
"Go  to  father." 

When  the  matter-  of  adopting  the  commission  plan  of  gov- 
ernment for  the  city  of  Des  Moines  was  undergoing  discussion, 
Professor  Herriott  of  Drake  University  in  an^  address  before  the 
Prairie  club,  speaking  of  locating  responsibility  and  of  some 
other  things,  spoke  as  follows  :  "City  government,  although  it 
is  not,  as  is  to  be  generally  assumed,  easy  to  conduct  as  a  bank, 
must  be  managed  upon  business  principles.  By  business  prin- 
ciples we  mean  methods  of  procedure  whereby  men  obtain  the 
maximum  of  benefits,  income  or  profits  with  the  minimum  of 
expense.  The  result  can  only  be  secured  by  efficiency  in  ad- 
ministration. 

"The  Galveston  plan  cuts  at  the  very  root  of  official  account- 
ability and  responsibility,  and  strangely  enough,  it  is  because  the 
advocates  believe  that  the  reform  enhances  or  secures  responsible 
control  they  urge  it. 

"Under  its  method  we  first  attempt  to  secure  by  election  ex- 
perts, which  we  seldom  or  never  can  do.  Thereupon  these  so- 
called  experts,  by  agreement  or  disagreement,  by  lot  or  by  ballot, 
assign  each  man  to  that  particular  department  to  which  they  be- 
lieve he  is  best  fitted  and  it  will  be  a  marvel  if  bickering,  envy 
and  spite  do  not«develop  vigorously  in  determining  such  assign- 
ments.    However  this  mav  be,  it  is  clear  such  a  method  of  elec- 


RESK)NSIBIL1TV  ASSURKI)  59 

tion  or  assignment  will  deprive  a  city  of  the  services  of  experts  in 

our  technical  dq>artnients. 

"Another  most  serious  defect  is  the  fact  that  the  commission 
must,  if  it  fulfills  the  purposes,  constantly  upset  accountability. 
Tlie  comimssioners  are  not  only  exi>ected  to  legislate  or  pass 
ordinances,  but  at  the  same  time  to  'manage'  or  conduct  the  busi- 
ness (jf  a  city.  Now  thev  cannot  clo  this  witliout  constantly  and 
seriously  intru(Hng  into  the  several  departments.  If  this  is  done. 
accountability  or  res|K)nsibility  cannot  l)e  enforced  on  the  part 
of  the  man  in  cliarge  of  the  department  interfered  with. 

"The  Galveston  commissioners  can  interfere  at  any  time  and 
in  any  manner  with  the  work  of  tlie  several  dq>artments.  If 
they  do  not,  then  they  do  not  exercise  their  double  functions  of 
legislation  and  execution.  Each  man  gets  complete  control  of 
his  department  and  they  severally  leave  each  other  alone.  Again, 
they  may  by  collusion,  agree  to  let  each  man  nm  his  own  depart- 
ment as  he  pleases  for  reasons  far  from  righteous.  With  so 
much  power  it  will  not  be  strange  if  unholy  alliances  develop. 

"The  i>assage  of  the  budget  bills  and  regulative  ordinances 
will  produce  *war'  if  nothing  else  does.  Each  man  will  seek  and 
demand  more  fund's  and  more  authority  and  power.  But  funds 
and  authority  will  l>e  limited.  All  cannot  get  what  each  insist 
upon.  Who  will  recede?  Who  must  give  way?  Debate  will 
generate  heat;  heat  will  produce  fire  and  fire  burns  and  scorches"; 
and  concord  that  we  are  assured  will  necessarily  prevail  under 
the  new  plan  will  go  glimmering  and  the  taxpayers  will  find 
themselves  helpless  in  the  clutches  of  men  who  both  pass  the  or- 
dinances and  budget  bills  and  also  attend  personally  to  their  exe- 
cution and  administration. 

"We  doubt  if  a  more  dangerous  measure  was  ever  urged 
upon  the  public  than  the  Galveston  plan,  whereby  the  traditions 
of  our  law^  and  people  are  thus  upset." 

There  is  just  one  instance  that  might  be  mentioned  showing 
how  responsibility  can  be  located  or  rather  how  it  cannot  be  lo- 
cated. .^When  the  new  commission  had  undfer  contemplation  the 
building  of  a  new  city  hall,  and  it  became  necessary  to  choose  an 
architect,  after  three  months  of  wrangle  and  incrimination  they 
ended  by  employing  eight  architects  to  draw  plans  anrl  speci- 
fications for  one  solitary,  lone  building,  any  one  of  whom  would 
have  been  perfectly  competent  to  have  done  the  work.      It  would 


6o  FALLACIES  OF  THE  DF.S    MOIXFS   PLAN 

be  interesting  to  hear  some  one  locating  where  the  responsibiHty 
belonged'  in  that  case. 

The  way  the  commission  plan  works  there  is  no  responsible 
head  of  affairs,  and  practically  no  relief  when  wanting  a  com- 
plaint adjusted.  If  you  go  to  some  head  of  a  department  you 
are  put  off  on  one  pretense  or  another,  and  if  the  matter  com- 
plained of  is  such  that  it  will  have  a  political  bearing  directly  or 
indirectly  on  a  future  election,  that  feature  is  first  considered. 
Another  way  is  to  refer  you  to  the  head  of  some  other  depart- 
ment, so  that  the  situation  is  like  that  portrayed  by  the  cartoon- 
ist during  the  reign  of  the  Tweed  ring  in  New  York  some  years 
ago,  wherein  each  culprit  stood  pointing  his  finger  at  the  nexl: 
man,  exclaiming,  *'  'Twas  him." 

You  have  no  redress  before  the  council  as  you  have  had  un- 
der the  old  way.  One  member  of  the  council  has  all  in  his  own 
hands  under  the  new  system.  What  can  be  done  if  that  official 
refuses  to  do  anything  for  you?  You  have  no  recourse  what- 
ever. Don't  think  about  the  recall;  that  is  a  square  hole  a 
round  peg  will  not  fill.  If  you  are  sent  to  some  other  head  of 
a  department,  excuses  in  abundance  are  forthcoming,  or  you  may 
be  referred  back  to  the  chief  from  whence  you  started  with  the 
information  that  official  has  full  control  over  the  matter,  and  there 
you  are. 


Taxes  Incre^ased. 

The  commission  plan  has  proved  an  expensive  experiment 
for  Des  Moines,  although  the  friends  of  that  style  of  government 
claim  the  affairs  of  the  city  have  been  managed  without  raising 
the  tax  rate :  indeed,  they  make  the  bold  assertion  that  the  tax 
levy  has  been  decreased  by  the  new  manner  of  governing.  Were 
the  commissioners  who  make  this  statement  other  than  finished 
politicians  they  would  not  use  that  deceitful  plea  to  mislead  the 
public,  and  would  give  the  facts  about  it.  The  truth  is,  the  tax 
for  1908,  the  last  year  of  the  old  system  of  government,  was  36.4 
mills,  whereas  the  levy  for  1909,  the  first  year  of  the  new  govern- 
ment, was  37.1  mills.  Should  that  be  called  a  decrease?  But 
you  say  those  figures  would  not  make  much  difference  in  taxes 
at  any  rate.  That  is  the  very  idea  friends  of  the  plan  would 
like  to  convey.     A  comparison  of  tax  receipts  received  from  the 


TAXES  INCREASED  C,i 

treasurer  now,  and  three  years  ago,  reveals  a  vast  difference,  and 
the  cause  of  the  increase  is  easily  accounted  for. 

The  vakiation  of  city  property  in  Des  Moines  for  the  year 
1908,  the  year  the  old  government  turned  the  reins  over  to  the 
new,  was  $77,546,5cSo.  In  1909  the  assessor,  who  is  appointeci  by 
the  council,  raised  the  valuation  to  $82,114,124.  Making  allow 
ance  for  the  building  permits  taken  out,  there  w^s  an  increase  in 
the. valuation  of  property  within  one  year  of  over  $5,000,000. 
Property  in  Iowa  is  taxed  at  one-fourth  its  actual  valuation,  hut 
friends  of  commission  government  never  tell  that  property  was 
raised  in  value  for  the  sole  purpose  of  bringing  in  more  taxes. 

The  total  valuation  of  new  property  erected  in  Des  Moines, 
191 1,  according  to  statistics  furnished  by  the  department  of  pub- 
lic improvements,  is  $1,595,473.  The  assessor  boosted  the  value 
of  city  property  the  same  year  to  $90,364,182.  If  we  take  from 
this  the  value  of  building  improvements,  there  remains  an  in- 
crease in  the  valuation  of  property  of  $11,222,159  greater  than 
that  of  the  year  the  old  government  made  its  last  assessment. 
And  still  in  the  face  of  this  cute  method  in  raising  taxes  without 
increasing  the  levy,  presumptions  statements  are  made  that  the 
tax  levy  is  decreasing. 

To  put  a  fancy  figure  on  the  value  of  property  is  supposed 
to  make  the  owner  feel  the  new  plan  of  government  is  making 
him  rich.  There  are  anaesthetics  it  is  said  that  will  cause  the  pa- 
tient to  actually  smile  while  the  surgeon  is  sawing  off  an  arm  or 
limb,  but  it  is  alleged  the  pain  afterwards  is  most  excruciating. 
The  method  the  Des  Moines  plan  has  for  keeping  down  the  tax 
levy  is  a  contrivance  to  lessen  pain  too,  and  would  be  a  delight- 
ful subterfuge  if  pulling  the  leg  was  not  done  so  viciously. 

.  A  further  exaggerated  statement  to  prove  that  taxes  are  de- 
creasing is,  that  the  cost  per  capita  of  maintaining  the  city  is 
much  lower  than  ever  before.  Some  of  the  per  capitas  should 
take  a  look  at  the  last  annual  report  of  the  city  auditor,  an  ap- 
pointee of  the  council,  wherein  he  states  on  page  143,  that  the  cost 
per  capita  for  maintaining  the  city  government  in  1909  was  $9.71, 
and  that  for  1910  was  $10.97. 

Commissioner  MlacVicar  has  given  a  statement  to  the  press 
in  which  he  says  that  for  the  last  eight  years  of  the  old  govern- 
ment, the  maximum  tax  levy  for  the  maintenance  of  the  city  was 
40.6  mills,  the  minimum  38.3,  and  the  average  39.4  mills ;  that 
during  the  three  years  under  the  commission  plan  the  maximum 


62  FALLACIES  OF  THE  DES    MOINES   PLAN 

levy  was  37.1  mills,  the  minimum  36.4,  and  the  average  36.8 
mills.  Hiat  statement  is  not  correct.  The  levy  for  1908,  made  by 
the  old  government  was  36.4  mills,  and  the  levy  since  that  time  has 
stood  at  37.1  mills,  whilst  the  valuation  of  property  has  been 
raised  by  the  millions,  making  taxation  excessively  beyond  any 
figures  ever  before.  Even  with  the  boldness  of  raising  the  valua- 
tion on  property  to  secure  more  taxes,  the  mayor  hitherto  a  com- 
paratively obscure  school  teacher,  now  clothed  with  executive  and 
legislative  power,  took  an  aggressive  stand  to  increase  the  tax 
levy  an  a-d'ditional  five  mills  and  was  only  diverted  from'  his 
course  when  shown  taxes  could  be  increased  in  a  more  diplomatic 
way — by  the  assessor  increasing  the  valuation  of  property. 

The  average  levy  the  last  eight  years  of  the  old  form  of  gov- 
ernment was  not  39.4  mills,  but  38.9.  A  slight  difference  of 
course,  but  compare  the  difference  in  the  valuation  of  property 
between  $55,485,720  in  1900  under  the  old  system  of  governing, 
and  $90,364,182  in  191 1,  under  the  commission  plan,  and  the 
school  teacher  at  the  head  of  the  council  should  readily  see  there 
is  no  necessity  to  raise  the  levy  when  in  need  of  money — just  in- 
crease the  valuation  of  the  property. 

Commissioner  Mac  Vicar's  published  statement  further  says 
that  when  the  old  regime  went  out  of  office  it  left  an  indebted- 
ness of  $194,992.04  and  cash  on  hand  of  $71,886.24 ;  that  on  April, 
1909,  the  end  of  the  first  year  of  the  commission  plan,  the  cash  on 
hand  in  the  working  fund  and  clear  of  indebtedness  was  ^yy,- 
171.65,  a  net  gain  of  $21,679.28  over  the  bond  issue  of  the  old 
government.  Such  statements  remind  a  person  of  what  Mark 
Twain  once  said  wh^n  reading  in  the  papers  of  his  death — that 
the  report  was  greatly  exaggerated. 

In  true  political  style  he  would  leave  the  impression  that  the 
old  administration  had  left  a  bankrupt  treasury ;  their  first  an- 
nual report  shows  that  the  new  commission  received  in  cash  from 
the  old,  $205,000,  and  in  their  eflfort  to  show  a  bad  condition, 
added  that  sum  to  their  income  and  issued  bonds  for  the  entire 
amount.  The  annual  report  shows  the  old  government  turned 
over  to  the  new,  $133,113.76  more  than  Mr.  Mac  Vicar  gives 
credit  for  in  his  published  statement,  figures  given  out  to  show 
how  much  better  off  the  city  was  at  the  end  of  the  first  year  un- 
der the  commission  form  of  government. 

An  analysis  of  the  financial  statement  of  the  city  showing 
its  financiab  condition  on  April  i,  1909,  reveals  that  as  a  matter 


TAXES  INCRUASED  63 

of  fact  the  city  was  iiot  as  well  off  financially  as  it  was  on  the 
first  of  April.  1908.  During  the  year  1909  there  was  an  in- 
crease in  the  amounj  of  cash  in  the  lx)nd  funds  of  $34,cxx)  which 
was  simply  an  accumulation  for  the  punK>se  of  paying  outstand- 
ing bonds  as  they  fell  due  at  certain  j)eri()ds. 

The  city  is  the  owner  of  a  fund  known  as  the  water  works 
fund,  which  was  produced  by  the  levy  of  a  tax  some  ten  year© 
ago  for  tiie  puri>ose  of  purchasing  a  municipal  water  plant.  The 
levy  was  discontinued  and  the  fund  placed  at  interest  by  the  old 
administration.  The  interest  on  this  fund  during  the  year  1908 
was  about  $4,000.  When  trying  to  make  it  appear  the  levy  the 
last  eight  years  of  the  old  administration  was  high,  this  fund  is 
carefully  concealed. 

The  city  also  claims  to  have  on  hand  April  i,  1909,  about 
$60,000  in  its  water  and  light  funds.  This  accumulation  is  due 
to  the  fact  that  it  was  not  paid  to  the  water  company  or  to  the 
Welsbach  Light  company  for  services  claimed  due  for  the  year 
1909.  The  city  had  on  hand  a  controversy  with  the  water  com- 
pany and  refused  to  pay  any  bills  unless  the  companv  would  fur- 
nish it  with  certain  statements ;  at  this  time  the  matter  is  still  in 
court.  It  refused  to  pay  the  light  company  on  the  grounds  that 
the  contract  was  illegal;  later  the  light  company  obtained  judg- 
ment against  the  city  for  $10,960,  and  has  just  brought  suit 
for  $28,209.20  more.  Prior  to  the  obtaining  of  this  judge- 
ment, the  city  admitted  owing  to  both  companies  $57,000 ; 
these  two  bills  and  other  outstanding  claims  is  about  $i56,ooc», 
so  that  the  city  instead  of  being  $128,000  better  off  on  April  t, 
1909,  had  alK)ut  that  amount  less  in  cash,  when  increase  in 
funds  and  outstanding  claims  are  considered. 

If  the  old  administration  went  out  of  office  leaving  an  in- 
debtedness of  $175,000,  (Mr.  MacVicar,  who  was  mayor  part  of 
the  time  it  was  accumulating,  says  the  sum  is  $194,922.04)  it 
should  be  stated  that  included  in  this  is  $84,000  which  was  ex- 
pended for  substantial  i!nprovements  in  the  way  of  fire  houses, 
paving,  etc.  Also  some  $43,000  which  was  rq^resented  by  cer- 
tificates on  various  funds,  the  expenditure  of  which  was  made 
necessary  by  reason  of  two  disastrous  and  unprecedented  rain 
storms  which  occurred  during  the  summer  of  1907,  and  which 
washed  out  sewers,  bridges  and  grades  in  all  parts  of  the  city,  and 
$24,000  which  was  in  the  form  of  judgments,  which  was  the 
tail  end  of  the  indebtedness  which  the  city  was  compelled  to  in- 


64  FALLACIES  OF  THR  DFS   MOINES  PLAN 

cur  during  the  years  1902  and  1903,  when  the  city  was  visited 
by  two  of  the  worst  floods  ever  known  in  the  history  of  the  city, 
and  also  by  a  smallpox  epidemic.  The  floods  and  smallpox  epi- 
demic of  these  two  years  entailed  upon  the  city  an  extraordinary 
expenditure,  which  at  a  conservative  estimate  was  in  excess  of 
$150,000.  The  old  administration  instead  of  issuing  bonds,  was 
gradually  paying  off  this  ind'ebtedness.  All  this  was  within  the 
last  eight  years  of  the  old  administration,  the  time  picked  out  as 
when  the  tax  levy  was  high,  without  giving  any  explanation  for 
it,»and  yet  taxes  in  those  years  were  extraordinarily  low  as  com- 
pared with  now. 

These  amounts  made  a  total  of  $151,000  of  the  claimed 
$175,000  of  indebtedness.  If  the  old  administration  is  to  be 
charged  with  this  indebtedness,  which  was  an  accumulation  of 
not  one  year,  but  of  many  years,  the  new  administration  should 
be  charged  with  the  indebtedness  of  $76,000  which  was  in  the 
form  of  bridge  certificates  issued  in  payment  of  the  cost  in  con- 
structing the  bridge  at  Locust  street.  Deducting  this  $76,000 
from  the  $175,000  claimed  indebtedness  of  the  old  administration, 
leaves  a  balance  of  $99,000  of  indebtedness  over  and  above  the 
admitted  indebtedness  of  the  present  city  administration  for  the 
year  of  which  they  boast  so  loudly  of  doing  great  wonders.  The 
claim  of  indebtedness  left  by  the  old  administration,  "becomes 
like  the  claim  made  by  the  boy  who  saw  a  rnillion  rabbits ;  the 
claim  dwindled  to  one  hundred ;  then  to  five,  and  finally  one,  or 
else  the  old  cat. 

During  the  first  year  of  the  commission  form  of  government, 
the  year  in  which  it  is  claimed  such  great  strides  were  made,  no 
substantial  improvements  were  madfe  other  than  construction  of 
paving  and  street  improvements ;  the  old  administration  had 
built  the  necessary  fire  houses,  had  constructed  all  of  the  main 
sewers  that  will  be  needed  for  years  to  come,  and  in  general  had 
brought  the  city  to  a  point  where  it  was  possible  to  begin  the 
practice  of  economy.  The  year  ending  1909  was  a  quiet  one 
and  no  extraordinary  conditions  arose  which  caused  any  extra- 
ordinary expenditures  on  the  part  of  the  city  government.  Com- 
paring therefore  the  expenditures  which  were  actually  made  by 
the  old  and  the  new  governments,  exclusive  of  expenditures  made 
for  substantial  improvements  and  due  to  extraordinary  causes, 
there  is  a  balance  in  favor  of  the  old  government  of  some  $51,000. 
In  other  words,  there  was  spent  by  the  new  commission  govern- 


SAVINGS  CLAIMED  TO  HAVE  BEEN   MADE  65 

nient  for  ordinary  expenses  some  $51,000  more  than  was  spent 
by  the  city  during  the  la^t  year  under  the  old  form.  When  mak- 
ing- the  claim  that  the  new  form  of  government  has  lowered  the 
tax  levy  and  saved  mone>'  for  the  city  in  other  ways,  why  are 
not  some  of  these  facts  stated  ?  Is  it  fair  to  single  out  eight  years 
of  the  old  administration,  years  such  as  shown  to  have  been  when 
of  necessity  expenses  out  of  the  ordinary  had 'to  be  incurred,  and 
then  compare  the  tax  levy  of  those  years  with  that  of  the  first  two 
years  of  the  new  government  when  no  debt  was  incurred  only 
such  as  they  desired  to  make  and  when  only  the  common  and 
ordinary  improvements  were  made? 


Ahout  The  S  wings  Claimed  to  Have  Whes  iMade  by  The  Xew 
Form  of  Government. 

Much  stress  is  laid  upon  what  is  given  as  facts,  that  great 
reductions  have  been  made  in  light  bills,  without  litigation.  No 
mention  is  made  that  the  mininnim  price  for  i)rivate  consumers 
has  been  advanced :  nor  is  it  mentioned  that  under  the  old  system,, 
the  rates  for  water,  electric  lights  and  gas,  were  reduced  many 
times  more  than  the  reduction  under  the  new  forni  of  govern- 
ment. Why  it  should  be  stated  "without  litigation"  is  strange. 
There  is  constant  litigation  with  the  gas,  water  and  light  com- 
panies ever  since  the  commission  plan  of  governing  took  charge 
of  things,  and  is  so  at  this  time,  causing  a  feeling  of  unrest,  and" 
what  people  generally  term  unnecessary  litigation. 

Much  political  buncombe  is  heard  about  paving,  sewers  and 
such  like.  It  is  said  it  cost  the  city  under  the  old  system,. 
$447  per  square  yard  to  pave  the  Grand  avenue  bridge  with 
creosote  blocks,  whilst  under  the  new  government  Walnut  street 
bridge  was  paved  with  the  same  sort  of  material  at  a  cost  to  the 
city  of  only  $4.00  per  square  yard,  a  saving  to  the  city  of  $1,- 
198.58.  That  statement  is  unfair.  In  the  former  case  almost 
the  entire  old  woodwork  was  removed  and  the  new  replaced,  and 
the  contractor  required  to  give  a  maintenance  bond  for  seven 
years,  while  in  the  latter  case  the  blocks  were  placed  upon  the 
old  sub-floor  and  the  city  will  be  required  to  do  all  the  repairing 
from  the  beginning.  $1,196.58  would  not  nearly  make  the  differ- 
ence between  the  two  jobs. 

Another  way,  the  claim  is  made  that  taxpayers  are  saved  large 


66  FALLACIES  OF  THE  DES   MOINES   PLAN 

sums  of  money  is,  that  under  the  old  system,  2,272  catch  basins 
were  cleaned  at  an  average  of  $1.40,  while  under  the  Des  Moines 
plan  3,861  catch  basins  were  cleaned  out  at  an  average  of  $1.12 
and  3-10  cents,  a  saving  to  the  city  of  $1,069.25.  There  is  no 
claim  the  work  was  not  as  well  done  under  the  old  system  as 
under  the  new.  The  number  of  catch  basins  in  operation  both 
the  years  the  saving  is  claimed  to  have  been  made,  is  practically 
the  same.  Now,  the  truth  is,  the  commissioners  expended  several 
thousand  dollars  more  on  this  work  than  did  the  old  government. 
An  investigation  of  this  claim  shows  that  a  large  number  of  the 
catch  basins  were  cleaned  by  simply  injecting  a  fire  hose  into  them 
and  blowing  the  dirt  out  of  the  basin  into  the  sewer,  a  method 
that  would  cost  much  more  than  if  cleaned  in  the  usual  way  and 
carted  off,  not  having  to  hire  a  gang  of  men  afterwards  to  clean 
out  the  sewer.  A  fellow  with  an  inventive  turn  of  mind  re- 
solved the  cheapest  way  to  cure  his  corns  was  to  freeze  them  oft'. 
The  method  proved  quite  effective,  but  the  surgeon's  bill  after- 
wards for  amputating  the  frozen  member  put  a  stop  to  new 
methods  of  economy  in  chiropody.  The  commissioners  probably 
had  not  heard  that  story  before  practicing  their  economical  catch 
basin  stunt. 

