, 1877-12-30
CITY GOVERNMENT.

| Lecture by L. L. Bond Before the rhI1o-
soph1cnl Society.
The Philosophical Society met last evening in
| their rooms corner of State ana Washington
streets, Mrs. Ellen N. Shedd in the chair. Mr..
L. l.. Bond read d paper on "City Govern
mcnt: Its Proper Constituency, Organization,
and Powers y asynopsis Of which is appended.
The speaker defined city as being legally
any collection Of people having By charter or
immemorial usage authority to make and adj
minister laws, and to collect revenues for local
purposes. Popularity city is large collec-
ton of people located within small compass,
aud there IS usually associated with 6uoh idea
that of some Importance IN trade, manufac-
lures, extended social opportunities, ETC.
After somewhat elaborate consideration Of
the ancient cities OF Rome and Greece, their rise
and progress, aud the causes Of their fall, Mr..
Bond discussed the relation Of the city to the
State under the Republican form OF Govern
vide for local self-gorerntneft the State has to
!" sub-let" certain powers to tho city,
which p-occss is commonly accomplished by
grant usually called charter. This charter,
In law, is binding on the recipients, but not on
the grantor. THIS creates trouble, for the con-
stant tinkering OF this instrument which is GO
lug on in the State Legislature affords fine
field for sehemers and public plundcrers. HUI
man wisdom is probably not sufficient to gay
and the State Capitol, but it is amply
sufficient to draw better line than the exislng
one. Albany has greater responsibility 1of
the stealings aud debt Of New YORK C!ty than
tue government Of the latter has. 1n Illinois
taken By limiting the amount OF debt which
municipalities may contract. But for this con-
stitutionaLprovis the great tire and the nara
times would have giren Chicago debt
nual levy to pay interest Of Two or three
millions of dollars. An absolute prohibition
of debt and q per centum Limitation Of e1-
penditures or revenue would seem to DC sulA~
Cieut safeguards for the protection OF property.
In order to properly conduct CITY government
prompt payment Of taxes is essential, and
when there is no principle at stake the man
who is uhle to pay, and rcfuscato ~ ~ t oC es-
tuurr.; 1ltjnat tlae Iechnicallties, II no oestcI
In Speaking OF the duties OF cities to protect
OF treating free citizens as children, re-
uuiriug constant watching. The whole theory
Of inspection OF fruit, flour, and
fish, and the multiplication OF offices, was de-
institutions and absolutely hurtful to the peo-
pie This supposed necessity OF dependence on
the State degrades the people, 1nakes them
carcless Of their votes, and leads to corruption
not stuffed BY the criminal class, but by the
men who believe Government should take care
OF them. Tie only remedy for the egils which
baye crept into elections is ny educating the
people into self-reliance and Individual respon-
sibity.
!: Civi-Scrvice reform is to be commended SO
far as it represents an effort to break the idea
that government is organized for the purpose pf
making places for oilicchodeEs, and that offices
are rewards to BE- divided out by the chiefs OF
successful classes or Rugs. But where it Is car
ried to the extent OF making u privileged class
"a few to take care OF the 1nanT-it is anti
Republican, aud will eyentuate In more difficult
ties than those it is designed to remedy. The
blind following OF dc1nasogues Is often found
in cities, and although this not so true
Of Chicago as formerly, little
more OF The 0reaking-up process would not hurt
the city, for the schcmers are always on hand.
One great difficulty is that few really able men
give lny attention to municipal affairs. Some
more into the suburbs to escape personal taxes
and for other reasons, and thereby disqual1fy
and disfranclse themselves Othersare So full
OF business thut theE cannot chord the time,
aud still another class have IN idea that there is
itics. II some respects the press mist
be blamed for its indiscriminatc as
sau1ts upon officials. Respectable men
say, t'Do you think 1 am foul enough to give
one-lon7th Of my time to the city Tor the prly- ~;
ilcee OF being called a thief once every wceks'f
In regard to the functions OF municipal gov
ernment, the lecturer held that It VAS unprotita-
bic 10 attempt to Use the law to force people in
nlattcrs OF habit or belief. The theory that
proyidencc needs assistance in tho work OF re-
forming and clepatjng humanity, while contain
iur perhaps the best Of intentions, leads to the
ycry poorest results. The best form OF city
government is that which follows the constitu-
tioual Iorm,' a division Of power INTO the
cial. The responsibility for the first should
rest on one individual, and If the business
should be too vast for him to attend TO details,
they should be left to heads Of departments,
nrSII II,x$t hH
tive. Boards at the heads OF departments are
USUALLY inefficient, always uncertain, anu inc
division OF responsibility makes it difficult TOT
either the law or public opinion to reach them.
EXECUTIVE subdivision without complete anbor-
injurious to both the efficiency and certainty OF
the Government.
these bodies should always have membership
rs large Us eau be had without becoming IN
wicldy. Whether the legislative branch in acity
should be divided into two houses is an open
question, In small city two houses. are con-
stant!y not needed. A second house Is some~
times check on bad Legislation, and may De nee
essary when Legislatures meet annually or at
longer periods, us in such cases an evil or mis-
take cannot be too quickly remedicd But IN cities
where tue proceedings Of the Council are laid
before the public next morning ~ an enter
prisirg nress, the press and people form the
second house, for all acts may be reconsdered
at the next regular meeting. 4 single house has
also.thc great merit OF economy. l should be
larac, both for wisdom and safety. The Old forty
eight Supervisors Of Cock County would never
accused of doing. In the last case eight men
aSs arc the Board, While in the first it vas twenty
tivc. Eight men can form a close ring; with
twcntr-tive it was much more difficult, il not
impossible. There is no compromise between
one man and large body. and Cook County
wants either oDe man or fifty. An additional
Alderman from each ward might be an improve
ment.
Goycrumcnt. that is largely retained BY the
State. The Judges are elected under State
laws, and the Justices Of the Peace ana Police
Magistrates are selected by those Judges;
the best so far devised, the next inquiry would
he how many officers were needed in each d.
Vision. This has already been partly answered:
the number Of heads of departments uu-
1as him determined By the size, location,