The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-18
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY is, 1870.
LEGLSLATU-RES AND MUNICIPAL
OVERNMENTS.


THELegislature of Alabamarecently attempted
TO uproot the city government of Mobile, and
they succeeded 30 far that two municipal gov
ernments are now in full blast in that favored
locality. A new Mayor has been nominally
installed before the old one vacated his posi-
ton AS result the telegraph informs us
that ''Price (the old Mayor still holds his
courts and controls the police, while Harring-
ton (the Mayor created by the Legislature)
manages the clerical and legislative branch of
the city government" Harrington has called
for troops to enforce his authority, but the
Governor positively refuses to send them,
hardly know whom they should obey or what
mischiefs may result from the prevailing con-
fusion. In Philadelphia we have not yet
been placed in quite as bad position as the
people of Mobile, but from present indica-
tions we are rapidly approaching it. In the
decision given by Judge Sharswood on the
City Trusts bill, the principle is boldly enun-
ciated that ''the Legislature, acting for the
State, can resume all the franchises of the
municipality into its own hands" and the dis
position to exercise supreme control over
SO rapidly of late years that we
have only the semblance of a
local government left, and for all practical
purposes, except the fixing Of tax rates,
Councils might nearly as well be disbanded.
If the appeal from the decision of the Su-
preme Court Of the State in the City Trusts
bill does not prove successful, the control of
the Girard Estate will speedily pass into the
hands of committee created by Legislative
authority. A bill appointing Legislative
Committee to erect House of Correction
was recently hurried through the Legislature,
and it is said that it has already received the
signature of the Governor. The Police Com
mission bill was only defeated by an
unexpected veto. The Legislature now
has under consideration a bill affecting
the organization of the School Board.
From time to time the city is compelled to
incur heavy expenditures for the erection of
new bridges, or to give the use of her streets
gratuitously to chartered companies, by
Legislative authority; or the salaries of her
officials are unnecessarily increased; and,
practically, the doctrine is now fully accepted
that the city has no rights which the State is
either bound or disposed to respect. We do
not pretend that Councils on the one hand,
or the Legislature on the other, are always
either wright or wrong, but the prevailing
system of dividing authority gives to every
knavish proposition double chance of sue
cess, and in the long run it works
great injury to the interests of the
people. The theoretical control of the
city by the State practically means grant of
absolute power on local questions to the
Senators and Representatives of Philadel-
phia, when they are united, and although we
are not afflicted, like Mobile, with two
Mayors, we are sub bjsoted to two sets of con-
flicting authorities whose disjointed opera
tions produce scarcely less confusion than
would result from rival municipal govern
ments. When the ACT of Consolidation was
passed, it was commonly supposed that the
citizens of Philadelphia would be permitted
to govern themselves; but despite the care
displayed in preparing that act, itshas proved {
failure, and the whole framework of the
political organization of the city has since
been SO thoroughly reorganized by Legislative
patchwork that nothing but the shreds of th'
old charter remain. With each new year thu
Importance of municipal government in
creases with our rapid growth, our pressing
needs, our heavy debt and onerous taxation
and yet with each new year i
receives less attentive consideration, and be
comes more the sport of a battledore ant
shuttlecock game between Councils and tn
Legislature. For these evils cure could b
devised if the best men of both partie
applied themselves earnestly to the task
Guided by the light of past experience and
full knowledge of the existing defects, care
full inquiry would enable them to discover
remedy, and if it was embodied in a comprt
hensive bill which commanded popular al
proval, there is a fair prospect that som
future Legislature would be found willing
pass it, and that line of demarcation woul
thus be established between the authority
the State and the city, which would give
Philadelphia chance for progress and pro
perity. As matters are drifting now, ta
payers are compelled to pay all the local
penses that may be authorized either
Independence Hall or in the State CapitC
and if they wish to effect reform they mu
diffuse their energies in SO many directio
that their best efforts are well-nigh hopeles
An EFFORT is being made in the Legislatu
to have the mobilization of Bates "History