, 1879-03-05
HOW PARIS Is GOVERNED.

Complicated md Costly Neutrality-suspicious.
wiso Features, Aono Otl.er.slse.
PARIS, Feb. H." Municipal Paris might be
su!tnble title for large work, rs Paris IL a
province by Itself. have often wondered why
this book Inns not lccn written. We live in
rarla, VIC enjoy It's beauty, its splcrdors, aud we
hardly know low II IL really administered a,El
governed. Paris seems like that rrinccss of the
fntry tales who was dressed mid undrcssch every
day ty Invisible hands. Tho apparent Goycrn-
mcut OF Pnris-I mean It's Preicct ind hfs Alunic-
ipal CouneIl-aro only, 20 to speak, the tlgurc-
head Of tie ship which hns had for Its motto
aca The middle ages "Fluctuat, nccmcTgltur.'
st,oull like To show YOU what there Ia behind
this visible government, what there IL in the
ship itself.
Every ttreo years tho Inhabitants Of Paris
elect, by universal suffrage, Municipal Council
lors: there are In all eighty such Councillors.
Their very title shows them to be distinct from
thc administrators. Tiny arc only chosen 10
vote the supplies and to to,supcrvisc the employ
mont OF this public money. Their only chcck
OH the administrators is to vote more or LEGS
money, and this IL only true Of the expenses
which nro called optional, for thcru aru many
which ure Of IN obligatory character, aud whicl,
cal,, III consequence, be incurred without their
sanction. The eitt!ngs Of tho Municipal Couu-
eli, which take place now In the Palace Of the
Luxembourg, aro not public, hut d short ac-
count Of tlle proceedings Is sent to the news
papers. They take place every two days. Tho
Council Is subdtvilct into many committees; 1t
u always presided over by the prcfcct, who rep
rcscnts tho Central Government ot the Admin
lstratton.
It Is quito clear TINT city lIko rarls, which
1ns ah ainun! budget OF murc than forty mill
IONS Ut dullars. which hns 2 foreign tloatnE pop
uation Of 100, 600 mCn. which contains, though
1t IL not roninn'y tho political capital of tie
artistic, q aclcntiae capital, cnunot 10 governed
III tlle saIne why as little municipality. Paris
ias an Imperial character; Il may use wurd
ps governed BY ti.p Cha,ntora rather than by
Council nnInul BY tho ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF raris.
London IL really now administered by parlia-
inent; tho vestrlcs Of tt,e parishes and the goy-
crnsnont ot Tho city have bcen to great extent
under thu control ul PaFlAMeps. In Frat,eu ,yo
have ncyor considered eleetiyu Chambers as
capahlo, Of . good administration; We haye
istration. Tho Pfefcct Of Paris representa wllat
call tho political atl!ntn!stratton; he
il appointed by tllu Minister Of the INTERIOR who
Is practically chosen by the Chambers fnso
political pcrsonaee, llo rlaes and fails with a
Cabinet; but whto hts nr!gin may bo snid tu be
POLITICAL his powers DEPEND ouly on ceEtalniaws
weh a,e not eianEed ey asES sapFlse. When
scnts whole body OF misunderstanding dtsVosl-
t!ons: ho Inns the executive power, and all the
vngariss Of the Municipal Councillors do not
trouble hlm ln tle tc4st. l!o i ali tie more
called tho technical administrations, a branch
which has nothing political tn its ctaractcr 1t is
entirely tndependcnt Of politics: opcn,. .ter in.
Ministry oi TuGic Works." a.ii Ind chap
ter caltcd "D,rectlon ol Tic Works Of Paris