It  is  pointed  out  that  the  old  government  built  a  culvert  on 
Easton  Boulevard  at  an  expense  of  $17.51  per  cubic  yard,  while 
the  new  commission  put  in  a  culvert  on  North  and  Thirtieth 
streets  at  a  cost  of  but  $12.63  P^^  cubic  yard,  a  saving  of  $4.98 
per  cubic  yard.  The  difference  in  the  size  of  the  two  jobs,  and 
the  change  in  the  price  of  cement  is  studioush^  avoided.  As  to 
the  North  and  Thirtieth  streets  work,  the  Daily  Capital  in  its 
issue  of  February  16,  1909,  has  the  following:  ''Charges  we;*e 
made  by  Mayor  Mathis  yesterday  that  Councilman  MacVicar  re- 
fused the  bids  of  the  Turner  Improvement  Company  and  the  Hor- 
rabin  Construction  Company  for  building  the  big  Thirtieth  street 
eulvert,  and  then  had  the  work  done  by  the  city  engineer  at  a 
eost  of  $1,200  greater  than  the  sum  asked  by  the  construction 
companies."  The  bids  above  referred  to  were  received  under 
the  old  form  of  government  just  prior  to  when  the  new  commis- 
sioners took  their  seats,  and  these  bids  were  turned  over  to  them 
for  final  action. 

It  is  said  also,  that  on  sewer  work  there  has  been  a  reduc- 
tion from  13  and  2-10  cents  per  lineal  foot  to  9  and  9-10  cents. 
This  difference  can  be  explained  by  reason  of  a  large  sewer  sys- 


SAVINGS  CLAIMED  TO  HAVE  BEEN   MADE  67 

tern,  known  as  the  Grand  View  Sewer  System  No.  i,  the  con- 
struction of  which  consumed  ahnost  an  entire  season  on  account 
of  quick  sand  being  encountered  for  several  thousand  feet.  In 
some  instances  almost  a  month  was  consumed  in  building  a  few 
hundred  feet  of  sewer,  which  made  the  incidentals  very  high  as 
to  engineering  and  inspection.  In  this  connection  it  is  stated 
that  incidentals  were  reduced  in  curbing  from  nine  to  seven  cents 
per  lineal  foot,  but  it  is  not  mentioned  that  during  the  last  year 
of  the  old  administration  incidentals  for  brick  paving  were  only 
T  and  5- TO  cents  per  square  yard  greater  than  under  the  com- 
mission form.  Combined  curb  and  gutter  were  four  cents  per 
lineal  foot  greater  under  the  conmiission  form  than  under  the  old 
systen'K  Rrick  sidewalks  were  four  cents  per  square  foot  greater 
under  the  commission  plan  than  under  the  old  form.  From  these 
ngures  it  Is  hard  to  discern  wherein  any  greater  efficiency  nas 
been  shown  in  public  improvements  under  the  new  style  ot  gov- 
ernment 

Tn  1907  the  old  government  put  down  brick  paving  at  an  av- 
erage cost  of  $2. II  per  square  yard.  In  1908,  the  first  year  of  the 
commission  plan  it  cost  an  average  of  $2.05  ;  less  money  of  course, 
but  the  greater  expense  of  material  that  year  should  be  considered 
when  comparing  these  two  prices.  In  19 10,  it  cost  $1,75  and  in 
1909,  $1.90,  so  that  the  diflference  is  slight,  prices  of  material  be- 
ing considered. 

The  average  cost  per  square  yard  including  incidentals  for 
putting  down  asphalt  paving  in  1907,  cost  $2.61.  It  cost  the  new 
government  in  1908,  $2.73  and  in  1909,  $2.11.  Creosoted  wood 
block  paving  including  incidentals  cost  in  1908,  $2.67  per  square 
yard  and  in  1909,  $2.73.  The  old  government  performed  the 
same  kind  of  work  in  1907,  for  $2.64.  Regardless  of  what  is 
said  about  paving  costing  less  under  the  new  government  that 
under  the  old,  the  figures  show  a  different  state  of  affairs. 

Concrete  paving  including  incidentals  cost  the  new  adminis- 
tration in  1909,  an  average  of  $1.54  per  square  yard  and  in  19 10, 
$1.75.  Apparently  the  cost  does  not  grow  less.  The  average 
cost  for  sewers  per  lineal  foot  including  incidentals  cost  the 
old  council  in  1907,  $1.69.  The  same  kind  of  work  in  1908  cost 
the-  new  administration  $2.09,  and  in  1910,  $2.06.  Combinerl 
curb  and  gutter  including  incidentals  cost  per  lineal  foot  53  cents 
in  1907.  The  same  kind  of  work  cost  the  ne^v  administration  in 
1908,  63  cents;  in  1909  the  cost  was  65  and  in  1910,  64  cents. 


68  FALLACIES  OF  THE  DES    MOINES   PLAN 

It  is  absurd  to  claim  that  public  improvements  are  being  done 
at  less  cost  by  the  new  administration  than  by  the  old  system. 

The  new  administration  would  have  us  believe,  that  under 
the  old  form  of  government  the  city  was  constantly  deteriorating ; 
that  but  few  public  improvements  were  made,  and  such  as  was 
accomplished  was  in  a  slipshod,  expensive  manner,  and  with  un- 
becoming modesty  claim  for  themselves  the  many  good  things 
Des  Moines  has  ever  accomplished.  Once  upon  a  time — a  fly 
perched  on  the  hub  of  a  rapidly  revolving  carriage  wheel,  was 
heard  to  soliloquize :     -'My,  what  a  dust  I  am  raising." 

At  the  time  the  agitation  for  a  change  in  the  form  of  gov- 
ernment was  under  discussion,  Hon.  W.  H.  Baily,  corporation 
counsel  at  that  time,  was  requested  to  address  an  organization  of 
300  business  men  on  the  subject,  and  said  among  other  things: 
"Your  attention  is  called  to  the  fact  that  within  the  last  six  years 
Des  Moines  has  built  and  equipped  five  fire  houses  at  a  cost  of 
$75,000;  built  new  bridges  at  a  cost  of  $160,000;  paid  out  on 
account  of  floods,  $30,000;  paid  $75,000  on  account  of  smallpox 
epidemic ;  and  built  four  miles  of  intercepting  sewer  and  reduced 
the  bonded  indebtedness  about  $200,000." 

Speaking  further  he  said :  "The  only  interest  I  have  in  this 
matter  is  to  help  make  it  true  that  Des  Moines  not  only  'does 
things,'  but  does  things  right.  If  it  is  decided  we  must  have 
the  commission  system,  I  will  be  ready,  as  I  was  a  year  ago,  to 
help  you ;  but  I  firmly  believe  that  if  you  do  adopt  the  commis- 
sion system  you  will  in  less  than  ten  years  find  the  same  gentle- 
men who  now  advocate  it,  exerting  the  same  energy  and  th^ 
same  eloquence  of  tongue  and  pen  to  get  rid  of  it ;  while  the 
cartoonist  will  be  drawing  pictures  of  the  same  old  Tammany 
crov/d,  who  will  again  be  horrified  at  the  attempt  to  deprive  the 
people  of  their  liberty.  If  you  can  have  a  bad  government  un- 
der the  present  sy stein,  you  can  have  a  worse  one  under  the  com- 
mission system." 

There  is  an  important  item  sadly  overlooked  when  compari- 
sons are  made  of  the  savings  the  new  government  has  worked 
out  for  the  people  over  that  of  the  old  system ;  it  is  the  official  pay 
roll.  When  the  appropriation  ordinance  for  salaries  runs  thou- 
sands and  thousands  of  dollars  in  excess  of  anything  of  the  kind 
under  the  old  system,  it  is  only  reasonable  to  expect  the  volume 
of  efficiency  and  saving  should  be  correspondingly  greater,  but 
such  is  not  the  case.     When  making  unfounded  statements  that 


ECONOMY  AS   I'RACTICKI)   BY   COMMISSION   CXDVERNMENT  69 

the  new  system  of  governing:  is  producing  better  efficiency  in 
service  and  niakinf,^  savings  for  the  people,  never  a  word  is  men- 
tioned of  the  big  leaks  in  the  payroll  of  an  army  of  useless,  un- 
necessary and  inefficient  employes.  The  only  time  the  Des  Moines 
plan  can  be  called  a  success,  is  when  it  produces  l)etter  results 
than  the  old  form  did,  and  when  juggling  with  figures  and  evasive 
answers  ceases  to  l>ecome  arguments  to  deceive  an  intelligent 
people. 


Economy  As  Practiced  By  Commission  Government. 

Public  Affairs:  In  this  department,  the  one  in  which  Mayor 
Hanna  is  head,  the  total  expenditures  are  summed  up  at  $34,- 
867.28.  Many  of  the  expense  items  are  new  and  original.  One 
of  $35  is  for  street  car  tickets.  The  advocates  of  the  commission 
plan  are  vociferous  in  praise  of  section  13,  of  the  charter,  which 
prohibits  any  officer  or  employe  of  the  city  receiving  or  accepting 
from  any  street  railway  operating  within  the  city  any  free  ticket 
or  pass,  because  they  sav  it  removes  attempts  at  corruption.  It 
is  possible  a  reduced  rate  may  have  been  given  employes  of  the 
city  heretofore  by  the  street  railway  company,  but  if  so,  not  for 
a  bad  purpose,  but  as  a  matter  of  courtesy,  and  for  the  same 
reason  that  frec|uently  reduced  rates  have  been  given  to  the 
clergy.  Und'er  the  old  system  city  officials  did  not  have  automc^- 
biles  as  now  at  public  expense.  Whether  they  received  reduced 
rates  from  the  street  car  company  or  were  given  transporta- 
tion absolutely  free  was  no  concern  of  the  taxpayer.  If  there 
was  any  corruption,  it  must  have  been  on  the  other  side,  as  the 
car  company  invariably  got  the  hot  end  of  the  poker  from  the 
council. 

The  idea  seems  to  be  it  is  perfectly  harmless  and  a  great 
stride  towards  economy  to  take  from  the  public  funds  amounts 
sufficient  to  pay  for  that  which  the  street  car  company  is  willing 
to  furnish  at  less  than  cost.  In  this  connection  why  should  the 
public  be  called  upon  to  pay  for  car  rides  of  city  officials?  Their 
salaries  are  extremely  liberal.  The  private  business  houses  that 
supply  their  help  with  car  tickets  and  an  equal  liberal  salary  are 
few  and  far  distant. 

The  following  item  is  found  in  the  Capital,  January  19.  191 2 : 

"That  city  employes  are  privately  using  the  city's  street  car 


70  FALLACIES  OF  TlIi;  DES   MOINES  PLAN 

checks  was  charged  by  Councilman -Charles  Schramm  in  the  coun- 
cil  meeting  today. 

"Councilman  Schramm  said  the  street  car  checks,  which  are 
purchased  by  the  city  for  use  of  the  various  departments,  were 
being  used  by  city  employes  in  calling  on  their  sweethearts,  com- 
ing and  going  from  the  theaters,  and  other  private  uses. 

"Councilman  Schramm  presented  a  schedule  which  showed 
that  $490  had  been  expended  by  the  city  last  year  for  street  car 
checks.    He  declared  that  it  was  too  extravagant," 

$110  goes  to  pay  dues  to  the  League  of  American  Munici- 
palities. What  benefit  the  city  derives  from  being  a  member  of 
this  league  can  only  be  found  in  the  fertile  imagination  of  the 
member  of  the  council  who  is  its  secretary,  it  being  one  of  his  side 
lines  for  which  nice  compensation  is  given.  $275  is  rental  for  a 
place  where  draymen  may  remain  awaiting  calls.  The  location  of 
drays  in  the  main  part  of  the  city  is  long  since  established  and  is 
without  expense  to  the  city.  As  a  stroke  of  economy,  a  second 
place  in  another  part  of  the  city  was  rented  where  dray  and  ex- 
press wagons  migliit  stand.  Why  draymen  should  be  thus  favored 
to  the  exclusion  of  many  and  various  other  callings  equally  as 
worthy  of  free  rent  can  only  be  answered  by  saying  such  is  com- 
mission government. 

$442.38  is  for  plans  of  a  market  house.  There  is  no  market 
house  and  no  immediate  prospect  of  having  one.  A  site  for 
one  was  purchased  some  time  ago,  but  for  obvious  reasons,  poli- 
ticians concluded  not  to  build  at  the  place  purchased.  There  is 
rumor  that  the  old  city  hall  may  be  converted  into  a  market  place 
if  enough  funds  can  be  secured.  In  the  city  engineer's  office  are 
several  draughtsmen  drawing  handsome  salaries,  some  one  of 
which  should  be  sufficient  to  formulate  any  needed  change  in  the 
old  building  to  a  market  house.  To  pay  in  advance  for  plans 
for  a  market  house,  the  building  of  which  is  remote,  is  a  prema- 
ture proceeding  as  such  plans  would  undoubtedly  go  to  keep 
company  with  the  site  purchased  more  than  two  years  since. 

There  are  bills  for  a  typewriter,  typewriter  repairs,  stenog- 
rapher, telephones  and  telegrams.  The  latter  is  $20.62.  Who  in 
the  mayor's  office  has  been  telegraphing,  for  what  purpose,  to 
whom,  and  why  the  recipient  of  the  messages  should  not  foot 
the  bill,  is  something  the  pubHc  will  always  remain  in  dense  ig- 
norance of.  Another  item  is  $5.00  for  examining  an  abstract  of 
title.     In  so  nuich  as  a  couple  of  the  city  attorneys  are  paid 


'^^^, 


ECONOMY  AS   PUACTICED  BY  COMMISSION   GOVERN  MKNT  J  I 

$4,000  each,  some  of  the  talent  ui  the  legal  department  might  pass 
an  opinion  good  enough  to  accept  or  reject  that  abstract.  Here 
it  might  he  mentioned  there  is  a  bill  of  $221.03  exj^enses  of  the 
legal  department  going  to  Adel,  a  distance  of  twenty-two  miles, 
to  attend  a  trial  of  the  street  railway  case. 

Ten  dollars  is  charged  for  serving  a  notice  in  Omaha.  The 
nature  of  the  notice  is  not  stated.  L'mler  the  old  style  of  govern- 
ment if  a  notice  was  ret^juired  to  be  served  in  Omaha,  it  would 
have  been  sent  to  an  officer  there  by  mail  and  the  service  would 
amount  perhaps  to  alx)ut  ninety  cents.  There  is  a  bill  of  ^U)()Xx) 
litigation  expenses  in  a  septic  tank  case.  For  all  the  public  know, 
this  may  be  for  attendance  of  those  already  on  the  pay  roll  of  the 
city.  The  bill  is  not  itemized,  and  the  nature  of  the  litigation  or 
the  outcome  of  it  is  not  given. 

Accounts  and  Finance:  This  department  figures  up  $26,972.37 
as  its  share  of  expenses.  Some  of  the  items  certainly  are  not  con- 
ducive to  economy.  One  of  the  first  is  a  laundry  bill  of  $71 .33.  The 
telephone  bill  is  $1  35.  Who  said  talk  is  cheap?  Aside  from  the 
$7,051  allowed  the  auditor's  office  for  salaries,  $18  is  slipped  in 
for  extra  help.  There  is  a  bill  of  $702.50  for  postage  in  addition 
to  telegraph  and  telephone  expenses.  $260  is  charged  for  tran- 
script in  the  Yeager  case.  It  seems  there  were  charges  of  some 
sort  preferred  against  Chief  of  Police  Yeager  and  a  couple  other 
officers  about  the  same  time.  After  lengthy  trials  all  were  ex- 
onerated. The  public  know  very  little  of  it  except  as  reference 
is  made  to  them  as  the  white-wash  cases,  and  by  some  things 
Commissioner  Mac\'icar  is  alleged  to  have  said  in  council  meet- 
ing concerning  same  which  the  city  papers  give  as  follows : 

'The  city  council  and  the  people  of  Des  Moines  should  awak- 
en to  the  fact  thiat  the  moral  conditions,  respect  of  an  enforcement 
of  the  law  and  police  discipline,  have  during  the  past  year  mate- 
rially deteriorated.  The  attention  of  the  council  has  been  called 
to  these  conditions  ver}-  forcibly  many  times,  and  the  investiga- 
tions by  the  council  resulting  each  time  have  been  mere  farces. 

"Tn  my  judgment  the  council  is  making  itself  ridiculous  in 
the  handling  of  these  investigations  and  is  permitting  the  high 
standard  set  by  former  administrations  to  retrograde." 

It  is  possible  the  transcript  was  in  connection  with  the 
shorthand  notes  and  other  matters  of  that  trial :  if  so,  the  city 
had  no  use  for  such,  and  if  for  anyone  else,  they  should  pay  the 
expense.     It  might  be  mentioned  also,  that  at  different  times 


72  FALLACIES  OF  THK  DFS   MOINES   PLAN 

bills  were  allowedl  Mr.  Yeager  to  visit  other  cities  to  learn,  a.^ 
he  claimed,  how  to  better  conduct  the  police  department.  As 
he  has  been  removed  from  office' since,  and  taken  whatever  knowl- 
edge thus  learned  in  other  cities  with  him,  the  city  is  out  the 
amount  expended  on  his  schooling.  There  is  a  bill  of  $6.00  for 
photographs.  Who  was  ''mugged"  is  not  stated;  it  is  charged 
to  the  marketmaster's  office,  and  would  seem  a  needless  expense. 

Public  Safety:  The  expense  account  of  the  public  safety 
department  totals  $237,520.58.  There  are  many  items  in  it  that 
if  incurred  by  the  old  system  of  governing,  would  cause  rightful 
indignation.  Under  the  new  plan  where  three  men  have  absolute 
power  to  appropriate  and  spend  public  funds  as  they  see  fit,  it 
is  all  different.  A  work  of  this  kind  will  not  permit  giving  de- 
tails of  the  many  extravagant  ways  the  money  belonging  to  the 
people  is  dissipated.  Only  a  few  are  mentioned  that  would  seem 
should  be  differently  managed  if  the  promised  economy  is  going 
to  be  put  into  practice. 

$49.15  is  charged  for  going  to  Chicago  to  investigate  auto 
trucks.  It  might  as  well  be  put  down  to  seeing  the  sights.  The 
city  now  has  four  automobiles  the  officials  use  as  their  own  in- 
dividual property.  There  is  a  charge  here  of  $650  for  an  automo- 
bile, although  this  department  had  one  before.  For  auto  repairs 
and  supplies  the  bill  totals  for  this  department,  $1,344.21,  be- 
sides $20  for  auto  hire.  The  laundry  bill  in  this  bureau  is  $572.51. 
There  is  much  dirty  linen  in  the  Des  Aloines  Plan.  To  clean  over- 
coat cost  $3.75  :  other  cleaning  cost  $4.  Incidental  expenses, 
nothing  specified,  is  $9.95.     Soap  cost  $6.12  and  towels  $13.64. 

In  this  department  the  cost  of  conversing  by  telephone  is 
$607.19,  and  by  telegraph,  $108.19.  There  is  a  bill  of  $21  for 
clothing;  who  the  raiment  is  for  is  not  made  public.  An  over- 
coat cost  $48.40  and  buttons  $11.50.  One  not  used  to  the  roj^es 
would  think  employes  of  the  city  should  furnish  their  own  tog- 
gery. Drugs  cost  $19 ;  as  this  is  not  for  the  office  of  city  phy- 
sician, there  is  a  suspicion  that  the  fellow  with  an  appetite  for 
drugs  should  foot  the  bill  as  if  employed  elsewhere.  An  item  of 
$21.89  appears  for  drygoods  and  $20  for  decorations.  Possibly 
those  items  are  legitimate  expenses,  but  it  looks  wasteful.  $73.75 
is  a  bill  for  livery ;  this  department  has  horses  and  buggies  galore, 
and  then,  where  are  the  autos  ? 

A  charge  of  $241.53  is  made  for  collecting  dead  animals. 
The  strange  thing  about  this  item  is  that  the  council  gave  author- 


I-CONOMY  AS  PRACTICED  BY  COMMISSION   GOVERN  MEN 

ii\  to  emploN'  a  man  with  waggon  to  perform  that  sort  of  service 
at  a  salary  of  $1,150  per  year.  There  is  a  bill  in  this  department 
also  for  photographs  aside  from  the  pictures  taken  of  prisoners ; 
it  amounts  to  $3.00.  Peoi)le  working^  in  private  business  houses 
seldom  ask  their  employers  to  pay  for  a  dbzen  i)hotos.  If  an  em- 
ploye of  the  old  form  of  government  should  make  a  demand  of 
that  character  he  would  hear  some  uncouth  remarks  in  the  coun- 
cil chamber.  A  cash  box  cost  $4.25,  an  intimation  that  public 
fumls  were  going  to  be  conserved,  but  the  next  item  shatters  the 
hope;  it  is  $24.75  for  waste. 

Streets  and  Public  Improvements:  About  the  first  bill  in 
this  department  indicating  a  loss  of  memory  in  the  art  of  econ- 
omy is  that  of  $7.00  for  auto  hire.  The  city  furnishes  this  branch 
of  its  g'ove'niment  an  automobile,  but  being  devote^l  chiefly  to 
private  purix>ses  may  account  for  the  expense  <jf  hiring-  one  oc- 
casionally. The  next  bill  is  $514.99  automobile  repairs  and  sup- 
plies, with  an  extra  sum  of  $74.62  for  gasoline.  Then  comes 
$30.25  foi  livery  and  is  followed  up  with  $230  for  street  car  tick- 
ets. This  sum  of  $841.36,  taken  from  the  taxpayers  that  city  em- 
ployers receiving  exorbitant  salaries  may  ride  about  the  city, 
w^ould  never  be  tolerated  undter  the  old  system  of  government. 
$75  was  allowed)  to  pay  the  expense  of  assistant  city  eng-ineer 
going  to  New  York;  expense  to  low^a- City  to  test  brick,  and 
expense  of  street  gang  foreman  to  eastern  cities  is  $125.  With 
a  laboratory  and  supplies  in  the  eng-ineer's  office  at  a  cost  of 
$843.97  it  would  seem  brick  might  just  as  well  be  tested  at  home. 
What  the  engineer  went  to  New  York  for  is  not  known ;  most 
any  assistant  on  a  salary  of  $1,800  would  not  l>e  averse  to  mak- 
ing the  trip  if  his  expenses  w^ere  paid  by  some  one  else.  If  the 
foreman  of  the  street  gang  in  his  eartern  tour  learned  some  im- 
proved methods  of  conducting  street  cleaning,  the  money  per- 
haps was  w^ell  spent,  provided  he  will  put  some  new  method  in 
operation. 

Such  trips  are  not  uncommon.  Officials  from  the  different 
departments  are  constantly  taking  pleasure  jaunts  on  appropria- 
tions made  for  them  from  public  funds,  and  always  drawing  full 
salaries.  This  department  also  served  a  notice  in  Omaha ;  it 
cost  $9.65.  Why  any  such  expense  should  be  incurred  is  because 
the  commission  plan  permits  it.  Under  the  former  government 
such  notices  would  have  been  sent  bv  mail  to  an  officer  at  Omaha 


74  KALLACIKS  OF  THE  DKS    MOINKS   PLAN 

and  service  made  at  an  expense  of  perhaps  not  to  exceed  one 
dollar. 

One  of  the  salaried  officials  was  paid  $9.22  to  look  up  a  pair 
of  mules ;  a  couple  of  critters  of  that  species  were  found  and  $900 
paid  for  them.  The  price  paid  would  indicate  they  were  marvels 
of  their  race,  but  those  informed  on  the  lineage  of  such  brutes  de- 
clare they  are  a  pair  of  decrepit  old  rascals  unable  to  perform  ser- 
vice in 'any  manner  save  in  incoherent  blasts  of  music  that  sets 
the  school  children  in  frenzy  and  provokes  unseemingly  language 
from  older  folks.  It  is  said  by  those  who  should  know,  that  a 
team  of  horses  could  be  had  for  not  to  exceed  $200  to  do  the 
work  where  the  mules  officiate.  They  are  the  motive  power  for 
the  wagon  that  makes  the  rounds  of  ca^ch  basins  and  cess  pools. 

W^hy  so  many  horses  and  teams  have  been  employed  by  the 
city  at  all,  is  a  source  of  much  wonder ;  as  to  the  expense,  of 
course,  no  person  has  anything  to  say  about  that  but  the  com- 
missioners. Recently  the  heads  of  two  different  departnients  have 
been  changed  about,  and  the  result  may  throw  a  little  light  on 
some  of  the  wayg  things  have  been  going  on.  The  Daily  Capital 
of  December  i,  191 1,  gives  this  bit  of  information: 

'Trregularities  in  the  street  cleaning  department  during 
Councilman  John  Mac  Vicar's  superintendency  of  the  department 
of  streets  and  public  improvements,  were  intimated  today  by 
Councilman  Zell  Roe,  new  superintendent  of  the  department,  in 
charges  filed  against  Henry  Kimes,  foreman  of  the  street  clean- 
ing department,  with  the  civil  service  commission.  Kimes  has 
been  indefinitely  suspended  by  Superintendent  Roe  while  the 
charges  are  being  investigated. 

