New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-09
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT IN AMERICA.

Fros The London If@es Dee r.
If P.rlian ertary Government is no longer to be
eon.dereo on "a trial certainly Municipal Institutions
Lave still 70 make good their claim TO superiority In
lie crest concerns VI raon every man Il interested
tie conduct theu is looked upon as iae highest duty
10 which stzen aspire, political Office coniers the
bis tet social pVstoD and without conferfng wealth,
bfines With il most Of what wealth buy. 1t may
be said that whatever be tie form of government ina
country a great number Of the first minds will devote
themselves TO political life, and the centralized despot
lam Of France the f.derative democracy Of the
United States viii be able 10 obtain supply Of compe
tent men as well rs the htUIed monarchy OF England
But unfortunately civic and municipal honors do not
attract a very hi order OF talents Why this should
be the eGse does notyery readily appear The present
Is certainly the aye OF great ciles every year the peo
ple of the two henri pleres becoming more and
more town-nhsbibng people. Commercial inter-
eats are bringing them together IN masses and forcing
them TO dwell within brick walls, where the air per-
meates slowly through courts ana aIieye, wheIe the
proximity to the lungs, where the rivers and springs
supplied by nature are poisoned by garbage or the
leakage Of drains or the o0ZIngs OF gaspipes where
tbe male face of children and the bowed foTmSs oil
women testify to the unhealthy influences which are
continually at work. One would think that the gov
eminent OF great city would attract the highest oraer
Of minds in this pbantbropic age and That men Wo1o
he willing TO quit the arena of party conflict the de-
hates on ConPi esses and nterventons and squabbes
at the other end of the world, TO attend to what Is
perhaps the most important domestic question which
can engage them. The future OF society depends on
AZ large proportion Of every civilized race IS coming
10 dwell within the limits Of towns, IL might well be
the pride of the distinguished citizen 10 take an
ee4iye uart in corporations and vestfles
Yet among both branches of the Anglo-Saxon race
The Government of towns seems 70 nave laeh mo le
hands Of an inferior order of men, la the United Saet
things certainly seem 10 be far worse than herei 9ut
IA AN evil Of the same kind and New-1 ORR IL Oly AL
exsQgerstion of London, American institutions are
veperally an exacgeraton of our own. The cry Which
< the real metropolis OF the United States appears now
20 have arrived at the utmost point OF bad government
no much 90 that the respectable community are eA-
tracing dit nal consolation from the state oil aiiars,
and saving that, as things cannot pOsslDy De WORSE,
they must now begin 10 mend The CITY - eerttniiy
the most remarkable result of wealth and enterprise
which the world has known. In an incredloiy snorI
space Of time il has rfen from the rank oi lehin'
rate town 10 be the third city in the world IN popula
ton and riches IN the last ten years the larger part
has been eatirely rebuilt marble and tfeestone
edifees Of great size, beauty, and costliness have
been substituted for the old brick houses BROAD
way has been extended for miles; vast PARK Of
nearly $50 acres " being laid out IN bat will be before
long The center Of the city; dwenghouses have been
built by thousands far exceeding 10 elegance aud COM
fort the average dwellings Of LOndoneIs; and New
York with It's suburbs now reckoning more than a
million Of inhabitants may look forward 70 being IN
the next generation not only the largest bat perhaps
the most beautiful, city in the world. All this has
beep done by private enterprise and IL the admnistrd
ton of the city had been in able and honest bands the
results would have been far extraordinary. But
nv ali accounts the municipality Of the city has always
been inefficient and corrupt. Tie highest olcers-the
Mayors. the Aldermen, and other dignitarles-have
been often OF dubious character or Of least mere
trading politicians who have risen by pandering to the
mob o yoteIx gn-singng in bars with the rnfdans OF
he town, and using their official power only.to put
money into the pockets OF themselves ana friends
The iobbeTy has been universal. Enormous sums
are rised Yearly, and there is result. The light
inc the having and the cleaning Of the streets are
paid for in the most extrayagsnt manner aud yet are
40 bad that they would Disgrace Little provincial
TIE odor even in the best parts, 10 intolerabe
4, hot American Summer. Even now .pigs ran a.
ost Wild in lie stress, and the dirt Of these animate