The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-09-08
SOCIAL SCIENCE.
THE CONVENTION AT SARATOGA.
ft,ttrdH's ProersdInEs ottths ConvsntIon-Ab-
straet OF arapsr On Local Self Goverament
10 the Sorthwtst htAtts Rad by II.
ward ". Btmi,, Of Springfield.

SNhhtooAJ ctplthUcr i.-lue iueflcuu
Social Science Association resumed session
this morning with an address by C, A.
Peabody, OF New York. Papers were
read on Professional Ethics, by Theodore
Bacon, oil Rochester. Dsfra1cbisement
for Crime, by ]. +. Colby, New Haven;
Local self.Government In the Northwest
States, by L. W. Bcmis, Of Springfield,
Mass. Following Is synopsis OF his
paper: 4
Nothing has been written upon local
government in this country with the ex.
ception Of n paper read before the Social
Science Association in 1872, by L. NJ.
llaines, Of Illinois, and short article by
Galpin in walkers Statistical Atlns', in
1874; but several men ut Johns Hopkins
university are pursuing their investiga.
tions in this direction, aud the result may
be published iu two or three years.
The Northwest territory (now divided
into the States Of Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois, Michigan and wisconsin, may be
pro6tably studied as large area where the
two systems Of centralized and decentral.
lied power have been brought together.
The political development Of this territory
began after the evacuation by the British.
Michigan, which iirst adopted the town
meeting, Is worthy Of special study. We
notice throughout its history, not State
founded like Massachusetts with the
greatest self.government from the be.
| ginning, but with the despo,ic system of
France, and gradually gaining political
liberty. The change even from the con-
stitution OF 1885 to that Of 1850, is par
ticularly striking. Michigan wus the iirst
Suite Of the West to adopt the town meet.
ing. She has been followed in this
by Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois.
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois were
settled more largely by people
from Pennsylvania, Virginia and Ken
lucky, and naturally they have adopted
compromise system, similar in mlny re-
spects to Pennsylvania. Ohio and Indiana
have township officers elected by the peo-
pie, but few questions OF Legislative or
administrative character are submitted TO
the voters. In Illinois, however, in 1878, n
law was passed by which on vote OF the
electors Of county it might adopt town
ship organizations with power lodged in the
town meeting as in Michigan and Wiscon-
sin. Serenty-five OF the l02 have already
so voted, seven since 1870. A town meeting
in Michigan is thus conducted: On the
first Monday in April every male citizen
who has resided in the State six months
and in the township the ten days proceed
ing has theright OF participating. The super.
visor, the executive officer OF the township
presides, and he and the justice OF
the peace whose termio OF Office soonest ex.
pires and the township clerk constitute the
inspectors Of election. The electors. may
regulate the keeping and sale OF gunpow-
der, the licensing Of dogs and the main.
tainance OF hospitals, aud may order the
innoculation ofall in the township and
raise money for sustaining any suits in
which the town may become engaged, as
also for roads and bridges. the poor and
other township expenses The voters in
town meeting are also to decide how much
OF the proceeds OF the one mill tax on ev-
cry dollar OF the valuation shall be applied
for the purchase Of books for the township
library, the remainder going to schools
the annual reports OF the various town.
ship officers charged with the disburse-
ment of money also report at this time. In
short whatever concerns the township only
is in the control OF the people. Yet there
are some minor differences from the New
England town meeting. In Michigan the BY
laws and regulations are varied in charac-
ter, because that part Of the township
where the inhabitants are most numerous,
and for whose regulation many laws are
necessary, is set oil us an Incorporated vii
lage, rs In the central States, with provis-
ions for managing in large measure their
own aiairs, though in most SAtes subject
to the township in some things. Similar
powers are lodged in the town.meetings OF
Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois. Min
nesota rs u territory had the county sys-
tenn, there being no Incorporated town.
, ships. On becoming State in 1858 the
Illinois system was adopted bodily
changed again at the end of two years for
: the county system, but soon the New En-.
gland settlers compelled return to the
the township system. In some importan,
respects the New York town.meeting has
, less power than further West, as witness
the provision allowing the town highway
} commissioner TO expend $3.50 year with.
out the vote Of the town.
We have reserved 10 the close the con.
sideration OF the relations OF local govern.
mems to public education. A government
like ous, resting on public opinion, must
educate the voters. Convinced OF this,
Jefferson, Madison and others OF our early
statesmen drafted the ordinance OF May 90,
l7Sj, which gave one section OF land mile
square in every township in new States
and Territories for school purposes, 10 be
. kept rs an inalienable fund. In accord.
ance with this ordinance and that OF lS4S
!, introduced by Senator Douglas, which
gives tUo sections instead OF one, there
have been given to 10 States and Territnr.
les for primary school education over l06,-
900 square mies, or nearly as much as all
New England and New York. A wiser
provision was never made by government,
but its value is not confined, rs is usually
supposed, to its direct etIecls on pub.
lie school education. As the i'm.
migrants surged westward they found
a vast educational fluid awaiting
, them, but to secure its benefits local organ.
/ ization OF school districts and local taxa.
ton WAS necessary. The public fund was
not sufficient without but acted as grea,
stimulus. Now. what has been the resul. ?
Dakota has already 400 school districts
where the voters meet Mt annual and
special meeting 10 discuss and vote local
/ taxes for everything relating to school pur'
poses. In short the district meeting is
modelled after the town meeting for which
it is the fitting school,. In 1850, some s.,
. 900 of the 100 600 people in Southern
3 Dakota came from Michigan, Wisconsin
Minnesota, Illinois and other States which
! have complete local government, and the
town meeting has already been introduced
by popular vote in the more thckly settled
counties. Montana, equal in size to Da