"Superintendent  Roe  asserts  that  d*uring  the  first  twenty- 
eight  days  of  the  month  of  November,  there  were  143  days'  work 
done  by  horses  hired  by  the  cit\  and  during  that  time  and 
each  day  thereafter,  with  the  exception  of  one,  city  horses  re- 
mained in  the  barn  idle. 

"'The  tot^l  number  of  days'  work  of  city  horses,  which  stood 
in  tne  barn  when  hired  horses  were  used,  would  amount  to  204. 
The  city  has  been  accustomed  to  pay  75  cents  per  day  for  each 
outside  horse  used  in  addition  to  feeding  and  shoeing  the  horses. 
The  total  amount  expended  during  November  for  hire  of  outside 
horses  was  $108. 

"That  the  taxpayers  of  Des  Moines  have  been  forced  to  pay 
thousands  of  dollars  yearly  for  the  hire  of  outside  horses  while 


KCUNOMV   AS  rUACnClvU  liV   COMMISSION   GOVlikNMliNT  75 

city  horses  in  condition  to  work,  were  allowed  to  remain  idle  in 
the  barn,  is  charp^ed  by  Commissioner  Roe.  He  declared  today 
that  the  schedule  of  work  done  by  outside  horses  durinp^  previous 
months  of  the  year  has  mysteriously  disappeared. 

''Superintendent  Roc  intimates  that  some  of  the  outside 
horses  used  by  the  city  were  owned  by  Henry  Kimes  and  others 
and  that  checks  for  the  horses'  services  were  written  out  to  fic- 
titious persons.  Superintendent  Roe  said  today  that  two  of  tilt 
horses  hired  by  the  city  were  the  property  of  Lazarus,  who  last 
summer  attempted  to  create  a  sensation  by  declaring  that  Couiv 
cihiian  Roe  was  paying  more  for  his  oats  in  the  public  safety  de- 
partment than  market  prices.  Lazarus,  it  is  said,  has  been  selling- 
feed  to  the  street  department." 

The  same  i)ai)er  in  its  issue  of  December  9,  says  further : 

"Evidence  in  the  case  yesterday  showed  th-at  ten  city  horses 
were  allowed  to  stand  in  the  city  barn  idle  while  five  horses  be- 
long^ino-  to  J.  Lazarus  and  others  were  used  for  street  cleaning 
work.  J.  P.  Campbell,  bam  foreman,  testified  that  nine  of  the 
city  horses  were  in  fit  condition  to  work  when  hired  horses  were 
used. 

"Superintendent  James  Reynolds,  foreman  of  the  street  clean- 
ing- department,  may  he  suspended  by  Superintendent  Roe  for 
alleqfed  misconduct  in  office.  Kim-es  asserted  yesterday  that  hired 
iiorses  were  ordered  put  to  work  by  Reynolds. 

"Councilman  Roe  in  his  opening  statement  presented  a  de- 
tailed report  to  show  that  $1,437.05  had  been  paid  out  for  horse 
hire  in  the  street  cleaning  department  during  the  year,  a  sufficient 
sum  of  money  to  buy  the  horses.  He  asi?erted  that  this  did  not 
include  feed  and  shoeing  for  the  hired  horses.  Councilman  Roe 
further  pointed  out  that  hired  horses  were  kept  in  the  city  barns 
and  fed  on  days  that  they  were  not  working  for  the  city." 

Like  some  of  tiie  other  departments,  this  one  has  a  fond- 
ness for  photographs,  too,  and  this  whim  draws  from  the  pocket- 
books  of  the  common  herd,  $96.10;  a  photo  album  costs  $3.00  and 
picture  frames  $1.25.  Building  an  auto  shed  cost  $15.51,  re- 
pairing city  shed  $7.00,  and  building  a  fence  $4.00.  These  charges, 
are  not  for  material  as  various  bills  for  lumber  and  hardware  are 
rend'ered.  There  is  a  city  carpenter  on  the  payroll ;  strange  he 
did  not  do  the  work,  and  more  strange,  what  is  the  occasion  of  a 
fence.  Men  must  draw  pay,  so  $4.00  is  charged  for  tearing  down 
a  fence. 


7^  FALLACIES  OF  TIIF   DKS    MOINES   PLAN 

There  is  a  charge  of  $20  for  a  municipal  parade.  If  that  is 
for  the  Des  Moines  plan  to  strut  out  on  the  street  that  obsequious 
sychophants  may  flatter,  it  is  a  poor  stagger  at  economy.  Here 
is  something  a  little  obscure,  $11.16  for  overhaul.  Whether  this 
is  meant  for  an  article  of  wearing  apparel  or  repairs  on  the  auto, 
can  only  be  surmised.  Putting  out  fire  on  Willow  street  dump 
cost  $53.25.  The  old  form  of  government  would  have  had  the 
fire  department  attend  to  a  thing  like  that. 

This  department  talked  to  the  amount  of  $44.20  through  the 
telephone,  and  enriched  the  telegraph  companv  in  the  sum  of 
$19.09.  If  the  fellow  at  the  other  end  of  the  line  pays  any  toll, 
then  the  one  at  this  end  is  prone  to  a  superfluous  amount  of  ex- 
pensive garrulity.  Someone  was  paid  $5.00  for  surveying  a  lot; 
why  the  surveyors  in  the  employ  of  the  city  were  not  called  iipon 
is  not  stated.  It  cost  $3CX)  to  test  a  machine ;  it  is  not  stated  what 
sort  of  a  machine  the  city  owns  that  required  a  test  of  that 
strength;  it  could  not  have  been  the  political  machine,  as  the  ^ur\i 
would  not  be  sufficient. 

$13  is  charged  for  boots  and  $55  for  a  rubber  coat.  Em- 
ployes for  private  business  houses  may  receive  a  Christmas  gift, 
but  to  help  himself  to  things  that  are  not  his  are  not  permitted, 
but  the  Des  Mbines  plan  is  generous — 'with  public  funds.  Suits 
for  the  street  cleaning  department  cost  $146.41 ;  it  is  a  nice  token 
of  friendship,  but  hired  men  should  furnish  their  own  regalia. 

There  are  several  and  various  other  strange  appearing  items 
of  expense,  but  the  list  cannot  be  gone  into  here.  Supplies,  re- 
pairs, incidentals  and  miscellaneous,  are  some  of  the  things  that 
appear  often ;  then  there  are  such  things  as  water  bottles,  shot, 
rattler  test,  drugs,  fans  and  such  like,  the  nomenclature  of  the 
extended  list  indicating  a  curio  hall.  The  sum  total  of  this  de- 
partment is  $78,916.08. 

Parks  and  Public  Property :  In  this  department  are  sundry 
items  of  expenise  that  if  the  commissioner  had  to  pay  for  in  a 
business  of  his  own,  would  not  be  incurred.  Like  the  other 
branches  of  the  service,  there  is  an  automobile  at  a  cost  of  $1,175, 
its  repairs  and  supplies  is  $386.72,  besidbs  $35  for  auto  hire.  In 
addition  to  the  automobile  there  are  bills  for  livery.  There  are 
telephone  expenses  and  car  tickets  similar  to  the  other  divisions, 
and  as  the  auctioneer  at  a  clearance  sale  would  say,  other  things 
too  numerous  to  mention.  The  queer  sounding  bills  charged  up 
to  the  parks  would  seem  ridiculous  were  it  not  their  extravagance 


ECONOMY  AS  PRACTICED  BY  COMMISSION  GOVERNMENT 

is  of  a  serious  aspect.    This  department  foots  up  an  expenditure 

of  $7,271.56  for  the  taxpayer  to  g^aze  u^X)n. 

The  iKseless  and  extravagant  bills  of  expense  in  this  and  the 
other  (kpartnients  drawn  from  the  funds  of  parks,  cemetery, 
bridge,  grading,  sewer,  city  improvement,  light,  library,  street 
xcavation,  water  and  the  many  others,  are  appalling.  To  enum- 
erate them  is  next  to  the  impossible.  Surely  the  people  arc 
not  aware  how  the  new  style  of  government  ruthlessly  uses 
up  hard-earned  coin.  To  read  of  such  things  sounds  like  the  free 
l)ooting  days  of  Captain  Kidd.  I>efore  any  city  changes  its  re- 
publican form  of  government  into  one  of  an  aristocracy  and  per- 
mits three  incompetent  persons  to  keep  untied  its  purse  strings, 
its  good  citizens  better  consider  well  what  tliey  are  about. 

City  Library:  At  the  library  are  some  unique  streaks  oi 
econoiny  too.  One  such  is  a  bill  of  $9.00  for  an  album.  It  must 
be  quite  flossy ;  the  one  charged  to  the  market  master  cost  but 
$3.00.  There  is  $1.00  for  lxx)k  straps  and  $3.50  for  book  marks. 
Many  book  stores  make  a  specialty  of  giving^  free  bookmarks, 
l)ut  the  straps — well  book  straps  are  a  convenience  for  the  sex 
who  have  no  pockets  in  their  overcoats  when  lx)oks  are  to  be  car- 
ried around ;  but  why  not  each  fellow  furnish  their  own.  like 
drinking  cups. 

There  is  $3  for  dues  to  the  Mississippi  Historical  Associa- 
tion, and  expense  to  attend  the  American  Library  Association  is 
$88.55.  What  is  the  use  of  those  dues  and  expenses?  It  is  said 
such  things  teach  how  to  better  conduct  libraries.  If  the  librarian 
desires  to  be  taught  how  to  properly  conduct  her  office,  she  should 
iearn  at  her  own  expense.  It  is  said  by  those  infomied  in  such 
things  that  those  library  association  conventions  are  advertised 
as  a  medium  for  the  exchange  of  ideas,  but  that  the  real  aid  and 
knowledge  imparted  is  to  devise  means  how  to  hang.on  to  the  job 
and  secure  increased  salaries. 

Incidental  expenses  are  $104.37.  ^^s  every  imaginable  thing 
having  any  color  of  necessaries  is  provided  for,  it  is  hard  to  say 
what  this  $104.37  item  is  really  for.  Muslin  bunting,  crash  and 
blankets  make  a  combined  bill  of  $25.55.  The  lady  clerks  might 
work  up  the  muslin  and  crash  into  some  appropriate  usefulness, 
but  blankets  for  them — of  all  things;  the  item  might  pvass  un- 
noticed if  an  appropriation  for  the  Choctaw  ladies  of  Oklahoma, 
but  for  the  girls  at  the  city  library,  the  bill  appears  out  of  place. 

Electric  fans  cost  $25  and  ice  $26.50.     That  ice  bill  looks 


78  fallacie:s  of  the  des  moines  plan 

pretty  steep,  and  the  electric  fan  would  seem  to  be  a  superfluous 
piece  of  furniture ;  but,  the  girls  wrapped  in  blankets  require  hu- 
mane attention.  Postage  is  $183.40,  a  typewriter,  $64.75,  and 
supplies  for  the  typewriter,  $4.50.  It  will  be  seen  the  girls  are 
fixed  out  nicely  for  the  exchange  of  enlivening  pleasantries.  As 
supplies  and  printing  is  furnished  all  departments  from  the  audi- 
tor's office,  it  is  possible  that  item  of  $4.50  is  a  duplicate,  some- 
thing for  private  purpose  in  any  event,  no  doubt. 

Merchandise  cost  $65.75.  What  that  is  for  is  a  conundrum ; 
it  will  fit  into  any  hole.  A  screen  cost  $1.87.  No  doubt  many 
things  are  screened  by  the  Des  Moines  plan  of  government,  but 
to  charge  for  just  one  is  strange,  it  may  be,  it  is  something  to 
shade  the  girls  when  they  don  their  blankets.  There  are  many 
and  various  items  of  expense' charged  up  to  the  librar\'  account 
that  seem  reckless  expenditures.  It  is  true  the  library  is  under 
the  charge  of  a  board  of  trustees,  but  that  board  is  the  creature 
of  the  counci',  and  it  will  not  do  for  the  commissioners  to  say 
they  have  no  knowledge  of  affairs  at  the  library. 

The  salary  of  the  city  librarian  has  lx)unded  along  to  $100, 
$115  and  $125  per  month,  and  is  now  $1,680  per  year.  Many 
competent  women  would  accept  the  position  for  much  less.  It 
is  a  larger  salary  than  paid  some  state  librarians.  Maine,  Mary- 
land and  Texas  pay  their  librarians  each  but  $1,500;  Tennessee, 
$1,200;  North  Dakota,  $1,000,  and  South  Carolina,  $800.  She  is 
given  eleven  assistant  librarians  and  helpers  at  salaries  amount- 
ing to  $6,420  per  year.  Two  pages,  a  stenographer,  janitor  and 
janitress  are  given  positions  to  the  amount  of  $2,460.  Fireman, 
engineer  and  fuel  are  all  provided  for,  then  the  sum  of  $20,425.67 
is  set  aside  for  books  and  other  expenses.  What  the  ''other  ex- 
penses" are  is  not  stated. 

No  reasonable  person  will  object  to  the  necessary  outlay  of 
maintaining  a  city  library  or  to  a  proper  and  liberal  compensa- 
tion paid  the  librarian  and  necessary  assistants,  and  to  the  needed 
help  about  the. building,  but  extravagance  with  public  funds,  at 
a  time  when  so  many  are  complaining  about  the  high  cost  of  liv- 
ing, is  something  the  new  style  of  government  might  consider  for 
a  while  if  economy  is  intended.  While  the  matters  referred  to 
here  are  local,  they  show  what  is  possible  to  accomplish  any  place 
operating  under  the  Des  Moines  plan  of  city  government.  No 
pretense  is  made  to  specify  all  the  many  places  where  money  flows 
from  the  cJtv  treasury  for  what  in  several  instances  appear  to  be 


INITIATIVE,   REFERENDUM    AND   KIXAI.L  79 

tiie  rankest  sort  of  graft  and  l)oodle.  Those  mentioned,  are  a 
few  at  random  which  would  appear  mirthful  if  their  lx)ldness 
were  not  «io  manifest,  and  are  noted  as  an  object  lesson  for  other 
cities  contemplating  the  new  style  of  government. 

To  tell  alxjut  the  many  devious  ways  the  commission  plan  of 
government  has  scjuandercd  public  funds  since  it  has  l>een  in  op- 
eration in  Des  Moines,  would  necessitate  writing  another  book. 
What  is  true  here  in  this  respect  will  be  found  to  be  not  much 
ditferent  in  other  places  wl^re  the  plan  is  being  experimented 
with ;  hut  in  a  desire  for  change  and  novelty,  people  jump  from 
that  which  is  good  to  some  fantastic  uncertainty  that  in  the  na- 
ture of  things  must  prove  a  dismal  failure.  Those  who  in  Des 
Moines  favored  this  plan  of  government  at  first  are  realizing 
their  hasty  action.  Mr.  Mathis,  who  is  a  candidate  for  the  nom- 
ination for  mayor  at  the  191 2  spring  election,  is  alleged  to  have 
-tated  in  a  public  address  "that  when  I  retired  from  oftice  as 
former  mayor,  the  city  had  money  in  bank,  now  it  is  $50,000  in 
debt."  The  St.  Paul  EHspatch  recently  said  "that  the  minute  a 
city  has  a  surplus  in  the  treasury  it  wants  to  hold  a  world's  fair" 
to  which  one  our  city  papers  that  used  to  be  a  strong  advocate 
of  tlie  commission  plan  replied,  "The  indications  are  that  Des 
Moines  will  not  have  the  world's  fair  fever  for  several  vears 
vet." 


Initiative,  Referendum  and  Recam.. 

The  initiative,  referendum  and  recall  is  a  part  of  the  commis- 
sion plan  that  is  specifically  urged  as  something  superb.  As  a 
combined  phrase,  it  makes  more  noise  than  a  boy  kicking  a  tin 
can  on  his  way  to  school,  and  has  about  the  same  meaning.  The 
recall  applies  to  elective  officers  only — the  mayor  and  commis- 
sioners. Of  course  no  one  would  circulate  a  petition  reflecting  on 
a  public  officer  unless  his  conduct  was  such  that  he  could  be 
convicted  in  the  courts,  in  which  event  the  recall  would  be  super- 
fluous. 

If,  however,  a  petition  for  recall  is  circulated,  it  requires 
twenty-five  per  cent  of  the  entire  vote  for  all  candidates,  and 
every  signer  must  assert  the  grounds  are  true.  If  untrue,  the 
signer  may  face  an  action,  for  libel — perhaps  criminally.  The 
law  requires  the  petition  to  be  filed  wnth  the  city  clerk,  and  it 


8o  FALLACIES  OF  THE  DES   MOINES   PLAN 

is  then  up  to  that  official  to  approve  or  disapprove  it.  He  is  aii 
appointe'fe  of  the  council,  and  as  a  sage  many  centuries  ago  ob- 
served, "The  ox  knoweth  his  owner,  and  the  ass  his  master's 
crib."  If  he  thinks  the  petition  is  not  in  accordance  with  law  he- 
merely  certifies  it  "insufficient,"  without  giving  a  reason ;  he 
does  not  have  to  go  into  detail,  and  carefully  placing  it  awav, 
perhaps  on  a  hook  immediately  over  the  waste  paper  basket,  the 
incident  is  closed. 

The  initiative  and  referendum  is  impracticable.  A  new  or- 
dinance prepared  by  the  people  requires  the  same  ingenious  meth- 
ods as  the  petition  for  recall.  If  an  ordinance  is  adopted  with- 
out publication,  or  in  secret  session  as  it  is  possible  to  do,  it  may 
be  suspended  if  a  petition  is  signed  and  circulated  within  ten  days 
and  filed  with  the  clerk  as  in  the  case  of  a  petition  for  recall.  It 
is  almost  a  physical  impossibility  to  get  the  signatures  of  twenty- 
five  per  cent  of  the  voters  and  conform  to  all  other  requirements 
within  ten  days.  In  this  case,  too,  the  clerk  could  knock  the 
whole  affair  into  outer  darkness  by  endorsing  it  "insufficient." 

The  Texas  criminal  court  of  appeals  in  the  case  of 
Farns worth,  ex  parte,  No.  875,  appeal  from  Dallas  county,  has 
decided  that  the  referendum  is  unconstitutional.  The  question  of 
the  recall  was  not  before  the  court,  but  it  intimates  it  too,  is  un- 
constitutional, saying,  "As  the  people  vested  the  law  making  pow- 
er in  the  legislature,  they  now  have  no  power  to  make  laws  them- 
selves." 

When  }T)u  venture  to  condemn  initiative  and  referendum 
methods  of  making  laws  you  are  told  airily  by  men  who  know 
nothing  about  the  subject  that  both  schemes  are  very  successfully 
in  operation  out  in  Oregon.  But,  are  they  ?  Last  fall  the  Oregon 
voters  attempted  to  pass  upon  thirty-two  bills,  the  official  argu- 
ments for  and  against  which  covered  some  202  pages  in  a  pam- 
phlet. Every  one  of  these  bills  called  for  careful  study ;  some  of 
them  for  expert  knowledge  of  the  subject  in  each  case.  We  may 
judge  of  the  character  of  the  vote  from  this  incident  related  by 
Senator  Sutherland  in  congress  last  July: 

"In  the  lower  part  of  the  Columbia  river  salmon  fishing  is 
carried  on  by  means  of  nets ;  in  the  upper  part  by  means  of  fish 
wheels,  the  current  being  swift  in  one  part  of  the  stream  and  slow 
in  the  other. 

"Net  fishermen,  being  opposed  to  wheels,  proposed  a  law  to 
abolish  them,  whereupon  the  wheel  fishermen  proposed  a  law  to 


INITIATIVE,    REFERENDUM    AND  RECALL  8l 

abolish  nets.  These  measures  went  before  all  of  the  people  of  the 
state  anfl  they,  in  their  profound  wisdom,  passed  both  of  them, 
thereby  making  the  taking  of  salmon  by  any  effective  method  im- 
possible." 

As  salmon  fishing  is  one  of  the  main  industries  of  that  state, 
it  will  be  seen  this  method  of  law  making  was  a  hard  blow. 
In  the  case  of  some  of  the  other  bills  the  vote  was  quite  as  ab- 
surd. As  to  how  well  the  recall  works  in  that  state,  it  is  sufficient 
perhaps  to  note  that  the  attorney  general  has  advised  the  county 
clerk  of  Lincoln  county  to  refuse  to  file  a  recall  petition,  de- 
claring that  the  law  is  invalid  and  not  self-executing. 

Advocates  of  commission  government  tell  of  wonderful 
things  the  recall  has  accomplished  in  Washington  wherever  tried. 
It  seems  the  PhiladelDhia  Inquirer  has  been  watching  with  inter- 
est its  workincTS  out  tiicre,  and  notes  some  of  the  wonders  in  this 
fashion : 

"A  striking  example  of  the  manner  in  wliicli  tlie  "recail"  can 
be  worked  is  now  being  given  by  tlie  city  of  Seattle.  Last  win- 
ter the  ^[ayor  of  that  municipality,  Hiram  C.  Gill,  was  ousted 
from  office  after  only  a  few  months'  tenure,  and  George  VV.  Dil- 
ling,  an  opponent,  was  elected  in  his  stead.  Mayor  Dillmg  now, 
it  seems,  is  also  in  hot  water  owing  to  his  refusal  to  oust  the 
chief  jailer  of  the  city  and  another  recall  petition  is  under  way  to 
remove  Dilling. 

''One  of  the  curious  features  of  the  present  case  is  that  the 
jailer,  against  whom  charges  of  cruelty  to  prisoners  were  filed, 
was  given  a  rigid  examination  by  the  grand  jury,  and  entirely 
exonerated.  Notwithstanding  this  fact,  however,  the  jDeople  still 
demanded  his  head,  and  because  the  present  mayor  cannot  con- 
scientious!}' find  a  way  to  remove  him  he  is  to  be  made  a  target 
for  the  recall. 

"The  chaos  that  must  eventually  result  in  the  affairs  of  a  city 
that  can  be  torn  wide  open  at  will  or  whim  must  be  apparent  to 
any  reasoning  person.  Its  eflFect  if  applied  to  the  judiciary  would 
be  appalling. 

''A  remarkable  turn  in  the  present  state  of  affairs  in  Seattle 
is  that  the  mayor  who  was  ousted  last  winter  is  again  promi^ 
nently  mentioned  as  the  possible  successor  of  Mayor  Dilling. 
Such  a  state  of  affairs  may  be  interesting  from  the  standpoint 
of  amusement,  but  it  is  not  calculated  to  relieve  the  strain  on 


82  FALLACIES  OF  THF  D^S   MOINES   PLAN 

the  municipal  machinery.  Under  present  conditions  it  must  be 
difficult  for  a  mayor  of  Seattle  to  know  just  ''where  he  is  at." 

The  Camden  Post  Telegraph  has  been  keeping  tab  on  the  re- 
call, too,  and  says  this  about  it : 

''Seattle's  experience  with  the  recall  is  far  from  being  sat- 
isfactory to  its  citizens,  if  we  are  to  judge  from  a  petition  signed 
by  nearly  every  business  man  of  that  important  Pacific  Coast 
city.    The  petition  reads : 

"We,  the  undersigned,  citizens  of  Seattle,  firmly  believing 
that  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  this  community  should  be 
a  united'  one,  and  that  bickerings  should  cease,  that  the  city  may 
progress  on  material  lines,  regret  the  recall  movement  now  fos- 
tered in  our  midst,  and  do  hereby  call  upon  all  citizens  who  have 
the  good  of  the  city  at  heart,  and  the  newspapers  to  use  their  best 
efl'orts  to  the  end  that  such  movement  be  defeated." 

"Seattle  recalled  Mayor  Gill  last  winter  and  put  Mayor  Dil- 
ling  in.  Now  the  disaflfected  element  want  to  have  another  elec- 
tion to  see  whether  Billing  shouldn't  be  retired. 

"The  constant  political  agitation  arouses  animosities,  hurts 
business,  and  keeps  the  town  in  a  turmoil.  Time  and  money  are 
wasted.    There  is  a  perpetual  scramble  of  the  out^  to  get  in." 

