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Show CITY GOVERNMENTS. Once more the commission system of city government gov-ernment is brought to the attention of the people of Salt Lake by the activity of the Civic Improvement Improve-ment league. Whatever may be the ultimate outcome out-come of this activity.-it indicates a growing interest inter-est in municipal affairs, and a desire to investigate these new forms of government and learn about them. If the result of the investigation convinces the majority of the people that the commission system, sys-tem, as in use in Galveston, Houston, or the system as improved in Des Moines, offers a more economical econom-ical method of administering the affairs of Salt Lake, they no doubt will approach the next legislature legis-lature with confidence and secure a new charter for the city. As far as charters and paper laws go, the system sys-tem in use at Des Moines seems to be the most advanced. ad-vanced. How it operates and what results in economical eco-nomical administration are effected will have to be told at some future time, for the Des Moines plan has been in use only a short time. It was, however, how-ever, based on the Galveston idea, and as it represents repre-sents an improvement on that idea, the results should be more encouraging than those secured in the Texas city. And the results accomplished in Galveston, if measured in dollars and cents, seem to warrant the belief that economical government is one of the accomplishments. The Galveston News of March 7, 1907, estimated the saving for the six years of commission control as compared with the six years immediately preceding, at $1,200,000. It is also asserted that the tax levy and the assessment assess-ment valuations are lower than they were before the storm and the change in the form of government. govern-ment. And the feature that is most striking is the statement that more work has been- done on the lowered income and expenditures than ever before. The results are accounted for on the theory that business methods efficiency and honesty have superseded politics and inefficiency in the municipal munici-pal service. The Des Moines plan is considered the best and most efficient plan of city government yet devised. It represents "a government of, by and for the people" to its fullest extent, and that is what the American people want. The legislature of Iowa passed the bill giving all cities of the first class and all cities with special charters with a population of 25,000 or more, the privilege of organizing under its provisions upon presentation of a petition signed with a number equal to 25 per cent of the votes cast at the last preceding election. Four councilmen and a mayor are elected at large for a term of two years under the Iowa law. In case of vacancy it is filled by appointment by the remaining remain-ing members of the board. The council and mayor are given control ovtr the affairs of the city, and the executive and administrative powers of the council are distinctly set out and distributed among five departments, and each councilman is the head of one department. These departments are: Public Pub-lic affairs, accounts and finances, public safety, streets and public improvements, and parks and public property. It may readily be seen that, if something is done or something is not done, under this arrangement the responsibility, the censure as well as the praise, is easily bestowed upon the right person. There is no escaping it. The council elects a city clerk, a solicitor, an assessor, a treasurer, an auditor, a civil engineer, a city physician, a marshal, chief of fire department, depart-ment, a market master, a street commissioner, 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 all these officials hold their jobs as long as they attend to their business properly. . The salaries are fixed by the law; in cities of more than 00,000 inhabitants, the mayor gets $3,500, and each councilman $3,000. No secret sessions are tolerated, and all subordinates appointed to the ' city service are required to pass a satisfactory examination in the work that is to be required of them before the appointment is confirmed. Thfl good fellow with the' record of "getting out the vote" in his district has no show before the man of competence. Fitness for the position is the only requisite. Fitness includes mental and moral worth. Section 15 of the Iowa law says : "The council shall each month print in pamphlet form a detailed itemized statement of all receipts and expenses of the city, and a summary of its proceedings during the preceding month, and furnish 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." That is plain enough publicity to satisfy any citizen. Thert are undoubtedly many features of the new plan that will commend themselves to the people, peo-ple, and the whole scheme is worthy of study. The requirements of all cities are pretty much the same. Salt Lake needs what Galveston has accomplished a saving of $200,000 a year on its present expense ex-pense account, lower taxes anct lower assessments. If the commission plan will accomplish this, by all means, let us have that plan. We are all proud of Salt Lake for what it is today; with' the new plan of government we would have the additional incentive, in-centive, and our city could develop into its future greatness without so much talk of graft, and with men at the head who are among the most progressive progres-sive and successful of our citizenship. |