, 1875-01-03

success But ho was man for a that and a
that.
CAN OUR GREAT CITIES GOVERN THEM
SELVESP
City-government and Ring government hAve
become Synonymous in tho ninety ninth year
of our existence as nation. New York has
its Ring, more subtle but not less dangerous
than tho dynasty Of SwEEsY and TWEED.
Corruption is making headway in Boston,
despite the sanctifying influences of Faneuil
Hall, Puritan blood, and Bunlcr-Hiu Monu-
ment. Brooklyn, Philadelphia, aro other
| ways Of spelling fraud and robbery. Cincin-
natl has its corrupt Ring, which steal every
thing on which they can lay their hands,
New Orleans is honey-combed with corrup-
ton st. Louis Baltimore, and San Francis
CO suffer terribly from the depredations Of
plundering Rings andrascally Common Coun-
ci1s. The press of Detroit, Cleveland, Pitts
burg, Indianapolis, Louisville, Memphis, Al
bany, Milwaukee, Buffalo, Washington, and
other cities Ct the second class, are continu-
nlly fl1cd with exposures and denunciations
Of Ring rascality in tho conduct Of their mu-
n;cipal affairs.
CAicngo has at least two Rings Zone OF
them called the County Board and might,
perhaps On q pinch. produce three or four
Rings within Rings. 4 glance over the coun-
try shows that our municipal institutions
scom on the verge Of breaking down Year
by year, the virus spreads end tleepons. Year
by yea, the government Of our great cities
o$r =,
stealing. In the District of Columbia, the
municipal system has thoroughly failed. One
e1pedient after another has been tried, end
has been perforce abandoned. 4 makeshift
in the shape Of q Board OF three Regentsuow
has control of the District, and Congress is
pehtioned to assume the municipal debt Of
IN unknown number Of millions of dollars,
but believed to e1coad thirtyl It is IN un-
fattcrins commentary On our boasted
free government, that where it flowers
most fully and bears its ripcst fruit, it fails
to control the berbarism that bids law de-
hance. Every largo city in Christentlom Ans
within it district in which the law can only
be enforced temporarily, and by police
force Of magnitude which cannot be per-
1nanently maintained. This union Of inef-
fciency and corruption isa most serious state
of things. If our municipal institutions
have failed to stand the strain Of single
century; if they are already in such a tot
tering, rotten state, what will they be twenty,
fifty, or 100 yoars hence?
Several remedies for the evils that prey
upon Us have been suggested. One school
Of theorists would have great city elect, BY
universal suffrage, n Mayor, who should serve
but year should appoint all his subordi-
Mates, as the President appoints his Cabinet
and should have powers limited only by the
charter under which he acts. In this case,
tho City Council-the body get apart for
=" stratagems and spoils would be happily
1cgislated out Of Office. The great power and
the equally great responsibility Of tho Mayor
atty would make it prize worth
striving for, and would insure the election
to it of honest and capable men, So,
at least, the theory runa. Another idce is
to treat a municipal corporation like any other
financial corporation. Men should DO giren
votes in proportion to the taxes they pay
regarded, in short, as tho stockholders Of the
concern. Tho advocates Of this idoa claim
that its adoption would allow TIE persons who
contribute the money to direct its expendi-
ture, and would prevent the ignorant, COM
munishc, criminal, end reckless classes Of
the community from domineering over tie
intelligent, and honest, and thrifty. The
main objection to this scheme is that it would
a number Of persons, who
would then, like the unenfranchised
classes in England, take 81 active part
in rioting on election day, and use blud-
geons instead of ballots to promote the sue
cess of their favorite candidates. To meet
this drawback, third scheme hns been
urged It ia the introduction of graded |
suffrage with property qualification, after
tho Prussinn plan. This plan is substantially
rs follows: Each electoral district returns
three members to the Prusaian Ldndstag |
Parliament). The districts are 50 marked |
out that esch pays about the samo amount |
OF taxes. The voters in zach ara divided into |
three o1nsses. Tho first consists Of the men,
rcckoned from tho heaviest taxpayer
who between them pny
one-thizd Of the taxes. Tho second is |
formed Of tho ,a,na11er taxpayers, rscltoned !
downwards In ordsr from tho last |
mnn Of tho first, who together contribute |
another third Of the aggregate tax. Tho |
third class comprises eli tho other men in the !
dietict. Each class returns ons Represonta-
i've, II ton uaen or hundred men paid aknn. |