The  initiative  means  that  the  people — private  citizens — are 
to  have  the  right  of  initiating  laws.  When  a  variety  of  foolish 
laws  that  would  never  stand  the  test  of  courts  are  required,  a 
conglomeration  such  as  only  the  peopl-^.  as  a  whole  can  devise, 
will  overload  our  statute  books  with  revolutionary  enactments. 
The  recall  is  a  supposed  means  to  take  a  duly  elected  officer  by 
the  nape  of  the  neck,  lead  him  to  the  outside  door  of  his  office, 
and  gently  but  firmly  land  him  on  the  sidewalk.  The  most  ef- 
ficient officer  may  be  taken  in  hands  by  an  excited  mob  who  feels 
grieved  for  the  time  being  over  some  official  act  of  the  incum- 
bent, and  because  he  dared  do  right  and  enforce  the  law,  the 
commune  will  oust  him.  If  an  officer  must  toady  to  the  whim  of 
the  crowd,  then  all  power  of  law  is  lost  forever. 

The  referendum  is  for  the  purpose  of  proposed  laws  being 
referred  to  the  people  and  passed  upon  by  popular  vote.  It  is 
another  way  to  prevent  the  passage  of  good  and  useful  laws  and 
to  pass  in  their  stead  something  incompatible  with  good  govern- 
ment, something  foolish,  as  it  is  out  of  the  realm,  of  those  outside 
the  lawmaking  pov/er  to  pass  and  make  laws.  We  may  not  as 
a  whole  be  competent  to  make  such  laws  as  are  best  for  us,  but 


HOW  THE  PLAN   WORKS  IN  OTHER  CITIES  83 

we  are  competent  and  fully  able  to  elect  a  lawmaking  body  who 
can  and  will  do  those  thing^s  for  us,  and  if  those  to  whom  we  dele- 
gate this  power  fail  to  perform  the  duties  for  which  they  are 
chosen,  we  can  easily  retire  from  office  and  select  those  who 
will. 

The  cry  is  nuide  that  these  three  moves  are  democracy  exem- 
plified. Far  from  it ;  it  is  a  tendency  to  destroy  and  tear  asunder 
the  foundation  of  true  democracy.  Such  a  system  causes  turmoil, 
unrest  and  ])r(Kluces  a  virulent  fonn  of  anarchism.  As  applied 
to  niunicii)alities,  the  initiative,  referendum  and  recall  features  be- 
come a  joki'. 

There  is  a  i)r()visi()n  in  the  law  which  provides  that  any  city 
adopting-  the  commission  plan  may  abandon  it  after  six  years. 
There  is  a  ray  of  sunshine  in  that,  and  shows  t(X),  its  promoters 
have  not  much  confidence  in  its  working  abilities.  When  the  six 
years  are  up  and  an  effort  is  made  to  go  back  to  the  old  form  of 
government,  a  petition  for  that  purpose  must  be  resorted  to  prac- 
tically in  the  same  manner  as  that  asking  for  a  recall,  but  except 
with  extraordinary  vigilance  and  a  vast  outlay  of  money,  such  pe- 
tition is  liable  to  suffer  the  fate  of  petitions  circulated'  for  recall 
and  referendum.  A  good  way  to  avoid  such  trouble  is  to  not 
get  into  it. 


How  THE  Pl.\n  Works  in  Other  Cities. 

Tt  is  claimed  by  the  advocates  of  commission  government 
that  it  is  a  great  success  wherever  tried.  With  one  or  two  ex- 
ceptions any  city  adopting  the  plan  has  not  had  it  long  enough 
to  take  it  out  of  the  experimental  stage ;  Des  Moines  even,  has 
had  only  about  three  years  of  its  awfulness,  and  a  majority  of 
the  places  have  not  been  fooling  with  it  over  six  months.  Among 
the  first  to  adopt  it  after  Des  Moines  was  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa, 
and  the  friends  of  the  plan  make  a  specialty  of  referring  to  that 
city  as  monumental  testimony  of  commission  government. 

The  new  government  in  Cedar  Rapids  was  the  work  of  a 
few  politicians  who  were  quick  to  perceive  the  many  advantages 
the  system  offered  their  brethren  at  Des  Moines,  and  dfespite  the 
protests  of  business  men,  and  indifferent  to  the  wishes  of  the 
laboring  class  who  bitterly  fought  the  proposition,  the  organized 
gang  of  office  holders  took  control  of  affairs.    Leagues  and  clubs 


84  FALLACIES  OF  THF  DES   MOINES   PLAI^ 

were  organized  to  perpetuate  themselves  in  office,  and  to  hear 
that  crowd  speak  of  the  prosperity  and  the  good  things  their 
city  has  accomplished  under  the  Des  Moines  plan,  would  be  to 
picture  thfe  abode  of  the  blessed  after  death. 

The  fact  is,  Cedar  Rapids  is  losing  her  place  commercially 
amx)ng  the  cities  of  the  states  as  a  result  of  this  new  form  of  gov- 
ernment. In  1905  it  had  a  population  of  28,759;  the  last  census 
shows  its  population  to  be  32,811,  a  gain  of  4,000  in  five  years, 
two  of  which  while  it  was  under  the  old  form  of  government. 
Waterloo,  governed  the  old  way,  fifty  miles  north,  in  1905,  had 
a  population  of  18,071,  the  last  census  shows  its  population  is 
26,693,  a  gain  of  nearly  9,000  in  the  same  space  of  time.  Both 
cities  are  on  the  Ced^r  river,  both  have  equally  the  same  sur- 
roundings to  make  a  prosperous  town;  Cedar  Rapids  has  the 
advantages  in  railroad  facilities,  is  the  older  town,  and  has  natural 
advantages  and  resources  that  should  make  it  the  better,  city  of 
the  two.  Exploit  the  new  government  as  they  may,  it  is  never- 
theless in  that  city  a  failure. 

Spokane,  Washington,  is  another  city  that  having  adopted 
the  Des  Moines  plan,  is  sai-d  by  the  politicians  to  be  such  a  suc- 
cess, that  its  citizens  would  not  think  of  changing  back  to  the 
old  method  A  prominent  and  influential  business  man  of  that 
city  gives  his  views  concerning  the  new  st\le  of  government  in  a 
letter  to  the  New  York  Sun  as  follows : 

Editor  New  York  Sun,  New  York  City. 

August  15,  191 1. 

"Dear  Sir :  You  were  considerate  enough  a  few  days  ago  to 
publish  a  letter  of  mine,  and  it  is  because  of  your  comment  upon 
the  commission  form  of  government  that  I  wish  to  give  you  the 
brief  history  of  Spokane  during  a  trial  period  of  less  than  four 
months  with  this  form  of  government. 

"We  elected  five  commissioners  and  from  the  very  start 
their  chief  concern  was  which  commissioner  ship  they  would  be 
able  to  land.  This  caused  friction,  which  has  continued  ever 
since,  with  the  result  that  what  one  commissioner  tries  to  do,  an- 
'Other  will  try  to  undo. 

"We  find  that  it  costs  the  taxpayers  a  much  greater  sum 
«of  money  to  maintain  this  form  of  government  with  only  five 


now  THE  PLAN   WORKS  IN  OTHER  CITIES  85 

commissioners  than  it  did  when  u e  had  tuirp  the  nn ml wr  .»f  coun- 
cihnen. 

''We  further  find  that  luu  nIh^li^  .ul-  m  aoinl-  c<jiidition, 
less  piihhc  work  is  being  accomplished,  and  the  confidence  of  the 
people  in  not  alone  the  commissioners,  but  the  commission  form 
of  government  has  been  sadly  shaken. 

"The  very  first  opix)rtunity  the  people  had  to  vote  upon  some 
of  the  recommendations  of  the  commissioners  resialted  in  a  rejec- 
tion of  a  proposed  bond  issue  for  the  erection  of  a  new  city  hall, 
and  very  much  needed  fire  stations. 

"Tluese  same  commissioners  purchased  a  site  for  a  new  city 
hall,  agreed  with  an  architcx:t  for  compensation  in  the  erection  of 
a  very  expensive  building,  and  a  commission  way  in  excess  of 
what  competition  would  have  produced,  and  then  promptly  got 
into  difficulties  over  whether  it  should  be  erected  by  day  labor 
or  contract,  and  now  find  themselves  in  the  unenviable  position 
of  having  purchased  property  and  agreed  to  erect  a  magnificent 
structure  without  having  the  money  to  pay  for  it,  and  under  the 
charter,  it  will  require  an  additional  six  months  before  another 
vote  of  the  people  can  be  taken  upon  another  bond  issue. 

''We  have  seen  the  spectacle  of  the  mayor  announcing  him- 
self as  opposed  to  the  curtailment  of  saloon  hours  (and  he  a  Con- 
gregational minister  at  that)  and  at  the  eleventh  hour,  and 
within  fifteen  minutes  of  the  time  when  the  vote  was  to  be  taken 
upon  the  ordinance,  changing' front,  and  voting  to  shorten  the 
hours. 

"These  are  but  a  few  of  the  circumstances  that  have  arisen 
during  our  latest  experiment  in  municipal  government,  and  I  dare 
say  that  if  a  vote  were  taken  tomorrow,  an  overwhelming  ma- 
jority would  vote  for  a  retuHi  to  the  old  government,  bad  as  it 
was." 

Tacoma,  too,  is  pointed  out  by  friends  of  commission  govern- 
ment when  prosel}'ting  through  the  eastern  states,  as  a  model  city 
since  it  adopted  the  plan.  Some  of  the  eastern  papers  have  been 
investigating : 

"They  are  having  a  merry  time  with  government  by  com- 
mission out  in  Tacoma,  Washington,"  says  the  Trenton  State 
Gazette.  "A  few  months  ago  the  people  of  that  town  recalled 
Mayor  Matthews  because  he  didn't  handle  the  excise  question  to 
suit  them.  A  man  of  the  name  of  Seymour  was  chosen  to  suc- 
ceed  Matthews.     He  had  promised  to  do  everything  that  the 


86  I^ALLACIES  OF  THE  DES   MOINES.  PLAN 

people  wanted  him  to  do,  but  it  appears  that  he  fell  down,  and 
now  he  is  to  be  recalled  because  he  didn't  enforce  the  laws  regu- 
lating- vice,  neglected  his  public  duties  and  placed  the  city  under 
*boss'  rule.  Tacomia  has  had  two  mayors  in  two  years,  and  is 
promised  a  third.  In  the  meantime,  according  to  the  reports  that 
drift  in  from  that  direction,  crime  is  running  riot  in  the  town 
and  things  are  up  in  the  air  generally." 

Trenton,  N.  J.,  is  another  place  which  commission  govern- 
ment faddists  declare  the  new  plan  is  doing  great  things  for  the 
people.  The  truth  is  the  citizens  are  good  and  sick  of  it.  Here 
are  some  of  the  boquets  the  Hoboken  Observer  throws  at  it: 

"Trenton's  new  Walsh  Act  Commission  is  not  only  retain- 
ing all  of  the  'high  salaried  sinecurists,'  who  were  so  roundly 
condemned  in  the  special  election  campaign,  in  the  employ  of  the 
city,  as  the  Trenton  Times  shows,  but  it  is  apparent  that  it  intends 
to  do  so  permanently. 

'This  week  the  five  men  who  are  ruling  the  city  met  and 
revised  the  budget  for  the  current  fiscal  year.  They  found  that 
the  old  governing  officers,  who  were  summarily  turned  out  one 
month  ago,  had  not  provided  them  enough  money  to  expend  so 
they  increased  the  appropriations  from  $1,183,000  to  $1,228,647, 
or  $45,647- 

"This  is  an  advance  of  $80,000  over  the  last  fiscal  year,  when 
the  Common  Council  and  a  Mlayor  were  in  control  during  the 
whole  twelve  months. 

"Commission  government  comes  high  wherever  it  is  adopted. 
It  is  an  irresponsible  form  of  ruling  a  city  and  its  true  history 
shows  that  the  property  owners  are  paying  dearly" 

The  Trenton  Times,  one  of  the  strongest  advocates  for  a 
change  in  the  style  of  government  speaks  right  out  in  meeting 
after  this  fashion : 

"It  is  time  to  eliminate  the  pulling  and  hauling  of  the  jx)li- 
ticians  who  are  really  seeking  to  discredit  the  commission  plan. 
The  commissioners  are  wasting  valuable  effort  over  the  attempts 
that  are  being  made  to  place  or  save  pretty  job-holders  at  fancy 
salaries,  especially  when  there  is  so  much  important  work  to  be 
done.    The  sinecures  should  be  lopped  off  at  once. 

"What  the  public  wants  is  business,  and  not  political  meth- 
ods. And  the  public  is  going  to  get  what  it  wants.  This  is  a 
game  where  thie  people  hold  the  cards." 


now   TIIK    PI.AX    WORKS   IN   OTHER  CITIES  8/ 

rhe  Orange  Chronicle  ol>serving  the  ways  of  her  sistrr  town, 
llie  capital,  has  this  to  say  of  its  new  governinent: 

"Trenton  has  already  started  on  the  road  to  faultles>  i.iui.ivi- 
pal  administration  under  the  jS^overnment  of  a  commission  of  five 
menihers,  and  I*assnic  has  held  its  pr«:naries  and  selected  the  ten 
men  who  are  to  run  as  candidates  for  the  five  conimissionerships 
to  l>e^filled  at  the  special  commission  election.  In  Trenton  the 
five  commissioners  are  all  well  seasoned  office-holders,  who  have 
been  actively  and  prominently  identified  with  the  different  politi- 
cal organizations,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  ten  men  whose 
names  will  be  placed  upon  the  special  election  ticket  in  Passaic. 
Such  will  no  doubt  be  the  case  in  every  city  that  adopts  th^  new 
form  of  municipal  government  and  the  people  who  are  prating  of 
this  as  a  means  of  getting  rid  of  political  influence  will  find  that 
the  politicians  are  always  with  us,  even  if  the  individuals  rather 
than  the  organizations  are  brought  to  the  front." 

The  .Patterson  Call,  one  of  the  ablest  newspapers  of  the 
state  and  noted  for  its  advocacy  of  reform  in  municipal  matters, 
speaks  of  commission  government  in  Trenton  as  follows : 

"Trenton  is  having  her  own  troubles  with  the  new  elective 
commission  form  of  government.  The  commission  granted  a 
license  to  a  new  hotel,  the  first  new  license  granted  in  five  years, 
and  this,  in  spite  of  the  protests  of  a  number  of  prominent  citi- 
zens and  temperance  organizations.  On  top  of  this  comes  the 
announcement  that  the  tax  rate  will  be  advanced  from  $1.96  to 
$2.10  or  $2.15,  and  not  only  that,  but  valuations  have  been  ma- 
terially increased,  so  that  it  is  a  double  burden  on  the  taxpayers. 
In  addition  to  this  it  is  proposed  to  prevent  anyone  from  voting 
unless  he  can  show  a  receipt  for  the  previous  year's  poll  tax. 
The  argument  in  favor  of  elective  commissions  during  the  cam- 
paign was  that  the  taxes  would  be  reduced  and/  that  there  would 
be  no  more  municipal  extravagance,  but  it  is  going  just  the  other 
way.  And  instead  of  having  meetings  of  the  commission  open 
to  the  public  as  the  law  prescribes,  they  have  all  been  behind 
closed  doors.  To  say  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  citizens  of 
Trenton  are  sick  of  the  new  arrangement  already,  would  be  put- 
ting it  mildly.  The  same  experience  is  likely  to  happen  to  all  cit- 
ies that  have  or  may  hereafter  adopt  this  populistic  form  of  mu- 
nicipal government." 

Passaic,  N.  J.,  adopted  the  Des  Moines  plan  of  government, 
too,  but  as  in  even^  other  place  where  it  is  in  operation,  the  peo- 


88  FALLy\ClES  OF  TPIK  DES    MOINES  PLAN 

pie  are  tired  of  it,  but  the  politicians  try  to  make  it  appear  all 
is  grand.     The  sajne  paper,  The  Call,  commenting  on  it  says : 

"Passaic  city,  it  will  be  remembered,  recently  adopted  the 
elective  commission  form  of  municipal  governnnent,  under  the 
Walsh  act.  That  was  only  a  few  weeks  ago  and  the  new  govern- 
ment is  not  yet  fairly  organized,  yet  the  people  are  becoming 
sick  and  disgusted  over  the  change  already.  *Wte  are  ajready 
sick  of  it,'  says  a  vers^  prominent  citizen  of  Passaic,  'and  it  looks 
as  if  we  would  be  more  sick  of  it  before  we  get  through  with  it. 
The  plan  is  no  good.' 

"The  people  made  a  blunder  when  they  voted  for  the  adop- 
tion of  the  Des  Moines  Plan,  but  they  went  off  half-cocked  and 
the  proposition  was  adopted  during  a  spasm  of  hysteria,  a  public 
.brainstorm,  as  it  were.  Both  the  local  papers  favored  and 
helped  build  up  a  sentiment  in  favor  of  the  change,  but  I  guess 
that  both  of  them  now  begin  to  realize  they  made  a  mistake.  So 
unsatisfactory  has  it  proved  already  that  there  is  a  proposition  to 
have  a  recall  for  some  of  the  commissioners  who  are  getting  too 
bossy.  Suppose  you  have  noticed  the  trouble  they  are  having  in 
Trenton.  Well,  the  same  kind  of  trouble  is  coming  to  Passaic 
and  all  the  other  cities  that  have  gone  into  this  experiment." 

The  Passaic  News  which  worked  strenuously  for  the  adop- 
tion of  the  plan,  is  getting  its  eyes  open,  judging  from  the  fol- 
lowing in  a  recent  issue  of  that  paper: 

"The  Thanksgiving  editorial  which  the  Daily  News  had  in 
mind  regarding  the  benefits  that  have  come  to  Passaic  through 
the  adoption  of  the  Commission  Form  of  Government  is  post- 
poned until  a  more  auspicious  occasion." 

An  organized  gang  of  politicians,  and  in  many  instances 
what  appears  to  be  a  subsidized  press,  keep  up  a  constant  cry 
that  the  commission  plan  of  government  is  the  greatest  of  all 
things  ever  devir^d  for  the  con-dlict  of  municipal  affairs.  When 
we  go  out  among  the  business  men  and  taxpayers,  however,  it 
is  learned  that  such  a  system  of  government  is  a  most  foolish,  and 
at  the  same  time  vicious  mode  of  governing,  and  that  wherever 
tried  is  not  a  success. 

Another  thing  the  advocates  of  commission  government  prate 
about  is,  that  wherever  the  people  vote  on  the  adoption  of  the 
plan,  it  invariable  carries.  Like  many  other  of  their  assertions, 
that  is  not  correct.     Miany  places  might  be  mentioned  that  have 


THK  DBS  MOINES  PLAN  OF  CITY  GOVERNMENT  89 

defeated  tlie  plan  at  election.  Because  so  much  has  been  said 
about  how  well  the  plan  works  in  Trenton  and  Passaic,  X.  J.,  it 
may  be  well  to  mention  some  of  the  pl?x:es  in  that  state  that  have 
rejected  the  proposition;  they  are  as  follows:  Bayorme,  Cape 
May,  Hast  Rutherford,  (larfield,  HolK)ken,  Irvinj^^on,  Jersey  City, 
Metuchen,  New  Brunswick,  ( )rang^e,  Paterson,  Rahway,  and 
Salem.  Thirteen  cities  out  of  nineteen  voting.  Of  tlie  six  that 
carried,  Ocean  City  won  by  a  margin  of  seveii  votes,  and  the  vil- 
lage of  Margaret  City  cast  but  fifty-six  votes  in  all.  Another 
strange  thing  is  if  every  place  is  anxious  to  adiopt  the  plan  as  its 
friends  say,  why  are  so  many  missionaries  constantly  on  the  go 
proselyting  and  urging  them  on. 


TiiK  Ciiartkk:  or.  The  Des  Moinks  Pr.A.v  oi-  City 
Government. 

Passed  by  the  Thirty-second  General  Assembly  of  Iowa,  and 
adopted  at  a  special  election  held  June  20,  1907.  The  election  of 
the  first  Council  (Commissioners)  provided  for  in  the  act  took 
place  in  March,  1908.  The  ''plan"  became  operative  April  i, 
1908. 

An  Act  to  provide  for  the  government  of  certain  cities,  and 
the  adoption  thereof  by  special  election  "additional  to  title  Cfive) 
of  the  Code." 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Iowa : 

Section  i. — That  any  city  of  the  first  class,  or  with  special 
charter,  now  or  hereafter  having  a  population  of  twenty-five  thou- 
sand or  over,  as  shown  by  the  last  preceding  state  census,  may 
become  organized  as  a  city  under  the  provisions  of  this  act  pro- 
ceeding as  hereinafter  provided.* 

Sec.  2. — Upon  petition  of  electors  equal  in  number  to  twenty- 
five  per  centum  of  the  votes  cast  for  all  candidates  for  mayor  at 
the  last  preceding  city  election  of  any  such  city,  the  mayor  shall,, 
by  proclamation,  submit  the  question  of  organizing  as  a  city  un- 
der this  act  at  a  special  election  to  be  held  at  a  time  specified 
therein,  and  within  two  months  after  said  petition  is  filed.  If 
said  plan  is  not  adopted  at  the  special  election  called,  the  question 
of  adopting  said  plan  shall  not  l>e  resubmitted  to  the  voters  of  said 


♦Amended  in  1909  so  as  to  include  all  cities  of  a  population  of  seven  thousand  or  over. 


90  FALLACIES  OF  THK  DFvS    MOINKS   PLAN 

city  for  adoption  within  two  years  thereafter,  and  then  the  ques- 
tion to  adopt  shall  be  resubmitted  upon  the  presentation  of  a 
petition  signed  by  electors  equal  in  number  to  twenty-five  per 
centum  of  the  votes  cast  for  all  candidiates  for  mayor  at  the  last 
preceding-  general  city  election. 

At  such  election  the  proposition  to  be  submitted  shall  be, 
''Shall  the  proposition  to  organize  the  city  or  (name  of  a  city) 
under  chapter  (naming  the  chapter  containing  this  act)  of  the  acts 
of  the  Thirty-second  General  Assembly  be  adopted?"  and  the 
election  thereupon  shall  be  conducted,  the  vote  canvassed,  and  the 
result  declared  in  the  same  manner  as  provided  by  law  in  respect 
to  other  city  elections.  If  the  majority  of  the  votes  cast  shall  be 
in  favor  thereof,  the  city  shall  thereupon  proceed  to  the  election 
of  a  mayor  and  four  (4)  councilmen,  as  hereinafter  provided. 
Immediately  after  such  proposition  is  adopted,  the  mayor  shall 
transmit  to  th6  governor,  to  the  secretary  of  state  and  to  the 
county  auditor,  each  a  certificate  stating  that  such  proposition 
was  adopted. 

At  the  regular  city  election  after  the  adoption  of  such  propo- 
sition, there  shall  be  elected  a  mayor  and  four  (4)  councilmen. 
In  the  event,  however,  that  the  next  regular  city  election  does 
not  occur  within  one  year  after  such  special  election,  the  mayor 
shall,  within  ten  days  after  such  special  election,  by  proclama- 
tion, call  a  special  election  for  the  election  of  a  mayor  and  four 
councilmen,  sixty  days'  notice  thereof  being  given  in  such  call ; 
such  election  in  either  case  to  be  conducted  as  hereinafter  pro- 
vided. 

Sec.  3. — All  laws  governing  cities  of  the  first  class  and  not 
inconsistent  w^ith  the  provisions  of  this  act,  and  Sections  955,  956, 
959,  964,  989,  1000,  1023  and  1053  of  the  Code,  now  applicable  to 
special  charter  cities  and  not  inconsistent  with  tlie  provisions  of 
this  act,  shall  apply  to  and  govern  cities  organized  under  this  act. 
All  by-laws,  ordinances  and  resolutions  lawfully  passed  and  in 
force  in  any  such  city  under  its  former  organization  shall  rem.ain 
in  force  until  altered  or  repealed  by  the  council  elected  under  the 
provisions  of  this  act.  The  territorial  limits  of  such  city  shall  re- 
main the  same  as  under  its  former  organization,  and  all  rights  and 
property  of  every  description  which  were  vested  in  any  city  under 
its  former  organization  shall  vest  in  the  same  under  the  organiza- 
tion herein  contemplated,  and  no  right  or  liability  either  in  favor 
of  or  against  it,  existing  at  the  time,  and  no  suit  or  prosecution 


Tlirv  HKS   MOINES   PLAN   OF  CITY  GOVERNMENT  9 1 

of  an\   kind  shall  l>c  affected  1)\    -nch  change,  iit^'"--  -.tiw.-*»  i^- 
provided  for  in  this  act. 

