Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-11-09
ENGLISH CITY RULE,
The Result in Birmingham of Put.
ting Good Men Into Public
Places.
Florence Kelley in National Tribune 7

Florence Kelley in National Tribune1
Whatever the mysteries of the govern
ment of cities and towns the English people
have penetrated it, and there was no dissent
when Mr. Bright announced, at the opening
Of the Golden coffee house the other day.
that of all the legislation of his time. none
had proved more serviceable than the cor
poration act of 1885, under which Birming-
ham is still governed. The excellence of the
local administration, proclaimed to the new
conner by the superb architecture of the
centre of the city, is attested in detail
throughout a visit to every part Clean
streets, good drainage, pure water, effective
police, these things essential though they
are, and unattained as yet in the greatest
American cities-are fundamental necessi-
ties, secured as matters Of course in Birning-
ham.
Indeed, had Birmingham no other claim
to the attention of American travellers than
this, that from being squalid, unwhole-
some and disorderly abode, it is now, by its
own effort, possessed Of those four municipal
essentials, pure water, clean streets, good
drainage and effective police, Birmingham
would yet be one of the most instructive
places in all the world to which the admins
traitors OF American local government could
betake themselves. But these requisites are
merely the foundation of the Birmingham
municipal housekeeping. They are, as have
said, matters of course. While an American
traveller may look with envy upon these ar
rangements, a citizen of Birmingham, proud
OF his town, would point to wholly different
features as the reason of his priaa.
Happily for US, municipal administration
is at last receiving in America share Of the
thoughtful consideration which it demands
We may not, as nation, be quick to recog-
nize our defects. The fault of our cities,
however, can no longer be ignored, and their
gravity is, perhaps, not exaggerated by the
recent contributor to Harper's Monthly, who
announces that ''the government of our cities
is the stumbling block to our civilization u
Under these circumstances although the de-
scrlption of a well-governed city is not so ex-
citing theme as the sufferings which have
recently described, it is certainly no less sug-
gestiven
The government of Birmingham is con
Quoted by citizens of Birmingham. The the
DRY OF the government of cities upon the
principal Of local self control, subject to GER
tain general restrictions, is the same in Eng
land and America. The difference in results,
so far as [ have been able to discover, is the
direct outgrowth of the difference between
the people governed. In England, the
best citizens are proud to hold local
Offices, and their fellow men vie with
each other in doing honor to faithful
guardians of this vital trust. In this
statement there is no exaggeration. Mr..
Chamberlain, now member of parliament
and president of the board of trade, was
several times reelected mayor of Birming-
ham, and his fellow citizens, proud of his
career and grateful for his local service, have
erected charming shaft in his honor in the
space among the municipal buildings. Not
many steps removed from this stands the
statue of Mr.. Joseph Wright, whose sole
claims to distinction IS his long and faithful
service of his native Birmingham
Criticism of local measures is not wanting,
nor is it confined to the local press. Every
Englishmen, rich OF poor, wise or dull,
knows that the law, once made, will be en-
forced, be that law general or local; and he
watches the law-maker with careful criticism
in consequence. The position of the mayor
and corporation is no easy one, for the
Englishmen is proverbial grumbler But
faithful work is honored by profound respect
promptly expressed in social distinction, fol-
lowed sooner or later by long cherished fame.
Under these circumstances there is keen
stimulus to public service and local self
government develops noble men and admir-
able cities