National Republican., 1883-07-25


will not be the prime ohject-,just as the cti-
zens' committee did last winter, and as tho
school trustees always have here and else-
where The $4,000 saved by abolishing the
two commissioners would nearly pay them,
and with other reductions, that | am conf
dent could be made would fully do so. Such
a plan would give all sections Of the district
fair voice in the expenditure of the money
and in the general management of affairs. In
my opinion it would be the simplest, safest,
and best form of local government VIC could
have and il is all we need"
How would you select these officials, by
appointment or by elcctionY
"If could have my choice would have
the executive officer elected by the citizens
at large by general franchise but the council
l would have elected by the property holders
and those who pay rental of say $3.50 year
in their several districts. In brief, my idea
is that in municipal affairs those who pay
the taxes should have the control of how,
where, and for what the money should be eX-
pended. In other words, would adopt rs
near as might be the plan recommended by
the committee appointed in New York in
1877 to devise plan for the government
of cities in the state Of New York as recon-
mended by Gov. Tilden. and of which VIM.
M. Evarts was chairman / do not think
there has ever been in the United States so
full, thorough, aud satisfactory investi-
committee. Their report ought to DO read
by every man in the district, and would
gladly contribute for its publication in full
for tho information of the public. 1t is a
great mistake to suppose that universal
franchise exists in municipalities, 20 far as
financial matters are concerned, even in the
state of New York. For instance, in that
state there are some 120 villages which have
n local government, and in every instance
where their charters were granted by the
legislature the control of the financial con-
Germs was intrusted to the taxpayers alone.
SO you see the idea was not new one. 1t
exists, and has existed from the beginning
in one form or another nearly all over the
country, and in some it applies to state elec-
tions also"
But would congress give us such system
here2"
az think they would, provided the matter
could be fairly presented and considered, es-
pecially if the principal citizens would unite
in asking it, 1t might be that in view of the
fact that the United States is SO largely inter-
ested congress would insist that the executive
officer should be appointed instead of elected,
and if so l would not object"
Suppose they would not give us franchise
at all, or should insist upon making il uni
versal, then would you still favor the change
you have suggested ?"
Certainly would but if the members of
the council were to be appointed instead of
elected, the law should provide that they
should be appointed from the respective dis
tricts in which they might reside and upon the
recommendation of the property holders of
the district. | want a safe, intelligent, and
conservative government in which the people
shall have voice, and don't care SO much
about the manner as the matter of getting it,
If We can get it only with universal fran
chise, then would favor that; if by qualified
suffrage, then that; and if only by appoint
ment, then that The plan | suggest would
be the next thing to universal suffrage, be-
cause it would include first, all property
holders; second, all who pay rent of $50 u
month, which would include all mechanics
and the clerks in the departments, and would
exclude only the riffraff, or those who really
have no interest except to live off the better
portion of the community.
/ think il quite doubtful whether congress
would give it to us in any other form than
universal suffrage, because of the fear of the
use demagogues would make of their action
against them at home Some two or three
years ago this matter was discussed in a COM
mittee rosm by several members and citizens.
when one of the members present said I:
Gentlemen, | am satisfied that such gov
ernment as you suggest, based on qualified
suffrage, would be the safest and best govern
ment you could have; bht although have
about l,200 majority in my district, If |
should dare to vote for such a bill here my
opponents would beat me out of my boots on
the stump at home, by raising the demagogue
cry of manhood suffrage" on me- have
no doubt he was correct. 1t is because many
citizens think they see that same demagogue
spirit manifesting itself among those who are
prominent in urging universal suffrage here
that they hesitate or oppose it.
II long since learned by experience that
when man comes to me on business mat
ter and begins at once to try and impress me
with the fact that he is an awful good man
Il church member and all that sort of thing
| may expect that / am to be cheated, sure.
And so when l hear II politician, or man in
Office, saying that he has no AK to grind, no
friends to serve, &C., but is very persistent in
having his particular scheme adopted, | make
up my mind that he is not so disinterested as
he would have us beliove-not by good
deal. The cry of the dear people,, manhood
suffrage and similar catch phrases, are the
trump cards of professional politicians; aud
as | am not politician, though l formerly
took a very active part in politics, have no
patience with nor sympathy for such hum
buggery. | say very frankly | am inter
ested and it is because / am interested that l
take an interest in the efforts to secure a
better local government"
"How about delegate in congress?'
"If we could have a delegate entirely inde-
pendent of party and politics, think it
might be good thing, but that is not possi-
BILE. The only way he could benefit us
would be by calling the attention of congress
to our needs; but with the present financial
relation established and with such local
government as | have suggested, there would
be very little if anything, he could do. In
deed, our former delegate, Chipman, once
told me that about all he could do was to
listen to the appeals for aid in securing ap-
pointments under the district government.
On general principles and under the theory
of our national government, l think we
ought to have member in congress, if not
also in the senate. 1 never could see on what
ground the nearly two hundred thousand cti-
zens residing here can be justly deprived of all
voice in the national government But that
is entirely apart from our local government,
and has nothing to do with it. | am willing
to compromise by giving up that right pro,
vided we can have proper local government"
But it is said that many Of our citizens
are opposed to any change What have you
to say about that"
Il have this TO say, that those who make
commissioners and use them to advance their
own interests are of course opposed to any
| change, no matter what. Then, again, a good
many respectable and we'll meaning citizens
| who are not satisfied with the present govern
ment dread change because they fear 1t tmight
result in return to the condition of affairs
that existed under the board of public works
and the feather duster legislature rule. No
honest or decent man wants to see that. We
would all prefer the present condition of af-
| F.s, L.,I .k l. l... In fhAR n IA