Sec.  4. — In  every  such  city  there  shall  l)e  elected  ai  liie  re^u 
lar  biennial  municipal  election,  a  mayor  and  four  councilmen. 

If  any  vacancy  occurs  in  anv  such  office,  the  remaining^  mem- 
bers of  said  council  shall  appoint  a  person  to  fill  >uch  vacancy 
during  the  balance  of  the  unex]iired  tenn. 

Said  officers  shall  he  nominated  and  elected  at  laij^c.  Said 
officers  shall  qualify  and  their  terms  of  office  shall  begin  on  the 
first  Monday  after  their  election.  The  tenns  of  office  of  the 
mayor  and  councilmen  or  aldermen  in  such  city  in  office  at  the 
beginning  of  the  terms  of  office  of  the  mayor  and  councilmen  first 
elected  under  the  provisions  of  this  act  shall  then  cease  and  de- 
termine, and  the  tenns  of  office  of  all  other  appointive  officers  in 
force  in  such  city,  except  as  hereinafter  provided,  shall  cease  and 
determine  as  soon  as  the  council  shall  by  resolution  declare. 

Sec.  5. — Candidates  to  be  voted  for  at  all  general  municipal 
elections  at  which  a  mayor  and  four  councilmen  are  to  be  elected 
under  the  provisions  of  this  act  shall  l)e  nominated  by  a  primar>' 
election,  and  no  other  names  shall  be  placed  ujx>n  the  general 
ballot  except  those  selected  in  the  manner  hereinafter  prescribed. 
The  primary  election  for  such  nomination  shall  be  held  on  the 
second  Monday  preceding  the  general  municipal  election.  The 
judges  of  election  appointed  for  the  general  municipal  election 
shall  be  the  judges  of  the  primary  election,  and  it  sliall  be  held  at 
the  same  place,  so  far  as  possible,  and  the  polls  shall  be  opened 
and  closed  at  the  same  hours,  with  the  same  clerks  as  are  re- 
quired for  said  general  nninicipal  election. 

Any  person  desiring  to  become  a  candidate  for  mayor  or 
councilman  shall,  at  least  ten  days  prior  to  said  primary  election, 
file  with  the  said  clerk  a  statement  of  such  candidacy,  in  sub- 
stantially the  following  form : 

State  of  Iowa County,  ss : 

I  ( ),  being  first  duly  sworn,  say  that  I 

reside  at street,  city  of county  of 

state  of  Iowa ;  that  I  am  a  qualified  voter 

therein ;  that  I  am  a  candidate  for  nomination  to  the  office  of 
(mayor  or  councilman),  to  l>e  voted  upon  at  the  primary  election 

to  be  held  on  the ;Nfonday  of 

19 ,  and  I  hereby  request  that  my 


92 


FALLACIKS  OF  THE  DE;S   MOINES  PLAN 


name  be  printed  upon  the  official  primary  ballot  for  nomination  by 
such  primary  election  for  such  office. 

Signed 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  (or  affirmed)  before  me  by 
;• on  this day  of 

: - 19 

Signed 

and  shall  at  the  same  time  file  therewith  the  petition  of  at  least 
twenty-five  qualified  voters  requesting  such  candidacy.  Each  pe- 
tition shall  be  verified  by  one  or  more  persons  as  to  the  qualifica- 
tions and  residence,  with  street  number,  of  each  of  the  persons  so 
signing  the  said  petition,  and  the  .said  petition  shall  be  in  substan- 
tially the  following  form : 

Petition  Accompanying  Nominating  Stateme^nt. 

The  undtersigned,  duly  qualified  electors  of  the  city  of 

,  and  residing  at  the  places  set  opposite  our 

respective  names  hereto,  db  hereby  request  that  the  name  of 
(name  of  candidate)  be  placed  on  the  ballot  as  a  candidate  for 
nomination  for  (name  of  office)  at  the  primary  election  to  be  held 

in  such  city  on  the Monday  of 19 

We  further  state  that  we  know  him  to  be  a  qualified  elector  of 
said  city  and  a  man  of  good  moral  character,  and  qualified,  in  our 
judgment,  for  the  duties  of  such  office. 


Names  of  Qualified  Electors. 


Street. 


Immediately  upon  the  expiration  of  the  time  of  filing  the 
statements  and  petitions  for  candidates,  the  said  city  clerk  shall 
cause  to  be  published  for  three  successive  days  in  all  the  daily 
newspapers  published  in  the  city,  in  proper  form,  the  names  of 
the  persons  as  they  are  to  appear  upon  the  primary  ballots,  and 
if  there  be  no  daily  newspaper,  then  in  two  issues  of  any  other 
newspaper  that  may  be  published  in  said  city ;  and  the  said  clerk 
shall  thereupon  cause  the  primary  ballots  to  be  printed,  authenti- 
cated with  a  facsimile  of  his  signature.    Upon  the  said  ballot  the 


THE  DES  MOINES  PLAN  OF  CITY  GOVERNMENT  93 

names  of  the  candidates  for  mayor,  arranged  alphabetically,  shall 
first  be  placed,  with  a  square  at  the  left  of  each  name,  and  im- 
mediately below  the  words  "V^ote  for  one."  Following  these 
names,  likewise  arranged  in  alphalxrtical  order,  shall  appear  the 
names  of  the  candidates  for  councilmen,  with  a  square  at  the  left 
of  each  name,  and  below  the  names  of  such  candidates  shall  ap- 
pear the  words  "Vote  for  four."  The  ballots  shall  be  printed 
upon  plain,  substantial,  white  paper,  and  shall  be  headed : 

CANDIDATES  FOR  NOMINATION  FOR  MAYOR  AND 

COUNCILMEN  OF CITY 

AT  THE  PRIMARY  ELECTION, 
but  shall  have  no  party  desieriation  or  mark  whatever.     The 
ballots  shall  be  in  substantially  the  following  form : 

(Place  a  cross  in  the  square  preceding  the  names  of  the 
parties  you  favor  as  candidates  for  the  respective  positions.) 

OFFICIAL  PRIMARY  BALLOT. 

CANDIDATES  FOR  NOMINATION  FOR  MAYOR  AND 

COUNCILMEN  OF * „..CITY  AT 

THE  PRIMARY  ELECTION. 

For  Mayor. 

( Name  of  candidate. ) 
(Vote  for  one.) 
For  Councilman. 

(Name  of  candidate.) 

(Vote  for  four.) 

Official  ballot  attest : 
(Signature) 

City  Clerk. 

Having  caused  said  ballots  to  be  printed,  the  said  city  clerk 
shall  cause  to  be  delivered  at  each  polling  place  a  nuniber  of  said 
ballots  to  twice  the  number  of  votes  cast  in  such  polling  precinct 
at  the  last  general  municipal  election  for  mayor.  The  persons 
who  are  qualified  to  vote  at  the  general  municipal  election  shall  be 


D 
D 


94  I^ALLACIES  OJP  THE  DES   MOINES  PLAN 

qualified  to  vote  at  such  primary  election,  and  challenges  can  be 
made  by  not  more  than  two  persons,  to  be  appointed  at  the  time 
of  opening  the  polls  by  the  judges  of  election;  and  the  law  ap- 
plicable to  challenges  at  a  general  municipal  election  shall  be  ap- 
plicable to  challenges  made  at  such  primary  election.  Judges  of 
election  shall,  immediately  upon  the  closing  of  the  polls,  count  the 
ballots  and  ascertain  the  number  of  votes  cast  in  such  precinct  for 
each  of  the  candidates,  and  make  return  thereof  to  the  city  clerk, 
upon  proper  blanks,  to  be  furnished  by  the  said  clerk,  within  six 
hours  of  the  closing  of  the  polls.  On  the  day  following  the  said 
primary  election  the  said  city  clerk  shall  canvass  said  returns  so 
received  from  all  the  polling  precincts,  and  shall  make  and  pub- 
lish in  all  the  newspapers  of  said  city  at  least  once,  the  result 
thereof.  Said  canvass  by  the  city  clerk  shall  be  publicly  made. 
The  two  candidates  receiving  the  highest  number  of  votes  for 
mayor  shall  be  the  candidates  and  the  only  candidates  whose 
names  shall  be  placed  upon  the  ballot  for  mayor  at  the  next  suc- 
ceeding general  municipal  election,  and  the  eight  candidates  re- 
ceiving the  highest  number  of  votes  for  councilman,  or  all  such 
candidates  if  less  than  eight,  shall  be  the  candidates  and  the  only 
candidates  whose  names  shall 'be  placed  upon  the  ballot  for  coun- 
cilman at  such  municipal  election. 

All  electors  of  cities  under  this  act  who,  by  the  laws  govern- 
ing cities  of  the  first  class  and  cities  acting  under  special  charter, 
would  be  entitled  to  vote  for  the  election  of  officers  at  any  general 
municipal  election  in  such  cities,  shall  be  qualified  to  vote  at  all 
elections  under  this  act ;  and  the  ballot  at  such  general  municipal 
election  shall  be  in  the  same  general  form  as  for  such  primary 
election,  so  far  as  applicable,  and  in  all  elections  in  such  city  the 
election  precincts,  voting  places,  method  of  conducting  election, 
canvassing  the  votes  and  announcing  the  results,  shall  be  the  same 
as  by  law  provided  for  election  of  officers  in  such  cities,  so  far  as 
the  same  are  applicable  and  not  inconsistent  with  the  provisions  of 
this  act. 

Sec.  5.- A. — ^Any  person  who  shall  agree  to  perform  any  ser- 
vices in  the  interest  of  any  candidate  for  any  office  provided  in 
this  act,  in  consideration  of  any  money  or  other  valuable  thing 
for  suqh  services  performed  in  the  interest  of  any  candidate  shall 
be  punished  by  a  fine  not  exceeding  three  hundred  dollars  ($300), 
or  be  imprisoned  in  the  county  jail  not  exceeding  thirty  (30)  days. 

Sec.  5.-B. — Any  person  offering  to  give  a  bribe,  either  in 


THE  DUS  MOINES  PLAN  OP  CITY  GOVERNMENT  95 

money  or  other  consideration,  to  any  elector,  for  the  purpose  of 
inthiencin^  his  vote  at  any  election  provided  in  this  act,  or  any 
elector  enlitled  to  vote  at  any  such  election  receiving  and  accq>t- 
ing  such  bribe  or  other  consideration;  any  person  making  false 
answer  to  any  of  the  provisions  of  this  act  relative  to  his  qualifi- 
cations to  vote  at  said  election;  any  person  wilfully  voting  or 
offering  to  vote  at  such  election  who  has  not  been  a  resident  of 
this  state  for  six  months  next  preceding  said  election,  or  who  is 
not  twentN-one  \ears  of  age,  or  is  not  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States,  or  knowing"  liimself  not  to  l)e  a  qualified  elector  of  such 
precinct  where  he  offers  to  vote ;  any  person  knowingly  procuring, 
aiding  or  abetting  any  violation  hereof  shall  Ixi  deemed  guilty  of 
a  misdemeanor  and  upon  conviction  shall  l^e  fined  the  sum  not 
less  than  one  hundred  dollars  ($100)  nor  more  than  five 
hundred  dollars  ($500),  and  l>e  imprisoned  in  the  county  jail  not 
less  than  ten  (10)  nor  more  than  ninety  (90)  days. 

Sec.  6. — Every  such  city  shall  be  governed  by  a  council,  con- 
sisting of  the  mayor  and  four  councilmen,  chosen  as  provided  in 
this  act,  each  of  whom  shall  liave  the  right  to  vote  on  aJl  questions 
coming  before  the  council.  Three  members  of  the  council  shall 
constitute  a  quorum,  and  the  aflfinnative  vote  of  three  members 
shall  be  necessary  to  adopt  any  motion,  resolution  or  ordinance, 
or  pass  any  measure,  unless  a  greater  number  is  provided  for  in 
this  act.  Upon  every  vote  the  yeas  and  nays  shall  be  called  and 
recorded,  and  every  motion,  resolution  or  ordinance  shall  be  re- 
duced to  writing  and  read  before  the  vote  is  taken  thereon.  The 
mayor  shall  preside  at  all  meetings  of  the  council ;  he  shall  have 
no  power  to  veto  any  measure,  but  every  resolution  or  ordinance 
passed  by  the  council  must  be  signed  by  the  mayor,  or  by  two 
councilmen,  and  be  recordied  before  the  same  shall  be  in  force. 

Sec.  7. — The  council  shall  have  and  possess  and  the  council 
>and  its  members  shall  exercise  all  executive,  legislative  and  ju- 
dicial powers  and  duties  now  had,  possessed,  and  exercised  by  the 
mayor,  city  council,  board  of  public  works,  park  commissioners, 
board  of  police  and  fire  commissioners,  board  of  water  works 
trustees,  board  of  library  trustees,  solicitors,  assessor,  treasurer, 
auditor,  city  engineer,  and  other  executive  and  administrative  of- 
ficers in  cities  of  the  first  class  and  cities  acting  under  special 
charter.  The  executive  and  administrative  powers,  authority  and 
duties  in  such  cities  shall  be  distributed  into  and  among  five  de- 
partments, as  follows : 


96  FALLACIES  OF  THE  DES   MOINES   PLAN 

1.  Department  of  Public  Affairs. 

2.  Department  of  Accounts  and  Finance. 

3.  Department  of  Public  Safety. 

4.  Department  of  Streets  and'  Public  Improvements. 

5.  Department  of  Parks  and  Public  Property. 

The  council  shall  dietermine  the  powers  and  duties  to  be  per- 
formed by,  and  assign  them  to  the  appropriate  department ;  shall 
prescribe  the  powers  and  duties  of  officers  and  employes ;  may  as- 
sign particular  officers  and  employes  to  one  or  more  of  the  depart- 
ments; may  require  an  officer  or  employe  to  perform  duties  in 
two  or  more  departments;  and  may  make  such  other  rules  and 
regulations  as  may  be  necessary  or  proper  for  the  efficient  and 
economical  conduct  of  the  business  of  the  city. 

Sec.  8. — The  mayor  shall  be  superintendent  of  the  depart- 
ment of  Public  Affairs,  and  the  council  shall,  at  the  first  regular 
meeting  after  election  of  its  members,  designate  by  majority  vote 
one  councilman  to  be  superintendent  of  the  Department  of  Ac- 
counts and  Finance,  one  to  be  superintendent  of  the  Department 
of  Public  Safety,  one  to  be  superintendent  of  the  Department  of 
Streets  and  Public  Improvements,  and  one  to  be  superintendent 
of  the  Department  of  Parks  arid  Public  Property ;  but  such  desig- 
nation shall  be  changed  whenever  it  appears  that  the  public  ser- 
vice would  be  benefited  thereby. 

The  council  shall,  at  said  first  meeting,  or  as  soon  as  practi- 
cable thereafter,  elect  by  majority  vote  the  following  officers  :  A 
cit}  clerk,  solicitor,  assessor,  treasurer,  auditor,  civil  engineer, 
city  physician,  marshal,  chief  of  fire  department ;  market  master, 
street  commisioner,  three  library  trustees,  and  such  other  officers 
and  assistants  as  shall  be  provided  for  by  ordinance  and  necessary 
to  the  proper  and  efficient  conduct  of  the  affairs  of  the  city;  and 
shall  appoint  a  police  judge  in  those  cities  not  having  a  superior 
court.  Any  officer  or^ssistant  elected  or  appointed  by  the  council 
may  be  removed  from  office  at  any  time  by  vote  of  a  majority  of 
the  members  of  the  council,  except  as  otherwise  provided  for  in 
this  act. 

Sec.  Q. — The  council  shall  have  power  from  time  to  time  to 
create,  fill  and  discontinue  offices  and  employments  other  than 
herein  prescribed,  according  to  their  judgment  of  the  needs  of  the 
city,  and  may,  by  majority  vote  of  all  the  members,  remove  any 
such  officer  or  employe,  except  as  otherwise  provided  for  in  this 


THE  DES  MOINES  PLAN  OF  CITY  GOVERNMENT  97 

act ;  ami  iiiay,  by  resolution  or  otherwise,  prescribe.  !''"i^  '^r 
chanj2^e  the  compensation  of  such  officers  or  emplo)»es. 

Sec.  10. — The  mayor  and  council  shall  have  an  office  ai  tiie 
city  hall,  and  their  total  compensation  shall  l)e  as  follows :  In 
cities  having  by  the  last  preceding  state  or  national  census  from 
25,000  to  40,000  people,  the  annual  salary  of  the  mayor  shall  be 
$2,500.  and  of  each  councilman  $1,800.  In  cities  having  by  such 
census  from  40,000  to  60,000  people,  the  mayor's  annual  salary 
shall  be  $3,000,  and  that  of  each  councilman  $2,500 ;  and  in  cities 
having  by  such  census  over  60,000  |X)pulation,  the  mayor's  an- 
nual salary  shall  be  $3,500.  and  that  of  each  councilman,  $3,000. 
Such  salaries  shall  be  payable  in  equal  monthly  installments. 

Any  increase  in  salary  occasioned  under  the  provisions  of 
this  scale  by  increase  in  population  in  any  city  shall  commence 
with  the  month  next  after  the  official  publication  of  tlie  ronvn< 
showing  such  increase  therein. 

Every  other  officer  or  assistant  shall  receive  sucii  saiar\  or 
compensation  as  the  council  shall  by  ordinance  provide,  payable 
in  equal  monthly  installments. 

The  salary  or  compensation  of  all  other  employes  of  such  city 
shall  be  fixed  by  the  council,  and  shall  be  payable  monthly  or  at 
such  shorter  periods  as  the  council  shall  detennine. 

Sec.  II.— rRegular  meetings  of  the  council  shall  be  held  on 
the  first  Monday  after  the  election  of  councilmen.  and  thereafter 
at  least  once  each  month.  The  council  shall  provide  by  ordinance 
for  the  time  of  holding  regular  meetings,  and  special  meetings 
may  be  called  from  time  to  time  by  the  mayor  or  tw^o  councilmen. 
All  meetings  of  the  council,  whether  regular  or  special,  at  which 
any  person  not  a  city  officer  is  admitted,  shall  be  open  to  the 
public. 

The  mayor  shall  be  president  of  the  council  and  preside  at  its 
meetings,  and  shall  supervise  all  departments  and  report  to  the 
council  for  its  action  all  matters  requiring  attention  in  either. 
The  superintendent  of  the  Department  of  Accounts  and  Finance 
shall  be  vice-president  of  the  council  and  in  case  of  vacancy  in 
the  office  of  mayor,  or  the  absence  or  inability  of  the  mayor,  shall 
perform  the  duties  of  the  mayor. 

Sec.  12. — Every  ordinance  or  resolution  appropriating  money 
or  ordering  any  street  improvement  or  sewer,  or  making  or  au- 
thorizing the  making  of  any  contract  or  granting  any  franchise  or 
right  to  occupy  or  use  the  streets,  highways,  bridges  or  public 


98  P\\LLACIKS  OF  THE  DKS   MOINES  PLAN 

places  in  the  city  for  any  purpose,  shall  be  complete  in  the  form 
in  which  it  is  finally  passed,  and  remain  on  file  with  the  city  clerk 
for  public  inspection  at  least  one  week  before  the  final  passage  or 
adoption  thereof.  No  franchise  or  right  to  occupy  or  use  the 
streets,  highways,  bridges  or  public  places  in  any  city  shall  be 
granted,  renewed  or  extended,  except  by  ordinance,  and  every 
franchise  or  grant  for  interurban  or  street  railways,  gas  or  water 
works,  electric  light  or  power  plants,  heating  plants,  telegraph  or 
telephone  systems,  or  other  public  service  utilities  within  said  city, 
must  be  authorized  or  approved  by  a  majority  of  the  electors  vot- 
ing thereon  at  a  general  or  special  election,  as  provided  in  Section 
776  of  the  Code. 

Sec.  13. — No  officer  or  employe  elected  or  appointed  in  any 
such  city  shall  be  interested,  directly  or  indirectly,  in  any  contract 
or  job  for  work  or  materials,  or  the  profits  thereof,  or  services  to 
be  funished  or  performed  for  the  city ;  and  no  such  officer  or 
employe  shall  be  interested,  directly  or  indirectly,  in  any  contract 
or  job  for  work  or  materials,  or  the  profits  thereof,  or  services  to 
be  furnished  or  performed  for  any  person,  firm  or  corporation 
operating  interurban  railway,  street '  railway,  gas  works,  water 
works,  electric  light  or  power  plant,  heating  plant,  telegraph  line, 
telephone  exchange,  or  other  public  utility  within  the  territorial 
limits  of  said  city.  No  such  officer  or  employe  shall  accept  or  re- 
ceive, directly  or  indirectly,  from  any  person,  firm  or  corporation 
operating  within  the  territorial  limits  of  said  city,  any  interurban 
railway,  street  railway,  gas  works,  water  works,  electric  light  or 
power  plant,  heating  plant,  telegraph  line  or  telephone  exchange, 
or  other  business  using  or  operating  under  a  public  franchise,  any 
frank,  free  ticket  or  free  service,  or  accept  or  receive,  directl}-  or 
indirectly,  from  any  such  person,  firm  or  corporation,  any  other 
service  upon  terms  more  favorable  than  is  granted  to  the  public 
generally.  Any  violation  of  the  provisions  of  this  section  shall  be 
a  misdemeanor,  and  every  such  contract  or  agreement  shall  be 
void. 

Such  prohibition  of  free  transportation  shall  not  apply  to 
policemen  or  firemen  in  uniform;  nor  shall  any  free  service  to 
city  officials  heretofore  provided  by  any  franchise  or  ordinance  be 
affected  by  this  section.  Any  officer  or  employe  of  such  city  who, 
by  solicitation  or  otherwise,  shall  exert  his  influence,  directly  or 
indirectly,  to  influence  other  officers  or  employes  of  such  city  to 
adopt  his  political  views  or  to  favor  any  particular  person  or  can- 


THK  DES  MOINES  PLAN  OP  CITY  COVERNMENT  QQ 

didate  for  office,  or  who  shall  in  an>  iiumiiv,!  contribute  n.oney, 
labor,  or  other  valuable  thing  to  any  person  for  election  purposes, 
shall  be  K^^^'lty  of  a  misdemeanor,  and  upon  conviction  sliall  be 
punished  by  a  fine  not  exceeding  three  hundred  dollars  ($300)  or 
by  imprisonment  in  the  county  jail  not  exceeding  thirty  ( 30)  days. 

Sec.  14. — Immediately  after  organizing,  the  council  shall,  by 
ordinance,  appoint  three  civil  service  commissioners,  who  shall 
hold  office,  one  until  the  first  Monday  in  April  m  the  second  year 
after  his  appointment,  one  until  the  first  Monday  in  April  of  the 
fourth  year  after  his  appointment,  and  one  until  the  first  Monday 
in  April  of  the  sixth  year  after  his  appointment.  Each  succeeding 
council  shall,  as  soon  as  practicable  after  organizing,  appoint  one 
commissioner  for  six  years,  who  shall  take  the  place  of  the  com- 
missioner whose  term  of  office  expires.  The  chairman  of  the 
commission  for  each  bieimial  period  shall  be  the  member  whose 
term  first  expires.  No  person  while  on  the  said  commission  shall 
hold  or  be  a  candidate  for  any  office  of  public  trust.  Two  of  said 
members  shall  constitute  a  quorum  to  transact  business.  The 
commissioners  must  be  citizens  of  T(nva,  anl  residents  of  the  city 
for  more  than  three  years  next  preceding  their  appointment. 

The  council  may  remove  any  of  said  commissioners  during 
their  term  of  office  for  cause,  four  councilmen  voting  in  favor  of 
such  removal,  and  shall  fill  any  vacancy  that  may  occur  in  said 
commission  for  the  unexpired  term.  The  city  council  shall  pro- 
vide suitable  rooms  in  which  the  said  civil  service  commission 
may  hold  its  meetings.  They  shall  have  ^  clerk,  who  shall  keep  a 
record  of  all  its  meetings,  such  city  to  supply  the  said  commission 
with  all  necessary  equipment  to  properly  attend  to  such  business. 

(a)  Before  entering  upon  the  duties  of  their  office,  each  of 
said  commissioners  shall  take  and  subscribe  an  oath,  which  shall 
be  filed  and  kept  in  the  office  of  the  city  clerk,  to  support  the  con- 
stitution of  the  United  States  and  the  State  of  Iowa,  and  to  obey 
the  laws,  and  to  aim  to  secure  and  maintain  an  honest  and  efficient 
force,  free  from  partisan  distinction  or  control,  and  to  perform  the 
duties  of  his  office  to  the  best  of  his  ability. 

