both administration and legislation are accomplished with accuracy
and dispatch. For instance, every spring for the last decade
carloads of "dagoes" with their dirt and disease have come to Cedar
Rapids. Every year protests have gone up to both mayor and council,
but without result. Cedar Rapids has adopted a commission form of
government. Last spring when the "dagoes" came the same complaints
went up as usual, that because of their insanitary methods these
people carried with them filth and disease. But the petitioners did
not go to the city council which met once in two weeks, nor were
they referred to a committee which met less often. They went
directly to the commissioners who had charge of the city health and
in less than twenty-four hours the "dagoes" had been notified to
either clean up or leave, and they left the city. But, say the
opponents of this plan, this could have been done under the old
system. To be sure, but the burning fact remains that in spite of
the protests of the people, it was not done.

In Houston the government was both inefficient and dishonest. For
years the annual expenditures had exceeded the income a hundred
thousand dollars. The city adopted a commission form and a four
hundred thousand dollar floating debt was paid off in one year out
of the ordinary income of the city. At the same time the city's
taxes were reduced ten per cent. In the health department alone
there is a saving of from $100 to $150 per month, while a
combination in the operation of the garbage crematory and pumping
station saves the city $6,000 annually. These results have been
accomplished under a commission plan by the application of common,
everyday business principles.

Galveston adopted a commission plan, and although its taxable values
were reduced twenty-five per cent by the storm of 1900, yet within
six years its commissioners not only put the city on a cash basis,
made improvements costing $1,000,000 annually, but actually paid off
a debt of $394,000 which had been incurred by the old council, and
all this was accomplished without borrowing a dollar, issuing a
bond, or increasing the rate of taxation. Other cities which have
adopted a commission plan are accomplishing equally as beneficial
results. Hence, we maintain that the commission form of city
government is sup