rom
start to finish. They acknowledge the success of the commission form
but refuse to accept it as the proper form toward which American
cities should work. They have none to offer except a form which is
completely unknown in American cities and successful alone in Europe
under totally dissimilar conditions. We have shown that every vital
move for city improvement today is toward a commission form, both in
practice and theory. The gentlemen have sought to overthrow the
argument for the commission form, and yet suggest no possible
American substitute.

But the position is not only indefinite, but it is inconsistent. At
one time they say, "the commission form is working well in small
cities." In another they declare that the commission form ignores
the only principles which are at the basis of successful city
government the world over. Putting these statements together we must
conclude that the gentlemen who made the second statement failed to
hear the gentlemen who made the first. If they grant that the
commission form is successful anywhere in the world how can it be
that it is ignoring the only principles of successful city
government the world over?

But we would not be unjust to the gentlemen. They are not perhaps
altogether indefinite. They would keep the old mayor and council
plan but would have non-partisan primaries, uniform municipal
accounting, and publicity of proceedings. Non-partisan primaries and
publicity of proceedings they have stolen bodily from the
commission. We are grateful to the gentlemen for this hearty
indorsement of the material features of the commission form. As to
uniform municipal accounting, while it is just as possible under the
commission as under any other form of city government, its advocacy
by the gentlemen is inconsistent with their insistent demand for
municipal home rule. Who but the state can supervise a uniform
accounting of all cities? And the gentlemen have deplored state
interference.

Not only that, but the commission plan provides the necessary
responsibility whereby the citizens may know and participate in the
city government. In the first place the publication of monthly
itemized statements of all the proceedings is required. Every
ordinance appropriating money or ordering any street improvements,
or sewer, or the maki