Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-01-22
WORCESTER
MONDAY. JANUARY &c. 1879.
a Theory Of City Govcrnment.

The exposures of corruption in the govern
ment OF New York city, and on smaller scale
in other municipalities, have put some specula-
five minds to work at the problem of dcvising
frame of government for cities which may he
trusted to secure an honest and effirieut admin
istration. suggestion on this subject, made
some time ago in the New York Nation, is elab-
GRATED at some length by writer IN the latest
issue of the Galaxy The theory on which he
bases his scheme is that city is not political
unit like the state or the nation, but u business
corporation, whose duty is not the government
of the people within its limits, but the manage
ment, to the best advantage, OF certain property
interests committed to it by the holders OF prop
erty for their mutual convenience and the com
mon good All the functions usually discharged
by city governments, except the support OF
schools and of the poor, are, he maintains, of
kindred nature with those of railroad or man
ufactunne company. The obligations in respect
TO schools and the poor might be so defined by
the laws of the state that the city would have
nothing to do but to provide the money and
superntend its disbursement. The other duties
of city, the paving and lighting of streets, the
supply of water, the laying out of PARKS, the
maintenance of a fire department and police
force, all relate TO the use or protection OF
property.
he streets and parks are taken from the
property of landholders, and the money for
them, as well as all other city expenditures, is
raised by the taxation of property. The fact
that people who have no property and pay no
taxes share in their advantages, gives them, in
the view of Mr. Butts the writer of the Galaxy
article, no right TO direct how much OF other
peoples money shall be spent for them, nor to
share in managing the expenditure. To him it
seems quite as reasonable that the persons who
travel ON railroad should elect the directors
and control its management. They should be
satisfied to enjoy the benefit, without making
that pretext for assuming the control of prop
erty in which they have no share. His theory
Therefore, leads him to the conclusion
that the government of cities rightly
belongs to the property owners. He thinks
also, that, by giving them this right, the evils
now SO conspicuous in the governments of great
cities would be corrected. The source of corrup-
ton is to be found in the ease with which igno-
rant and needy men can be deceived or seduced
to the support of unprlncipled leaders. Proper
ty owners are not willing to be cheated. They
know that the money for municipal expenses is
paid by themselves, and they will not consent
to have it thrown away or stolen. People who
pay no taxes do not know, Or do not realize,
that increase OF expenditure makes any addition
TO the burdens resting upon them. rhey feel
no interest in favor OF economy, and may think
lavshnesS an advantage 10 them.
Mr.. Butts notion is that in municipal cleo
tons each citizen should have one vote accord
ing to the present laws, and every person pay
ing lakes on property should have an additional
vote, Which he may cast, in person or by proxy,
for every certain amount, say five thousand del
lars, for which he is taxed Thus in New York,
Mi. A. I. Stewart, Mr. Aston, and Mr.. Wander
Abt might each have one thousand votes or
more, half dozen other persons perhaps some
hundreds each, larger namber would be en-
titled to one bundled votes apiece, and some
cl1sands would have from two to fifty or more A
1l S,yernment founded on such basis would
and OF, opinion moi only theo etcally just in
q and, but practically as nearly perfect in adj
aed1itleation as can he expected OF any human
anItion. We do not expect to see his plan
nled because it is too thoroughly undemocratic
in appearance ever 10 find favor with Ameri-
cans, and because, in fact, the people who pay
no taxes directly, do, whether they know it or
not, pay the cost of municipal, as well as other
governmental expenditure, in increased rents
and higher prices of living, and are, therefore,
To- rs.