(b)  Said  commission  shall,  on  the  first  Monday  of  April 
and  October  of  each  year,  or  oftener  if  it  shall  be  deemed  nec- 
essary, under  such  rules  and  regulations  as  may  be  prescribed  by 
the  council,  hold  examinations  for  the  purpose  of  determining  the 
qualifications  of  applicants  for  positions,  which  examinations  shall 
be  practical  and  shall  fairly  test  the  fitness  of  the  persons  exam- 


lOO  FALLACIES  OF  THE)  DES  MOINES  PLAN 

ined  to  discharge  the  duties  of  the  position  to  which  they  seek  to 
be  appointed.  Said  commission  shall,  as  soon  as  possible  after 
such  examination,  certify  to  the  council  double  the  number  of  per- 
sons necessary  to  fill  vacancies,  who,  according  to  its  records, 
have  the  highest  standing  for  the  position  they  seek  to  fill  as  a  re- 
sult of  such  examination,  and  all  vacancies  which  occur,  that  come 
under  the  civil  service,  prior  to  the  date  of  the  next  regular  ex- 
amination, shall  be  filled  from  said  list  so  certified ;  provided,  how- 
ever, that  should  the  list  for  any  cause  be  reduced  to  less  than 
three  for  any  division,  then  the  council  or  the  head  of  the  proper 
department  may  temporarily  fill  a  vacancy,  but  not  to  exceed 
thirty  days. 

(c)  All  persons  subject  to  such  civil  service  examinations 
shall  be  subject  to  removal  from  office  or  employment  by  the 
council  for  misconduct  or  failure  to  perform  their  duties  under 
such  rules  and  regulations  as  it  may  adopt,  and  the  chief  of  police, 
chief  of  the  fire  department,  or  any  superintendent  or  foreman  in 
charge  of  municipal  work,  may  peremptorily  suspend  or  discharge 
any  subordinate  then  under  his  direction  for  neglect  of  duty  or 
'disobedience  of  his  orders,  but  shall,  within  twenty-four  hours 
thereafter,  report  such  suspension  or  discharge,  and  the  reason 
therefor,  to  the  superintendent  of  his  department,  who  shall  there- 
upon affirm  or  revoke  such  discharge  or  suspension,  according  to 
the  facts. 

Such  employe  (or  the  officer  discharging  or  suspending  him) 
may,  within  five  days  of  such  ruling,  appeal  therefrom  to  the 
council,  which  shall  fully  hear  and  determine  the  'matter. 

(d)  The  council  shall  have  the  power  to  enforce  the  at- 
tendance of  witnesses,  the  production  of  books  and  papers,  and 
power  to  administer  oaths  m  the  same  manner  and  with  like  ef- 
fect, and  under  the  same  penalties,  as  in  the  case  of  magistrates 
exercising  criminal  or  civil  jurisdiction  under  the  statutes  of  Iowa. 

Said  cominissioners  shall  make  annual  report  to  the  council, 
and  it  may  require  a  special  report  from  said  comimission  at  any 
time;  and  said  council  may  prescribe  such  rules  and  regulations 
for  the  proper  conduct  of  the  business  of  the  said  commission  as 
shall  be  found  expedient  and  advisable,  including  restrictions  on 
appointment,  promotions,  removals  for  cause,  roster  of  employes, 
•  certification  of  records  to  the  auditor,  and  restrictions  on  payment 
.to  persons  improperly  employed. 

(e)  The  council  of  such  city  shall  have  power  to  pass  or- 


TllK   DES    MOIXKS   I'T-AN    OV  CITY   COVnRXMKXT  i')i 

dinances  imposing  ^uiialilc  |<i.ii.iiin.->  nn  mc  piini^hmciit  ot  j)c*rs<)iis 
violating;:  any  of  the  provisions  of  tliis  act  relating  to  the  civil 
service  commission. 

( f )  The  provisions  of  this  section  shall  apply  to  all  appoint- 
ive officers  ami  employes  of  said  city,  except  those  epsecially 
named  in  Section  8  of  this  act,  commissioners  of  any  kind,  la- 
iK^rers  whose  occupation  requires  no  special  skill  or  fitness,  elec- 
tion officials,  and  mayor's  secretary  and  assistant  solicitor,  where 
such  officers  are  ap|K)inted ;  provided,  however,  that  existing  em- 
j)loye.s  heretofore  a])pointed  or  employed  after  competitive  ex- 
amination or  for  long  service  under  the  provisions  of  Chapter  31. 
acts  of  the  Twenty-ninth  General  Assembly,  and  suhsetpient 
amendments  thereto,  sliall  retain  their  positions  without  further 
examinations  unless  removed  for  cause. 

All  officers  and  employes  in  any  such  cit>'  shall  be  elected  or 
appointed  with  reference  to  their  qualifications  and  fitness,  and  for 
the  good  of  the  public  service,  and  without  reference  to  their 
political  faith  or  party  affiliations. 

Tt  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  candidate  for  office,  or  any  officer 
in  any  such  city,  directly  or  indirectly,  to  give  or  promise  any 
person  or  persons  any  office,  position,  employment,  benefit,  or  any- 
thing of  value,  for  the  purpose  of  influencing  or  obtaining  the 
political  support,  aid  or  vote  of  any  person  or  persons. 

Everv  elective  officer  in  any  such  city  shall,  within  thirty 
days  after  qualifying,  file  with  the  city  clerk,  and  publish  at  least 
once  in  a  daily  newspaper  of  general  circulation,  his  sworn  state- 
ment of  all  his  election  and  campaign  expenses,  and  by  wb«>ni 
such  funds  were  contributed. 

Any  violation  of  the  provisions  of  this  section  shall  l)e  a  ihi>- 
demeanor  and  be  a  ground  for  removal  from  office. 

Sec.  15. — The  council  shall  each  month  print  in  pamphlet 
form  a  detailed  itemized  statemeiit  of  all  receipts  and  expenses  of 
the  city  and  a  simimary  of  its  proceedings  during  the  preceding 
month,  and  furnish  printed  copies  thereof  to  the  state  libran-,  the 
city  librar\^  the  daily  newspapers  of  the  city,  and  to  persons  who 
shall  apply  therefor  at  the  office  of  the  city  clerk.  At  the  end  of 
each  year  the  council  shall  cause  a  full  and  complete  examination 
of  all  the  books  and  accounts  of  the  city  to  be  made  by  competent 
accountants,  and  shall  publish  the  result  of  such  examination  in 
the  manner  above  provided  for  publication  of  statements  of 
monthly  expenditures. 


I02  FALLACIF:S  01^  THE  DES  MOINKS  PLAN 

Sec.  i6. — If,  at  the  beginning  of  the  term  of  office  of  the  first 
council  elected  in  such  cit}^  under  the  provisions  of  this  act,  the 
appropriations  for  the  expenditures  of  the  city  government  for 
the  current  fiscal  year  have  been  madfe,  said  council  shall  have 
power,  by  ordinance,  to  revise,  to  repeal  or  change  said  appro- 
priations and  to  make  additional  appropriations. 

Sec,  17. — In  the  construction  of  this  act  the  following  rules 
shall  be  observed,  unless  such  construction  would  be  inconsistent 
with  the  manifest  intent,  or  repugnant  to  the  context  of  the 
statute : 

1.  The  words  "councilman"  or  "alderman"  shall  be  con- 
strued to  mean  "councilman"  when  applied  to  cities  under  this 
act. 

2.  When  an  office  or  officer  is  named  in  any  law  referred  to 
in  this  act,  it  shall,  when  applied  to  cities  under  this  act,  be  con- 
strued to  mean  the  office  or  officer  having  the  same  functions  or 
duties  under  the  provisions  of  this  act,  or  under  ordinances  passed 
under  authority  thereof. 

3.  The  word  "franchise"  shall  include  every  special  privi- 
lege in  the  streets,  highways  and  public  places  of  the  city,  whether 
.granted  by  the  state  or  the  city,  which  does  not  belong  to  the 
citizens  generally  by  common  right. 

4.  The  word  "electors"  shall  be  construed  to  mean  persons 
qualified  to  vote  for  elective  offices  at  regular  municipal  elections. 

Sec.  18. — ^The  holder  of  any  elective  office  may  be  removed 
at  any  time  by  the  electors  qualified  to  vote  for  a  successor  of 
such  incumbent.  The  procedure  to  effect  the  removal  of  an  in- 
cumbent of  an  elective  office  shall  be  as  follows:  A  petition 
signed  by  electors  entitled  to  vote  for  a  successor  to  the  incumbent 
sought  to  be  removed,  equal  in  number  to  at  least  twenty-five  per 
centum  of  the  entire  vote  for  all  candidates  for  the  office  of 
mayor  at  the  last  preceding  general  municipal  election,  demand- 
ing an  election  of  a  successor  of  the  person  sought  to  be  removed 
shall  be  filed  with  the  city  clerk,  which  petition  shall  contain  a 
general  statement  of  the  grounds  for  which  the  removal  is  sought. 
The  signatures  to  the  petition  need  not  all  be  appended  to  one 
paper,  but  each  signer  shall  add  to  his  signature  his  place  of  resi- 
dence, giving  the  street  and  number.  One  of  the  signers  of  each 
such  paper  shall  make  oath  before  an  officer  competent  to  ad- 
minister oaths  that  the  statements  therein  made  are  true  as  he  be- 
lieves, and  that  each  signature  to  the  paper  appended  is  the  gen- 


THE  DES   MOINES   PLAN   OP  CITY  GOVERNMENT  !03 

nine  signature  of  the  person  whose  nanie  it  purpori-  i--  .h;. 
Within  ten  (Hays  from  the  date  of  filing  such  petition  the  city  clerk 
shall  examine,  and  from  the  voters'  register  ascertain  whctlier  or 
nx>t  said  petition  is  signed  by  the  requisite  numljer  of  qualified 
electors,  and,  if  necessary,  the  council  shall  allow  him  extra  help 
for  that  pur|K)se;  and  he  shall  attach  to  said  petition  his  certifi- 
cate, showing  the  result  of  said  examination.  If,  by  the  clerk's 
certificate,  the  petition  is  sltown  to  be  insufficient,  it  may  be 
amended  within  ten  days  from  the  date  of  said  certificate.  The 
clerk  shall,  within  ten  days  after  such  amendment,  make  like  ex- 
amination of  the  amendeti  petition,  and  if  his  certificate  shall 
show  the  same  to  be  insufficient,  it  shall  be  returned  to  the  person 
filing  the  same ;  without  prejudice,  however,  to  the  filing  of  a  new 
petition  to  the  same  effect.  If  the  petition  shall  l)e  deemed  to  be 
sufficient,  the  clerk  shall  submit  the  same  to  the  council  without 
delay.  If  the  petition  shall  be  found  to  be  sufficient,  the  council 
shall  ')rder  and  fix  a  date  for  holding  the  said  election,  not  less 
than  thirty  days  or  more  tl\an  forty  days  from  the  date  of  the 
clerk's  certificate  to  the  council  that  a  sufficient  petition  is  filed. 

The  council  shall  make,  or  cause  to  be  made,  publication  of 
notice  and  ^11  arrangements  for  holding  such  election,  and  the 
same  shall  be  conducted,  returned  and  the  result  thereof  declared, 
in  all  respects  as  are  other  city  elections.  The  successor  of  any 
officer  so  removed  shall  hold  office  during  the  unexpired  term  of 
his  predecessor.  Any  person  sought  to  be  removed  may  be  a  can- 
didate to  succeed  himself,  and  unless  he  requests  otherwise  in 
writing,  the  clerk  shall  place  his  name  on  the  official  ballot  with- 
out nomination.  In  any  such  removal  election,  the  candidate  re- 
ceiving the  highest  number  of  votes  shall  be  declared  elected.  At 
such  election,  if  some  other  person  than  the  incumbent  receive 
the  highest  number  of  votes,  the  incumbent  shall  thereupon  be 
deemed  removed  from  the  office  upon  qualification  of  his  suc- 
cessor. In  case  the  party  who  receives  the  highest  number  of 
votes  should  fail  to  qualify  within  ten  days  after  receiving  notifi- 
cation of  election,  the  office  shall  be  dieemed  vacant.  If  the  in- 
cumbent receive  the  highest  number  of  votes,  1-te  shall  continue  in 
office.  The  same  method  of  removal  shall  be  cumulative  and  ad- 
ditional to  the  methods  heretofore  provided  by  law. 

Sec.  19. — Any  proposed  ordinance  may  be  submitted  to  the 
council  bv  petition  signed  by  electors  of  the  city  equal  in  number 
to  the  percentage  hereinafter  required.    The  signatures,  verifica- 


I04  I'ALLACJKS  OF  THE  DES   MOINES.  PLAN 

tion,  authentication,  inspection,  certification,  amendment  and  sub- 
mission of  such  petition  shall  be  the  same  as  provided  for  petitions 
under  Section  i8  hereof. 

If  the  petition  accompanying  the  proposed  ordinance  be 
signed  by  electors  equal  in  number  to  twenty-five  per  centum  of 
the  votes  cast  for  all  candidates  for  mayor  at  the  last  preceding 
general  election,  and  contains  a  request  that  the  said  ordinance  be 
submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  people  if  not  passed  by  the  council,  such 
council  shall  either 

(a)  Pass  said  ordmance  without  alteration. within  twenty 
days  after  attachment  of  the  clerk's  certificate  to  the  accompany- 
ing" petition,  or 

(b)  Forthwith,  after  the  clerk  shall  attach  to  the  petition 
accompanying  such  ordinance  his  certificate  of  sufficiency,  the 
council  shall  call  a  special  election,  unless  a  general  municipal 
election  is  fixed  within  ninety  days  thereafter,  and  at  such  special 
or  general  muncipal  election,  if  one  is  so  fixed,  such  ordinance 
shall  be  submitted  without  alteration  to  the  vote  of  the  electors 
of  said  city. 

But  if  the  petition  is  signed  by  not  less  than  ten  nor  more 
than  twenty-five  per  centum  of  the  electors,  as  above  defined,  then 
the  council  shall,  within  twenty  days,  pass  said  ordinance  without 
change,  or  submit  the  same  at  the  next  general  city  election  oc- 
curring not  more  than  thirty  days  after  the  clerk's  certificate  of 
sufficiency  is  attached  to  said  petition. 

The  ballots  used  when  voting  upon  said  ordinance  shall  con- 
tain these  words:  "For  the  ordinance"  (stating  the  nature  of 
the  proposed  ordinance),  and  "Against  the  ordinance"  (stating 
the  nature  of  the  proposed  ordinance) .  If  a  majority  of  the  quali- 
fied electors  voting  on  the  proposed  ordinance  shall  vote  in  favor 
thereof,  such  ordinance  shall  thereuix>n  become  a  valid  and  bind- 
ing ordinance  of  the  city;  and  any  ordinance  proposed  by  peti- 
tion, or  which  shall  be  adopted  by  a  vote  of  the  people,  cannot  be 
repealed  or  amended  except  by  a  vote  of  the  people. 

Any  numiber  of  proposed  ordinances  may  be  voted  upon  at 
the  same  election,  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  this  sec- 
tion ;  but  there  shall  not  be  more  than  one  special  election  in  any 
period  of  six -months  for  such  purpose. 

The  council  may  submit  a  proposition  for  the  repeal  of  any 
such  ordinance  or  for  amendments  thereto,  to  be  voted  upon  at 
any  succeeding  general  cit}'  election ;  and  should  such  proposition 


TIIK    DKS    M()l\i:>    I'l.AV    <)l"    I  [TV    r.(>\  KWV  M  KVT  l(>5 

SO  siihmittt'd  retx'ive  a  inaj(jriiy  oi  itie  voio  cast  thereon  at  such 
election,  such  ordinance  shall  therehy  be  repealed  or  amended  ac- 
c(jr(lint,dy.  Whenever  any  ordinance  or  proposition  is  required 
by  this  act  to  be  submitted  to  the  voters  of  the  city  at  any  elec- 
tion, the  city  clerk  shall  cause  such  ordinance  or  proposition  to  l>e 
published  once  in  each  of  the  daily  newspai)ers  published  in  said 
city ;  such  publication  to  be  not  more  than  twenty  or  less  than  five 
days  before  the  submission  of  such  proposition  or  ordinance  to  l)e 
voted  on. 

Sec.  20. — Xo  ordinance  i)assed  by  the  council,  except  when 
otherwise  retjuired  by  the  general  laws  of  the  state  or  by  the  pro- 
visions of  this  act,  except  an  ordinance  for  the  immediate  pre- 
servation of  the  public  peace,  health  or  safety,  which  contains  a 
statement  of  its  urgency  and  is  passed  by  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the 
council,  shall  go  into  effect  before  ten  days  from  the  time  of  its 
final  passage;  and  if  during  said  ten  days  a  jjetition  signed  by- 
electors  of  the  cit>  equal  in  number  to  at  least  twenty-five  per 
centum  of  the  entire  vote  cast  for  all  candidates  for  mayor  at  the 
last  preceding  general  municipal  election  at  which  a  n-kayor  was 
elected,  protesting  against  the  passage  of  such  ordinance,  be  pre- 
sented to  the  council,  the  same  shall  thereupon  be  suspended  from 
going  into  operation,  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  council  to 
reconsider  such  ordinance :  and  if  the  same  is  not  entirely  re- 
pealed, the  council  shall  submit  the  ordinance,  as  is  provided  by 
Sub-section  b  of  Section  19  of  this  act,  to  the  vote  of  the  electors 
of  the  city,  either  at  the  general  election  or  at  a  special  municipal 
election  to  be  called  for  that  purpose ;  and  such  ordinance  shall 
not  go  into  effect  or  become  operative  unless  a  majority  of  the 
qualified  electors  voting  on  the  same  shall  vote  in  favor  thereof. 
Said  petition  shall  l>e  in  all  respects  in  accordance  with  the  pro- 
visions of  said  Section  19,  except  as  to  the  percentage  of  signers, 
and  be  examined  and  certified  to  by  the  clerk  in  all  respect?  as 
therein  provided. 

Sec.  21. — Any  city  which  shall  have  operated  for  more  than 
six  years  under  the  provisions  of  this  act  may  abandon  such  or- 
ganization hereunder,  and  accept  the  provisions  of  the  general 
law  of  the  state  theu  applicable  to  cities  of  its  population,  or  if 
now  organized  under  special  charter,  may  resume  said  special 
charter  by  proceeding  as  follows : 

Upyon  the  petition  of  not  less  than  twenty-five  per  centum  of 
the  electors  of  such  city  a  special  election  shall  l^e  called,  at  which 


106  rAIJ.AClES  01^  THK  DKS  MOINKS  PLAN 

the  following  proposition  only  shall  1>€  submitted:  ''Shall  the 
city  of  (name  the  city)  abandion  its  organization  under  Chapter — 
of  thie  acts  of  the  Thirty-second  General  Assembly  and  become  a 
city  under  the  general  law  governing  cities  of  like  population,  or 
if  now  organized  under  special  charter  shall  resume  said  special 
■charter  ?" 

If  a  majority  of  the  votes  cast  at  such  special  election  be  in 
favor  of  such  proposition,  the  officers  elected  at  the  next  succeed- 
ing biennial  election  shall  be  those  then  prescribed  bv  the  general 
law  of  the  state  for  cities  of  like  population,  and  upon  the  qualifi- 
cation of  such  officers  such  city  shall  become  a  city  under  such 
general  law  of  the  state ;  but  such  change  shall  not  in  any  manner 
or  degree  affect  the  property,  right  or  liabilities  of  any  nature  of 
such  city,  but  shall  merely  extend  to  such  change  in  its  form  of 
government. 

The  sufficiency  of  such  petition  shall  be  determined,  the  elec- 
tion ordered  and  conducted,  and  the  results  declared,  generally  ' 
as  provided  by  Section  i8  of  this  act,  insofar  as  the  provisions 
thereof  are  applicable. 

Sec.  22. — Petitions  provided  for  in  this  act  shall  be  signed 
by  none  but  legal  voters  of  the  city.  Each  petition  shall  contain, 
in  addition  to  the  names  of  the  petitioners,  the  street  and  house 
number  in  which  the  petitioner  resides,  his  age  and  length  of 
residence  in  the  cit)'.  It  shall  also  be  accompanied  by  the  affidavit 
of  one  or  more  legal  voters  of  the  city,  stating  that  the  signers 
thereof  were,  at  the  time  of  signing,  legal  voters  of  said  city,  and 
the  numiber  of  signers  at  the  time  the  affidavit  was  made. 

Sec.  23. — This  act,  being  deemed  of  immediate  importance, 
shall  take  effect  and  be  in  force  from  and  after  its  publication  in 
the  Register  and  Leader  and  Des  Moines  Capital,  newspapers 
published  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 

Approved  March  29,  A.  D.,  1907. 
AN  ACT  to  amend  the  law  as  it  appears  in  section  ten  hundred 
fifty-six-a-36   (io56-a-36)    of  the  supplement  to  the  Code, 
1907,  relating  to  the  government  of  certain  cities  and  the  re- 
calling of  elective  officers  therein.    Approved  April  16,  1909. 
Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Iowa : 
Section  i. — That  section  ten  hundred  fifty-six-a-36  (1056-a- 
36)  of  the  supplement  to  the  Code  1907,  be  amended  by  inserting 
after  the  word  "elections"  at  the  end  of  the  thirty-fourth  (34)  line 
in  said  section  the  following: 


LKGISLATIVE,  EXECUTIVE  AND  JUDICIAL  POWERS  COMBINED        I  f  >7 

"So  far  as  applicable,  excq)t  as  otherwise  herein  pruvi.iv;.!. 
nominations  hereunder  shall  l)e  made  without  the  intervention  of 
a  primary  election  by  filing  with  the  clerk  at  least  ten  ( lo)  days 
l^rior  to  said  special  election,  a  statement  of  candidacy  accom- 
panied by  a  petition  sigiicd  by  electors  entitled  to  vote  at  said 
special  election  equal  in  numbers  in  at  least  ten  per  centum  of  the 
entire  vote  for  all  candidates  for  the  office  of  mayor  at  the  last 
preceding?  g^eneral  nnmicipal  election,  which  said  statement  of 
cand'idacy  and  petition  shall  l)e  substantially  in  the  form  set  out 
in  section  ten  hundred  fifty-six-a-twenty-one  (i056-a-2i)  of  the 
supplement  to  the  Code,  1907,  so  far  as  the  same  is  applicable, 
:iul)stitutinQ-  the  word  "special"  in  such  statement  and  petition, 
and  stating  therein  that  such  j^rson  is  a  candidate  for  election  in- 
stead of  nomination. 

"The  ballot  for  such  special  election  shall  be  substantially  in 
the  following  form : 

OFFICIAL  BALLOT 
"Special  election  for  the  balance  of  the  unexpired  term  of 

— _ as 

For 

(Vote  for  one  only) 
(Names  of  candidates) 


D 

D 


Name  of  present  incumbent 
Official  ballot  attest : 
(Signature) 


City  Clerk. 


Lkcislative,  Executive  and  Judicial  Powers  Combined. 

Practically  all  recognized  authorities  on  municipal  problems 
are  opposed  to  combining  the  executive,  legislative  and  judicial 
powers  in  any  one  body.  James  Madison  said';  "The  accumula- 
tion of  all  power — legislative,  executive  and  judicial — in  the  same 
hands  whether  of  one,  or  a  few,  or  manv,  and  whether  hereditary. 


I08  FALLACIES  OF  TIIF  DFS   MOINFS   PLAN 

self  appointed  or  elective,  may  jiistl}-  be  pronounced  the  very  defi- 
nition of  tyranny." 

Justice  Story  said;  "Whenever  these  departments  are  all 
vested  in  one  person  or  body  of  men,  the  government  is  m  fact  a 
despotism,  by  whatever  name  it  may  be  called,  whether  a  mon- 
archy, an  aristocracy  or  a  dfemocracv."  (Story  on  Con.  Abridged 
Ed.  47) 

John  Fisk  says :  "Our  experience  has  now  so  far  widened 
that  we  can  see  that  despotism  is  not  the  strongest,  but  well-nigh 
the  weakest  form  of  government ;  that  centralized  administration 
like  that  of  the  Roman  Empire,  have  fallen  to  pieces,  not  because 
of  too  much,  but  because  of  too  little  freedom;  and  that  the  only 
endurable  government  must  be  that  which  succeeds  in  achieving 
national  unity  on  a  grand  scale  without  weakening  the  sense  of 
personal  and  local  independence ;  for  in  the  body  politic  this 
spirit  of  freedom  is  as  the  red  corpuscles  in  the  blood.  It  makes 
a  difference  between  a  society  of  self  respecting  men  and  women 
and  an  association  of  puppets.  Your  nation  may  have  art,  poetry 
and  science,  and  all  the  refinements  of  civilized  life,  all  the  com- 
forts and  safeguards  that  human  ingenuity  can  devise ;-  but  if  it 
lose  this  spirit  of  personal  and  local  independence,  it  is  doomed 
and  deserves  its  doom." 

Judge  Cooley  says ;  "One  of  the  settled  maxims  of  constitu- 
tional law  is  that  the  pow  er  conferred  upon  the  legislature  to  make 
laws  cannot  be  delegated  by  that  department  to  any  other  body  or 
authority.  When  the  sovereign  power  of  the  state  has  located  the 
authority,  there  it  must  remain ;  and  by  the  constitutional  au- 
thority alone  the  laws  must  be  made  until  the  constitution  itself 
is  changed.  The  power  to  whose  judgment,  wisdom,  and  pa- 
triotism this  high  prerogative  has  been  entrusted  cannot  relieve 
itself  of  the  respK)nsibility  by  choosing  other  agencies  upon  which 
the  power  shall  be  devolved." 

Rear-Admiral  Chadwick,  member  of  the  representative  coun- 
cil of  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  and  who  has  made  a  number  of 
addresses  on  the  merits  of  the  Newport  charter,  has  said ;  "The 
government  of  a  city  is  a  matter  which  calls  for  the  deepest 
thought  and  the  highest  endeavor  of  man.  In  this  great  business 
we  have  failed  in  many  instances,  and  failed  disgracefully.  The 
main  cause  has  been  in  placing  city  administration — business  of 
the  greatest  technicality  and  difficulty — in  the  hands  of  accidental 
men'.    Associated  with  this  unwisdom  has  been  the  equally  unwise 


[j:(;islativr,  kxecutive  and  judicial  powkrs  combinei»      uy(j 

course  adopted  by  joining  the  ai>propriation  and  spending  |)owers. 
Our  city  councils  as  a  rule  combine  thetn,  thus  traversing  a  prin- 
ciple it  took  centuries  of  struggle  to  establish,  and  which  tmlay 
rules  in  every  civilized  government.  It  would  seem  nothing  is 
more  fully  established  as  a  great  fundamental  principle  than  that 
the  same  men  camioi  with  safety  be  allowed  to  lay  the  taxes,  make 
the  appropriations  and  spend  the  money." 

In  combining  these  three  sq^arate  ix>wers,  there  is  another 
danger  encountered.  Suppose  three  political  tricksters  should  be 
elected  commissioners  and  control  all  of  the  vast  number  of  ap- 
pointments ;  it  would  make  the  horde  of  poor  bums  and  drunks 
who  are  constantly  at  the  mercy  of  the  police  court  pay  political 
tribute  and  become  part  and  parcel  of  the  machine.  The  patron- 
age of  a  muncipality  has  caused  more  trouble  than  almost  all 
other  elements  combined.  In  the  past  much  thought  has  been 
given  this  subject  in  an  endeavor  to  eliminate  this  feature  from 
politics,  and  now  comes  the  commission  plan  and  annuls  all  of 
the  beneficial  legislation  along  these  lines. 

The  bold  assertion  that  people  everywhere  are  clamoring  for 
the  Des  Moines  plan  of  municipal  government  is  enough  to  cause 
a  person  to  use  language  that  could  only  be  fittingly  applied  to  a 
balkv  horse.  The  only  ones  desiring  it  are  a  clique  of  muck  rakers 
who  have  been  repudiated  at  the  polls  when  seeking  public  of- 
fice, and  who  use  this  method  under  the  caption  of  "We  the  peo- 
ple" to  regain  political  preferment  from  which  an  indignant 
populace  drove  them  in  disgrace. 

That  there  is  a  well  organized  crowd  bandetl  together  to  fur- 
ther their  political  ambitions  is  evidenced  bv  the  fact  that  no 
sooner  is  one  of  their  number  elected  to  office  under  this  plan  of 
government,  than  he  is  away  at  the  expense  of  the  city  on  proselyt- 
ing trips  exploiting  the  scheme,  and  the  further  proof  of  organ- 
ized associations  in  several  states  to  spread  the  nefarious  work 
under  the  pretense  that  such  leagues  and  clubs  are  for  laudable 
purposes  arising  with  their  own  accord  spontaneously. 

■  In  the  State  of  New  York  is  an  organization  known  as  the 
Commission  Government  Association;  its  president  lives  at 
Rochester  and  there  are  more  than  sixty  local  organizations  in  the 
state  affiliated  with  it  to  secure  legislation  and  other  means  to 
further  the  plan.  Pennsylvania  has  its  Commission  Government 
Alliance ;  its  president  resides  at  Meadville,  and  the  secretary  at 
Reading.     Clubs  and  leagues  exist  through  Oregon.  California. 


I  lO  FALLACIEIS  OF  THE  DES  MOINES.  PLAN 

Washington,  Georgia,  Ohio,  and  various  other  places,  all  in  the 
combination  to  spread  the  gospel  of  commission  government,  and 
the  leaders  of  which  have  no  other  motive  than  mercenary.  To 
say  that  the  cry  for  this  sort  of  municipal  government  is  a  popular 
uprising  of  the  masses  is  political  bunk.  Its  principles  being  sur- 
charged with  so  much  viciousness,  and  overloaded  with  incompati- 
ble possibilities,  it  is  strange  any  person  of  good  judgment  can  be 
wheedled  into  its  meshes. 

It  is  true  the  results  of  any  style  of  government  depends 
much  on  the  officers  chosen.  You  ask  which  system  will  be  more 
likely  to  make  it  possible  to  elect  efficient  and  fair  men  ?  The  re- 
sults herein  shown,  though  few,  must  convince  any  fair-minded 
person  that  the  Des  Moines  plan  of  government  is  not  calculated 
to  elect  the  best  men  or  to  better  conditions.  On  the  other  hand 
it  furnishes  all  the  opportunity  desired  by  the  ward  politican  to 
obtain  office  and  remain  there;  to  build  up  a  gigantic  political 
machine,  which  the  united  efforts  of  the  better  element  of  the 
city  would  be  unable  to  overcome.  The  results  in  Des  Moines 
under  this  system  of  government  is  ample  proof  of  this,  when  the 
entire  press  of  the  city,  the  united  efforts  of  the  two  commercial 
clubs  and  the  Greater  Des  Moines  Committee,  have  been  unable 
to  keep  down  bickering,  strife  and  political  machinations. 


Where  We  Shine. 

Last  March  Mayor  Hanna  employed  an  expert  to  tell  the 
council  what  to  do  to  settle  the  street  car  franchise  trouble.  He 
was  paid  $250  per  day  and  expenses  including  railway  fare  to  and 
from  New  York.  His  two  assistants  were  paid  $50  per  day  each 
and  expenses.  Incidentally  the  franchise  of  the  company  has  ex- 
pired and  the  council  permits  the  corporation  to  operate  on  the 
streets  while  the  public  look  on  and  wonder. 

Experts,  fees  and  costs  in  controversies  with  the  gas  company 
are  appalling;  just  prior  to  the  present  litigation  experts  cost  $50 
per  day.  In  October  a  gas  expert  was  paid  $1,800  and  hotel  ex- 
expenses,  and  January  4,  191 2,  $7,209.35  was  paid  for  examining 
the  company's  books.  An  expert  was  employed  to  examine  the 
city  water.  He  said  there  were  germs  in  it.  His  discover}^  cost 
the  city  $100  per  day  and  expenses.  The  company  say  the  water 
is  all  right  and  defies  any  person  to  prove  it  is  polluted. 


WHERB  WE  SHINE  III 

An  expert  to  tell  liow  tlie  river  unj^ut  ix:  iK-auuiui  was  paid 
$1,500;  plans  to  comport  to  his  ideas  cost  $200,  besides  several 
othi^r  bills  for  local  experts  and  landscape  artists,  while  our  city 
engineers  sit  idly  by  and  laugh.  A  splendid  steel  bridge  was  torn 
down  on  Walnut  street  and  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $157,661  is- 
sued for  the  erection  of  a  new  one,  simply  to  make  a  showing  of 
what  the  new  style  of  government  could  accomplish,  and  to  com- 
pete with  the  new  concrete  bridge  built  by  a  former  council  at 
lx)cust  street. 

When  it  comes  to  taking  care  i>f  the  taxpayers,  the  conuuis- 
sion  government  shows  what  it  can  do  in  the  way  of  paying  for 
city  light,  and  which  is  briefly  explained  in  one  of  our  city  papers 
as  follows : 

"Des  Moines  will  have  to  pay  $1,386  for  two  sets  of  street 
lights,  one  of  electric  and  the  other  of  gas,  burning  in  twenty-one 
different  sections  of  the  city,  by  the  recent  decision  of  the  supreme 
court  which  awarded  the  Welsbach  Lightning  Company  a  judg- 
ment of  $10,960  on  back  contracts  for  lighting  service.  During 
the  three  years  of  litigation  between  the  Welsbach  Company  and 
the  city,  the  council  ordered  twenty-one  gas  lights  discontinued. 
The  company  refused  to  obey  the  orders,  and  kept  the  glim-boxes, 
aglow  each  night.  But  the  city  dads  installed  electric  lights  wher- 
ever they  asked  that  the  gas  be  cut  out.  Consequently,  gas  and 
electricity  vied  with  each  other  in  illuminating  the  streets.  The 
city  has  already  paid  for  the  electric  lights  at  the  corners  in 
question,  but  must  now  come  across  with  the  coin  for  the  gas 
lights.  Members  of  the  council  declare  that  they  thought  the 
court  would  sustain  the  case  of  the  city,  thus  rendering  invalid 
the  contract  of  the  Welsbach  company." 

The  result  of  this  decision  is  to  establish  the  validity  of  the 
contract  for  its  entire  term,  covering  not  only  the  four  months  the 
period  of  time  involved  in  the  suit,  but  till  May,  191 4. 

A  former  advocate  of  the  commission  form  of  government, 
who  as  a  taxpayer  has  seen  the  error  of  his  ways,  has  an  article 
in  one  of  the  city  papers  of  July  20,  191 1,  in  which  he  says: 
"Automobiles  paid  for  and  kept  in  repair  by  the  taxpayers  for 
the  use  of  the  commissioner  may  be  necessary,  but  personally,  I'll 
have  to  be  shown.  There  are  at  present  three  commissioners  run- 
ning automobiles  belonging  to  the  taxpayers — Roe,  Mac  Vicar  and 
Ash.  There  is  no  doubt  all  three  are  used  for  'joy  riding'  by  em- 
ployes of  the  city.    Anyone  familiar  with  the  appearance  of  the 


112  FALLACIES  OF  THE;  DE:S  MOINES  PLAN 

city  automobiles  may  see  them  at  almost  any  time  running  about 
the  city  loaded'  with  passengers.  Whether  the  cars  are  speeding 
on  official  business  or  not  be  judged  by  anyone.  I  know  that  the 
automobiles  are  used  more  for  pleasure  than  for  city  business. 
Yet  the  people  foot  the  bills.  Last  year  as  I  understand,  it  cost 
$2,600  to  keep  those  machines  in  repair.  Lots  of  citizens  see  the 
cars  about  town  and  wonder  how  the  boys  can  do  it." 

When  recently  Commissioner  Mac  Vicar  was  placed  at  the 
head  of  the  department  of  public  safety,  of  which  Commissioner 
Roe  was  former  head,  he  demanded  that  the  automobile  that  the 
latter  used  in  his  private  business  be  turned  over  to  the  city.  How- 
well  he  succeeded  may  be  judged  from  an  article  appearing  ni  the 
Daily  Capital,  November  20,  191 1,  as  follows: 

"Councilman  Mac  Vicar  has  failed  to  secure  the  police  auto- 
mobile from  Councilman  Roe. 

"The  police  department  automobile  is  still  used  privately  by 
Mr.  Roe,  deposed  head  of  the  police  department,  although  Mr. 
MacVicar  announced  last  week  that  the  machine  would  be  let- 
tered and  placed  in  the  use  of  the  department. 

"Councilman  Roe  is  using  the  machine  between  his  home  and 

,his  downtown  office  and  for  pleasure.     He  entertained  Secretary 

Charles  Riddle  and  Chase  Roe  at  the  Drake- Washington  game 

Saturday.     The  machine  was  used  to  transport  the  party  to  and 

from  the  Stadium." 

Further  commenting  on  other  things  aside  from  the  auto- 
mobile, the  same  writer  also  says :  "It  is  difficult  to  find  any  of 
the  commissioners  in  their  offices.  How  they  keep  themselves 
occupied  is  hard  to  isay.  It  is  known,  however,  that  Schramm  is 
at  the  lakes  much  of  the  time.  Roe  is  attending  his  private  busi- 
ness, MacVicar  is  looking  after  the  municipal  exhibition  in  Chi- 
cago, Mayor  Hanna  spends  much  of  his  time  on  the  farm,  and 
Ash,  perhaps  looking  after  the  parks  does  more  real  work  than 
any  of  the  others.  The  audit  committee  of  the  Greater  Des 
Moines  Committee  has  a  great  field  for  operation." 

There  is  constant  junketing  by  city  officials,  the  expense- 
paid  by  appropriations,  and  salaries  running  right  along,  but  they 
are  too  frequent  to  enumerate  them.  A  few  instances  as  illustra- 
tions are  copied  from  different  city  papers : 

September  13,  191 1. — "Mayor  Hanna  will  deliver  four  ad- 
dresses in  Ohio  the  latter  part  of  this  week  on  the  operation  of 
the  Des  Moines  plan.     He  will  leave  Friday  night  on  a  speaking 


W'lIKRE   WE    Ml  KM.  1  13 

tour.  He  will  speak  at  Sandusky,  Springfield,  Elyria  and  Colum- 
bus. Next  week  he  will  speak  in  Chicago  on  the  conimission 
plan." 

May  13,  1911. — "Chief  of  Police  Yeager  will  attend  the  con- 
vention of  the  National  Association  of  Police  Chiefs,  which  will 
open  a  five  days  session  at  Rochester,  N,  Y.,  June  13.  The  city 
council  today  voted  $75  to  defray  his  expenses  to  the  meeting." 

March  2"],  191 1. — "Traveling  men  between  Chicago  and  Des 
Moines  have  discovered  a  Scottish  looking  gentleman  who  ap- 
pears on  the  Pullmans  every  few  days.  He  carries  strange  par- 
cels and  books  and  mutters  to  himself  things  like  this.  'VV^ir  heis- 
sen  Euch  Willkommen.'  Then  he  shakes  his  head  and  in  plain 
English  says  'N-o,  that  won't  do,  I  ought  to  say  it  this  way.  *\Vill- 
kommen  zu  unserer  schoenen  Stadt.'  Tlie  scene  is  repeated  in 
various  French  and  Spanish  nasal  twangs.  The  mysterious  mut- 
terer  is  John  MacVicar  Des  Moines  Commissioner.  He  is  Com- 
missioner general  of  the  International  Municipal  Congress  and 
Exposition,  and  is  getting  ready  to  go  to  Europe  to  ask  the  gov- 
ernments there  to  send  delegates  to  the  cities'  show  in  Chicago  in 
September.'' 

December  27,  191 1. — ''Commissioner  Zell  G.  Roe  is  home 
again  for  Christmas  holidays.  People  who  have  pressing  business 
with  the  head  of  the  streets  and  alleys  department,  should  call 
him  up  and  arrange  dates.  Zell  will  be  off  again  soon.  His  $3,- 
000,  the  city  pays  him,  for  running  part  of  her  business,  must  be 
earned  between  times  so  as  not  to  interfere  with  his  traveling. 
Don't  go  to  his  city  hiall  office  and  wait  for  him  to  appear  there. 
Get  in  touch  with  him  and  make  a  date.  Zell  is  a  great  traveler. 
He  is  a  busy  man." 

Just  two  instances  as  to  the  effect  of  civil  service  rules  among 
the  many  others  as  reported  by  the  newspapers : 

May  20,  191 1. — "W.  T.  Berry,  formerly  employed  in  the  en- 
gineer's office  w^as  discharged  regardless  of  civil  service  rules  to 
make  room  for  a  friend  of  the  commissioner,  who  never  took  the 
civil  service  examination.  He  says  he  will  tell  of  a  dozen  others 
at  the  proper  time." 

December  11,  191 1. — "John  MicKaig,  formerly  a  guard  at  the 
state  penitentiary  at  Ft.  Madison,  was  appointed  a  member  of  the 
city  detective  force  this  afternoon  by  Superintendent  Mac\'icar. 
McKaig  has  not  taken  the  civil  service  examination,  and  it  is  said 


114  FALLACIES  OF  THE  DKS  MOINES  PLAN 

he  was  appointed  over  the  heads  of  forty-six  patrohnen  who  were 
in  Hne  for  promotion  to  the  detective  department/' 

Three  years  ago  the  city  voted  to  erect  a  new  city  hall.  It 
is  now  completed  and  the  commissioners  boldly  claim  it  is  a  won- 
derful accomplishment  of  the  Des  Moines  plan,  when  the  people 
had  ordered  it  built  and  purchased  a  site  before  the  new  com- 
missioners ever  took  control  of  affairs.  They  have  went  so  far  as 
to  have  a  tablet  containing  their  names  placed  in  the  building  for 
which  the  taxpayers  will  have  to  contribute  $62.90.  A  bronzed 
plated  caging  for  the  treasurers  ofifice  has  been  placed  at  a  cost  of 
$1,313.  Luxury,  vanity  and  egotism  of  the  Des  Moines  plan. 
Where  is  the  promised  economy? 

Comparing  the  efficiency  of  the  police  department  under  the 
old  administration  and  the  new,  it  is  alleged  Commissioner  Mac- 
Vicar  stated  to  the  council  April  20,  1911.  "That  the  enforce- 
ment of  law  and  police  discipline  has  materially  deteriorated  the 
past  year,  and  that  the  people  should  awaken  to  the  moral  condi- 
tion of  the  city ;  that  the  council  is  making  itself  ridiculous  in 
permitting  the  high  standard  set  by  former  administrations  to 
retrograde." 

Here  is.  something  that  appeared  in  a  couple  of  the  city  pa- 
pers December  25,  1911.  "Captain  Joe  Newell  last  night  raded 
the  Richmond  hotel,  809  Grand  avenue.  Lena  Thomas,  pro- 
prietress, and  W.  G.  Wheaton,  clerk  of  the  place,  were  arrested. 

*Tt  is  charged  by  Xewell  that  the  place  has  been  permitted  to 
operate  under  police  protection.  At  one  time  he  declares  he  was 
instructed  not  to  molest  it. 

"Councilman  Mac  Vicar,  declared  that  one  man  told  him  he 
had  been  shown  through  the  place  while  it  was  in  course  of  con- 
struction by  a  policeman  and  that  the  officer  informed  him  of  the 
purpose  for  which  it  was  to  be  used.  He  also  declared  it  ap- 
parently was  constructed  with  a  view  of  making  escape  easy." 

During  the  street  car  strike  in  this  city  last  sunumer,  the  ac- 
tion of  the  head  of  the  department  riding  in  his  automobile  hat 
in  hand  smiling  and  bowing  to  the  mob,  trying  to  win  favors  for 
the  next  election  was  a  shameful  sight  to  witness.  Hundreds  arid 
hundreds  dollars  worth  of  property  was  destroyed  at  that  time  by 
the  rabble  which  under  the  old  system  of  governing  would  be 
promptly  prevented.  The  actions  have  become  so  notorious  it  is 
needless  to  mention  it  further,  except  to  state  that  when  a  similar 
strike  appeared  to  be  inevitable  again,  in  October,  Commissioner 


WIIERK  WK  Sir  I  NT.  I  1  S 

Roc  i>  alleged  t<>  have  saiW,  ""Ms  .liuiuue  will  lie  tlic  >aiiie  a-  jii 
the  previous  car  strike." 

"But  if  any  provide  not  for  his  own,  and  especially  for  th<jse 
of  his  own  house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith,  and  is  worse  tlian  an 
inhdvl."  This  sentence  niay  not  l)e  quoted  correctly,  but  the  fol- 
lowing^ from  a  city  paper  Deceniber  29,  191 1,  explains  it: 
"Charles  Riddle,  former  secretary  of  the  dq>artment  of  public 
safety,  and  Kd  and  Chase  Roe,  brothers  of  Councilman  Zell  Roe, 
former  head  of  the  department  of  i)ublic  safety,  were  ordered  by 
letters  toda\'  by  Chief  of  Police  Ab  Day  to  return  the  police  stars 
and  other  jx>]ice  ecjuipment  in  their  possession  to  the  Des  Moines. 
police  department. 

Stars  and  other  equipment  were  given  the  Roe  brothers  by 
Zell  Roe  while  he  was  head  of  the  public  safety  department. 
Xeither  was  sworn  in  as  a  reg^ular  officer  and  accordingly  have  no 
riq-ht  to  paraphernalia  of  an  officer." 

At  a  meeting"  of  the  council  July  15,  191 1,  ^^r.  Schramm  who 
is  head  of  the  finance  department,  asked  it  is  said,  his  fellow^  coun- 
cilmen  to  explain'  the  following  dealings :  Why  they  had  paid 
J  8  cents  per  gallon  for  gasoline  for  automobiles  when  the  city  had 
a  contract  with  a  company  to  furnish  it  for  10  and  1/9  cents? 
Why  Commissioner  Ash  bought  a  raincoat  for  a  park  foreman 
for  $15?  Why  52  and  j/2  cents  had  been  paid  for  cement  when  a 
company  had  a  contract  to  furnish  the  same  kind  for  47  and  y'z 
cents  ?  \\'hat  become  of  worn  out  automobile  tires  when  new  ones 
were  purchased?  Why  was  head  lights  purchased  for  autos  at 
excessive  prices  and  why  were  search  lights  bought  and  then 
traded  off  or  sold  without  accounting  for  them?  Why  the  clerk 
never  reads  the  pay  roll  in  full  as  required  by  law  to  do?"  It  is 
also  charged  Commissioner  Roe  purchased  600  bushels  of  oats  at 
eight  cents  per  bushel  above  the  market  price. 

As  already  stated,  Mayor  Hanna  receives  a  salary  of  $3,500. 
That  he  fnay  devote  his  time  to  official  duties  and  see  that  busi- 
ness is  kept  up,  the  people  furnish  him  a  secretary  who  draws 
$1,500  per  year.  When  hizzonner  is  not  cavourting  about  the 
country  on  pleasure  jaunts  or  attending  private  business,  the 
monotony  of  sitting  around  is  broken  by  a  peculiar  sort  of  hobby 
permissible  only  under  commission  government,  which  an  eve- 
ning paper  of  October  3,  191 1  tells  about  as  follows : 

"A  clearing  house  for  lonely  souls"  is  the  slogan  of  the  Mu- 
nicipal Matrimonial  bureau,  which  has  been  reorganized  with  Ed- 


Il6        *     FALLACIES  OF  the:  DFS  MOINFS  PLAN 

ward  Lytton,  secretary  to  Mayor  James  R.  Hanna,  as  general 
manager  and  secretary.  Men  and  women  who  are  desirious  of 
securing  a  helpmate  are  asked  to  communicate  with  Secretary  Ed- 
ward Lytton.  Women  who  are  prospective  brides  must  furnish 
Secretary  Lytton  with  their  address,  their  age,  and  description. 
A  photograph  must  accompany  the  description.  Men  applicants 
must  furnish  references  from  their  banker,  minister  and  post- 
master. 

"Beauty  will  not  be  taken  into  consideration  in  the  classifica- 
tion of  feminine  applicants.  There  will  be  three  classes,  accord- 
ing to  their  ages.    The  various  classes  follow : 

Class  A — Eighteen  to  twenty-five  years. 

Class  B — ^Twenty-five  to  thirty-five  years. 

Class  C — Thirty-five  to  seventy  years. 

The  men  will  not  be  classified,  but  their  honesty  and  integrity 
will  be  taken  into  consideration. 

"Mayor  James  R.  Manna,  City  Physician  H.  L.  Saylor  and 
Miss  Harriet  Kendall,  deputy  city  clerk,  will  compose  the  ad- 
visory committee.  They  will  make  a  personal  investigation  into 
the  character  of  every  applicant  of  the  bureau. 

Mayor  Hanna  has  performed  numerous  ceremonies  and  is 
well  acquainted  with  his  work." 


A  Few  Lovely  Bouquets. 

Spencer  Herald :  From  this  distance  it  looks  as  thoUgh  the 
present  would  be  a  good  time  for  Des  Moines  to  make  use  of  the 
recall  feature  of  the  commission  plan  of  government. 

Burlington  Gazette :  Des  Moines  is  to  have  a  new  municipal 
building.  We  would  suggest  that  the  architect  would  be  wise  to 
provide  a  gymnasium  where  the  councilmen  can  get  in  fit  condi- 
tion for  their  strenuous  deliberations. 

Marshalltown  Times-Republican :  Des  Moines  is  puffed  up 
over  the  fact  that  two  city  governments  are  in  operation  in  that 
city  at  the  same  time.  To  the  outside  observer  this  would  seem 
false  pride.  If  Des  Moines  had  one  city  government  that  would 
govern,  there  would  be  better  cause  for  celebration. 

Waterloo  Times-Tribune:  Suppose  some  bright  dramatist 
:should  stage  the  "Des  Moines  plan"  as  practiced  in  Des  Moines. 


A  FEW  LOVELY  BOUQUETS  I  1  J 

We  have  been  wonderinj^  why  show  managers  have  so  long  over- 
looked the  "material"  in  the  Ues  Moines  comtnissioners. 

Mason  City  Times :  Crime  is  rampant  in  Des  Moines  again 
and  the  hoboes  and  criminal  classes  are  filling  the  city,  according 
to  County  Attorney  Thomas  J.  Guthrie,  who  deplores  the  lax 
police  conditions  governing  the  capital  city  during  the  present 
administration.  Mayor  lianna  also  regrets  the  conditions  exist- 
ing in  the  department  of  public  safety.  The  mayor  says  there 
are  many  things  nee<Hng  a  remedy,  but  is  at  his  wits  eruls  how  to 
proceed,  and,  as  yet,  has  no  definite  plan.  Loafing  places  in  the 
city,  including  p(X>l  halls,  smoke  shops  and  drinking  i)laces  are 
becoming  incubators  of  crime  where  robberies  and  other  (lei)re- 
dations  are  planned.  For  months  these  conditions  have  been  get- 
ting worse  and  the  officials  named  are  frank  in  their  condemna- 
tion of  the  laxity  of  the  handling  of  the  police  department. 

Keokuk  Gate  City :  Des  Moines  is  giving  the  country  a  fine 
exhibition  of  what  has  been  well  termed  "scrambled  government." 
If  the  cominiiission  plan  survives  the  Des  Moines  assault  upon  it 
the  traditional  cat  with  its  nine  lives  will  have  to  take  a  back  seat. 

Traer  Star-Clipper:  The  city  of  Des  Moines  is  run  on  the 
commission  plan.  The  trouble  seems  to  be  that  everybody  who 
has  anything  to  do  with  it  wants  all  the  commission. 

Spencer  Herald :  The  citizens  of  Des  Moines  who  voted  for 
Hanna  for  mayor  have  no  particular  reason  for  feeling  proud  over 
the  matter.  The  Des  Moines  mayor  is  either  an  easy  mark  or  a 
hypocrite. 

Fremont  County  Herald :  Anyway  the  commission  plan 
seems  to  be  putting  a  good  many  Des  Moines  fellows  out  of  com- 
mission. 

Stuart  Herald.  The  change  in  the  superintendency  of  the 
Des  Moines  police  department  from  Zell  Roe  to  John  AlacV'icar 
is,  we  fear,  a  change  in  name  only.  If  the  city  of  Des  Moines  is 
expecting  any  reform  in  its  municipal  business  the  probability  is 
it  will  be  disappointed.  At  this  distance  it  looks  as  if  nothing 
short  of  the  "firing"  of  that  whole  bunch  of  politicians  will  ac- 
complish any  reform  worthy  of  note. 

Dubuque  Times :  Down  at  Des  Moines  the  head  of  the  de- 
partment of  public  safety  asked  for  an  automatic  patrol.  He  has 
one  auto  he  uses  for  personal  use  and  the  way  he  uses  it  should 
preclude  the  possibility  of  supplying  him  with  another.     Verily 


Il8  ^ALLACIKS  OF  THE  DKS  MOINES  PLAN 

the  commission  plan  is  great  when  it  allows  occurrences  of  this 
kind. 

Mitchellville  Index :  It  would  appear  to  an  outsider  that  the 
Des  Moines  police  force  is  entitled  to  a  leather  medal. 

Adel  News :  There  was  a  red-hot  street  car  strike  at  Des 
Moines  Saturday,  much  rioting  occurred  and  considerable  dam- 
age done  property.  The  head  of  the  public  safety  department 
practically  invited  riot  and  mob  violence  by  his  announcement 
that  the  city  would  not  protect  the  street  cars  when  manned  by 
strike  breakers.  The  resulting  damage  invited  by  this  unheard  of 
position  will  be  paid  for  by  the  taxpayers. 

Webster  City  Freeman-Tribune :  If  the  Des  Moines  plan 
had  been  known  by  some  other  name  it  would  have  stood  a  better 
show  of  winning  out  in  Council  Bluffs. 

Bremer  County  Independent :  What's  the  matter  with  the 
government  of  this  city  of  90,000  people,  whose  slogan  is,  ''Des 
Moines  Does  Things?"  We  looked  for  better  things  from  a  city 
which  has  been  boasting  for  four  years  about  its  splendid  gov- 
ernment by  commission.  It  must  have  been  a  sure-enough-sad 
spectacle  when  the  head  of  the  Des  Moines  police  drove  through 
the  streets  of  the  city  receiving  the  loud  acclaims  of  the  m'obs, 
after  they  had  been  two  nights  in  uninterrupted  control  of  the 
streets !  Des  Moines  ought  to  do  things  and  not  talk  quite  so 
loud ! 

Ochevdan  Press :  "A  few  drinks  and  you  are  drunk  in  this 
town,"  is  the  way  a  man  explained  his  arrest  to  the  police  judge 
in  Des  Moines  the  other  day.  Add  one  more  kink  to  the  Des 
Moines  plan. 

Stuart  Herald:  Zell  G.  Roe,  commissioner  of  public  safety, 
must  have  had  an  eye  to  the  next  election  the  stand  he  took  in 
the  strike  matter.  Union  labor  is  for  him  to  a  man.  That  Des 
Moines  is  a  strong  union  town  is  now  true,  and  that  Roe  has 
clinched  things  for  himself  seems  equallv  true.  Whether  he 
was  really  playing  politics  matters  not,  the  result  to  him  person- 
ally will  be  the  same. 

Perry  Advertiser:  Councilman  Roe  of  Des  Moines,  wants 
to  put  tail  lights  on  buggies  now.  What  a  good  many  people 
of  that  city  would  really  like  best,  if  published  statements  are 
true,  is  a  tail  light  on  the  police  department  man,  and  have  it  vis- 
ible only  as  a  faint  glow  in  the  distance. 


Uks  MoiNKs  Does  Tiiincjj. 

Altliouft^h  l)es  Moines  has  been  a  jj^cx)d  business  center  for 
years,  and  outgrown  ail  other  cities  in  the  state,  many  obstacles 
prevented  it  iK'in;^^  the  place  of  importance  rightfully  belonging: 
to  it.  There  had  hec»i  a  sort  of  "divisive  strife."  pull  and  haul 
as  it  were,  l>etween  the  residents  on  either  side  of  the  river,  but 
some  years  ajjo  its  i>eople  learned  such  foolishness  had  to  cease, 
and  with  that  resolve  it  had  a  new  birth.  The  citizens  began  to 
pull  together ;  ncwsj)apers  took  up  the  good  work ;  property  hold- 
ers and  business  men  began  a  system  of  working  for  the  city  as 
a  whole  instead  of  working  against  it  in  factions :  a  crusade  of 
visiting  manufactories,  sch(X)ls  and  business  houses  was  inaug- 
urated and  a  reign  of  harmony  set  in;  strife  was  forgotten  and 
all  became  unitefl  in  business  affairs  and  the  welfare  of  each 
other. 

Since  that  time  every  business  concern  has  enjoyed  in- 
creased prosperity ;  private  and  public  affairs  have  been  pushed 
with  vim  and  vigor;  old,  dilapidated  shacks  have  given  way  to 
eight  and  twelve  story  structures,  factories  built  and  alf  the 
dififerent  lines  of  trade  given  forcible  impetus.  Concrete  bridges, 
an  army  post,  paved  streets,  parks,  club  houses,  factories,  via- 
duct, coliseum,  court  house,  city  hall,  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  Y.  W.  C. 
A.  buildings  are  inklings  of  the  many  acquisitions  since  the  peo- 
ple began  working  together  in  a  comimunity  spirit.  Energy, 
push  and  harmony  took  on  special  rivalry  and  the  city  became 
famous  as  the  place  that  **Dt)es  Things." 

Now  that  the  future  of  Des  Moines  is  assured,  along  comes 
the  apostles  of  commission  government  with  the  loftiness  of  a 
financier  whose  wife  supports  the  family  by  toiling  over  the 
wash-tub,  and  arrogate  to  their  three  years  of  extravagant,  in- 
efficient, bickering  system,  all  the  good  things  the  city  has  ac- 
complished in  the  past  and  present.  To  add  further  to  this 
manner  of  assumption  a  couple  of  self-constituted  clubs  purport- 
ing to  be  purely  philanthropic  with  a  divine  right  to  manage  all 
civic  affairs,  cause  more  or  less  friction.  Their  actions  in  some 
instances  have  been  beneficial  and  if  not  so  arrogant  organiza- 
tions of  such  character  might  receive  the  friendly  assistance  of 
all.  In  the  selection  of  those  put  in  charge  of  their  affairs  it 
would  seem  they  have  been  unfortunate  jiulging  from  things  ap- 


I20  FALLACIES  OF  THF,  DKS  MOINES  PLAN 

pearing  in  the  city  papers  occasionally,  a  few  of  which  are  as 

follows : 

News,  August  22,  1911 : 


''Answers  Bolton's  Ad  ;  Now  in  Jail. 

''Herman  Lehr,  20  years  old,  was  in  police  court  this  morn- 
ing on  charge  of  having  defrauded  the  Sabin  house  of  $12  board 
bill. 

"Lehr  told  his  story  to  Judge  Van  Liew  as  follows : 
"I  lived  in  Boston  and  saw  advertisements  about  Des  Moines. 
I  wrote  to  Ralph  Bolton  of  the  Greater  Des  Moines  committee, 
and  he  informed  me  that  I  would  have  no  trouble  in  getting  a 
good  job  here.  I  got  here  and  went  down  to  see  Mr.  Bolton. 
He  was  glad  to  see  me.  He  slapped  me  on  the  back  and  said : 
'Well,  my  boy,  there  is  $19,000,000  worth  of  property  out  here. 
Get  out  and  get  some  of  it.'  " 

The  following  unique  notice  in  the  Register  and  Leader  Sep- 
tember 24,  191 1,  is  said  to  be  the  result  of  a  part  of  Mr.  Bolton's 
activity : 

WANTED,  A  Master — Young  man  with  good  references, 
willing  to  work,  will  sell  himself  into  slavery  for  his  keep.  I 
have  got  to  eat.  State  best  price.  John  Shorts,  Gen.  Del.,  City. 
November  13,  19 11. 

Here  is  another. 

Editor  Capital :  "There  appears  to  be  different  opinions  as 
to  the  booster  committee's  boosting  and  not  boosting,  and  the 
evidence  is  not  hard  to  get.  Almost  anybody  in  this  city  has 
seen  Des  Moines  advertised  in  magazines  and  newspapers  in 
the  east.  I  have  this  week  spoken  to. four  persons  from  the  east 
— Boston  and  Philadelphia — all  of  them  loafing  in  the  city  and 
cursing  sometimes  the  name  of  Ralph  Bolton.  Two  gentlemen, 
one  a  printer  and  one  a  shipping  clerk,  after  reading  the  maga- 
zines and  corresponding  with  our  booster  committee,  just  pulled 
stakes  and  made  a  bee  line  for  the  golden  city,  and  are  here  yet. 
They  admit  that  possibly  they  can  get  a  job  digging  ditches  at 
$1.75  to  $2.00  a  day,  but  a  contractor  who  has  something  to  dig, 
likes  to  get  men  who  know  how  to  dig,  or  nothing  doing.  The 
two  gentlemen  have  one  great  desire — to  put  their  hands  on 
somebody  looking  like  Ralph  Bolton  before  leaving  the  golden 


city,  and  they  promise  a  gcx)(i  show.  1  aiiinit  I  would  like  to  see 
the  show,  and  there  are  others.  The  two  men  can  likeiy  l>c  lo- 
cated at  the  Graeffe  house." 

G.  CAMERON. 

Daily  Capital :  "Supervisor  Mally  in  a  signed  statement 
takes  a  'fierce'  slap  at  Secretary  Botsford  for  his  attack  upon 

the  board.    He  says  in  part : 

'I  notice  one  Mr.  Geis  Botsford,  appears  as  one  of  the  plain- 
tiffs and  in  connection  therewith  he  has  been  quoted  very  liberal- 
ly in  newspapers  as  critic  of  alleged  unbusiness-like  methods  of 
the  board  of  supervisors.  In  this  connection  permit  me  to  say 
that  I  am  satisfied  no  one  in  the  county  is  in  a  better  position 
to  testify  as  to  the  unbusiness-like  metliods  of  the  board  of  sup- 
ervisors of  Polk  county  and  to  my  knowledge  the  only  unbusi- 
ness-like methods  ever  adopted  by  said  board  was  with  refer- 
ence to  a  transaction  with  this  distinguished  gentleman,  whereby 
it  permitted  him  to  become  a  debtor  of  the  said  county  to  the 
extent  of  several  thousand  dollars  for  rent  arising  out  of  a  lease 
for  the  construction  of  a  fence  around  the  new  court  house  while 
the  same  was  in  process  of  construction,  and  the  only  thing  that 
the  county  has  been  able  •  to  get  from  this  windy  and  loud- 
mouthed critic  is  an  unsatisfied  judgment  for  $2,47043,  entered 
May  5,  1907,  in  law  docket  (36)  No.  16,326. 

'Attorney  John  Halloran  for  the  lx)ard  of  supyervisors  will 
probably  be  ordered  by  the  board  members  this  afternoon  to  levy 
an  execution  against  the  property  of  Secretary  Geis  Botsford 
of  the  Des  Moines  Commercial  club  to  satisfy  a  judgment  of 
$2,47043  in  favor  of  Polk  county.  Supervisor  Paul  Mally,  one 
of  the  country  members  of  the  board,  expects  to  introduce  the 
resolution.  Supervisor  Mally  expressed  his  belief  that  Super- 
visors Morris  and  Rackman  would  support  his  resolution.  Super- 
visor Mally  started  to  introduce  the  resolution  this  morning,  prior 
to  the  noon  adjournment,  but  other  members  of  the  board  urged 
him  to  hold  it  until  this  afternoon. 

'Secretary  Botsford  of  the  Commercial  club,  owes  Polk  coun- 
ty $2,470.43  for  lease  on  the  billboards  around  the  court  house, 
and  we  got  judgment  against  him  in  the  district  court, ^'  declared 
Supervisor  Mally  today.  "We  never  knew  that  the  judgment  was 
any  good.  We  did  not  think  that  Secretary  Botsford  owned 
any  property  in  Des  Moines.     We  see  that  in  the  petition  of 


122  FALLACIES  OF  THE  DES  MOINES  PLAN 

suits  filed  against  the  board  of  supervisors,  he  claims  to  be  a 
taxpayer.  If  he  is,  we  propose  to  collect  the  money  he  owes  the 
county.'  " 

Much  depends  on  the  men  in  control  in  any  style  of  gov- 
ernment. If  they  are  righteous  the  government  cannot  be  very 
bad ;  but  if  those  chosen  are  persons  incapable  to  manage  their 
own  private  affairs  or  who  are  political  tricksters  who  seek  of- 
fice for  sporls,  the  government  whatever  the  form,  is  destined 
to  failure.     In  other  words,  government  is  what  we  make  it. 

Depraved  men  seek  that  sort  of  government  best  suited  to 
make  boodling  and  graft  convenient.  The  Des  Moines  plan 
opens  hitherto  unheard  of  avenues  for  such  ill  results ;  the  man- 
ner of  selecting  officials  and  employes  is  such,  that  with  rare 
exceptions,  it  must  be  difficult  to  procure  the  best  talent,  per- 
sons with  a  sense  of  high  citizenship  or  those  with  a  devotion  to 
public  service.  The  feverish  eagerness  for  "change"  and  novelty 
which  possesses  men  at  times  is  wonderful.  The  American  is 
infinitely  restless ;  it  is  hurry,  hurry,  hurry,  bordering  on  nervous 
fidgets. 

It  was  he  who  invented  that  triumph  in  the  achievement  of 
two  opposite  things  at  once — the  rocking-chair.  So  restless  is  he 
that  even  when  resting  he  wants  to  be  moving,  and  his  accom- 
plishment of  this  infernal  engine,  the  rocker,  in  which  he  is 
obliged  to  remain  in  one  place  for  a  time,  he  can  indulge  in  a 
continuous  movement  which  does  not  advance  him  an  inch.  It 
is  this  nervous,  fidgety  race  for  speed  and  the  novelty  of  change 
that  makes  the  thorny  path  of  commission  government  possible. 

Of  course,  much  that  has  been  here  written  is  of  local  af- 
fairs, and  should  not  concern  outsiders  materially  except  in  so 
far  that  it  shows  how  the  commission  plan  works  when  its  ma- 
chinery is  properly  oiled  and  running  smoothly.  That  it  is  an 
experiment  is  the  mildest  temi  that  can  be  given  it;  that  it  is  a 
costly  contrivance  is  well  known  even  to  those  who  indulge  in 
extravagant  statements  of  saving,  and  who  credit  themselves 
with  improved  conditions  that  do  not  exist.  If  the  moderate  sup- 
porters of  this  system  of  government  wherever  tried — which 
is  a  large  majority  of  those  voting  for  it — ihad  an  opportunity 
to  express  their  minds  again  at  the  polls,  they  would  regard  as 
bastv  their  former  action. 


INDEX, 


Page 

An  Evolution  of  the  Galveston    Plan  i8 

A  Few  Impositions 36 

A  Cunning  Pieceof  Sag-acity 24 

A  Shell  (laine „ 25 

A  Few  Lovely  Bouquets  116 

Appeals  When  Discharged 47 

Alexander's  Hobby  in  Governments 9 

Abraham  Tried  the  Commission  Plan 7 

Absurdities  to  Contemplate 42 

Aristocracy  or  Democracy,  which  ? _ 19 

Automobiles,  expensive 72,  73,  75,  76,  112 

Automobiles,  how  they  are  used iii,  112 

Appointments  Made :  31 

Bailey,  City  Attorney,  on  Des  Moines  Plan  .  68 

Brief  Narration  of  Des  Moines _ 14 

Beauty  Unadorned  in  Galveston  Plan „ 19 

Change  in  Government  Along  the  Tiber 8 

Change  in  Government  Often  Necessary ,  13 

Change  Brought  Trouble  to  Alexander 7 

Changes  Should  be  Slow  and  Deliberate 1 1 

Changes  in  Our  Constitution. 12 

Changes  in  i860 12 

Commission  Government  an  Imposition 17 

Complications  of  the  Law -■  20 

Control  of  Affairs  Too  Far  Removed 21 

Civil  Service,  how  it  works 113 


INDEX. 

Page 

Civil  Service  Rules _ 45 

Council  Has  Legislative,  Executive  and  Judicial  Power 95 

Council  Boss  of  Civil  Service  Board 49. 

Council  Proceedings  Not  Published 54 

Cost  of  Public  Improvements  Compared..... 67 

Cost  per  Capita  Increased 61 

Compared  With  Board  of  Directors 29 

Causing  Vacancies  for  Friends ,. 47 

Des  Moines  Charter 89 

Des  Moines  Does  Things ! 119 

Des  Moines  Plan  a  Hybrid 19 

Did  not  Originate  in  Des  Moines , ^ 18 

Dictates  to  Civil  Service  Board 46 

Denver  Times  Writes  of  Secret  Sessions 39 

Deprives  Voter  From  Right  of  Choice 24 

Department  of  Streets  Frugality 73 

Department  of   Finance   Savings 71 

Department  of  Safety  Free  With  Money 72 

Department  of  Public  Property  Free  Hand 76 

Department  of  Public  Affairs  Economy 69 

Economy  Practiced  by  Government  Commission 69 

Expert  Fees no 

Evolution  of  the   Galveston   Plan..-. „ 18 

Elimination  of  Ward  Lines ~ 21 

Former  Politicians  All  on  the  Job 53 

Frugal  Aspects  of  the  New  Way 115 

Government  Placed  With  Three  Despots - 23 

Government  in  Some  Form  Always  Existed 6 

Governed  by  Three  Men,  Not  Five..... 2.^ 

Grievances   Straightened  Out 56 

Gov.  Wilson's  Views  on  the  Ward  System 22 


INDEX. 

Page 

Hasty  Innovations  in  Government 5 

How  Partisan  Politics  are  Eliminated „„ -o 

How  the  Plan  Works  in  Other  Cities „ s^ 

Hobson's  Choice  25 

Hij^h   Standards   Uetcnoratiiig 114 

Initiative,   Referendum   and   RecalL 79 

Junkets  at  City  Expense 72,  73,  74,  112,  113 

Library,  some  peculiar  expenses. ; „  -jy 

I-^egislative,  Executive  and  Judicial  Combined.  107 

Looking  for  Changes  in  i860 12 

Look  on  This  Picture,  Then  on  That 32 

Market  House — 70 

Machine  on  Election  Day 52 

Mayor  Hanna  Deplores  Conditions 24 

McVicar  Former  Burgomaster ^ 52 

Matrimonial  Bureau  Established „ „ „ 1 16 

Mules  Lender  Commission  Government l „..  74 

Merit  System  „ J.„ „ ™  45 

New  Plans  With  Romulus  and  Remus..™ _ 8 

New  Plan  With  Alexander 9 

New  Plan  Run  City  $50,000  in  Debt „ 79 

Napoleon  Loved  Change  in  Governments ,. _.„ 10 

Not  Des  Moines  Origin 1 7 

No  Responsible  Head .„ 60 

Offices  Filled  With  Politicians „..  36 

Offices  Created  „.. -  31 

Organizations  to  Further  Plan „ 109 

Other  Dangers  Encountered _ _~ 109 

Partisan  Politics  Not  a  Lost  Art ™ - -- —  53 

Paterson  Call  Writes  of  Secret  Sessions — 41,  87 

Preface  „ i 


INDEX. 

Page 

Primaries 25 

Provisions  to  Abandon  the  Plan 83 

Property  Values  Increased  for  More  Tax 61 

Power  to  Create  New  Offices 32 

Politicians  in  Favor  of  the  Plan 109 

Plan  Rejected  in  Several  Places 89 

Politics  and  Politicians  in  the  Saddle 49 

Prof.  Herriott  on  Commission  Government 8 

Representation  or  No  Taxation 22 

Responsibility  Assured  5,  59 

Resembles  Solomon's  Government 1 8 

Referendum,  Initiative  and  Recall j^ 

Savings  Claimed  to  Have  Been  Made 05 

Salaries  Boosted  Under  the  New  Plan 32,  35 

Secret  Sessions 38,  44,  87. 

Serving  Legal  Notices  Expensive 70,  73 

Some  Loopholes  26 

Some  Absurdities  to  Contemplate 42 

Solomon  Tried  the  Commission  Plan 18 

Street  Car  Checks  for  Parties 70 

Street  Department  Irregularities 74,  75 

Taxes  Increased  60 

Troubles  of  Adam  With  First  Government _ 7 

Troublesome  Questions  Ahead  of  Us 5 

Vice  is  Protected - 1 14 

Voters  Disfranchised  3^ 

Ward  Lines  Eliminated 21 

Where  We  Shine - no 

Which  System  Most  Likely  to  Elect  Efficient  Men no 

Why  Governments  are  Organized ^ 


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