New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-22
or excuse.

Sir William Uarcourt has been in Office four
wears without having conspicuous opportunity
for displayiu, administrative ability. When
the Liberals were last in Opposition during
Lord Bcaconsfcld's Premiership, he was almost
the ONLY leader whose reputation was strength
cncd. His speeches were remarkable ior Gus
tie hlmor. power of invcctivc and intellectual
yigor. As phrase-maker he vas - ingenious
a. Lord Bcaconslicld himself; III polished cpl
grams and singing salcasmS he was not IN
fcrior 10 Lord Salisbury. His promotion to the
CaLirc. WAS one of the inevitable results OF the
Liberal triumph in 1850. H. has been. how
ever one of the quictcst ii-urcso the Minis
tcrial bench Iri.h legislation and foreign COM
Intentions have cnErp> scd the attention oI the
Government. and the few domestic measures
which have been added to the >,atu.e-b"oh>
have been committed to the charge OF other
Minister'S II was not until the Home Secretary
introduced the London Municipality bill that
h., ccuiu, foy constructive legislation became
apparent. His speech has been generally COM
pIimcntcd in England as a masterpiece OF
ucilty. sagdcity and political tact. Inc hu
itself has been fayol9ibly received on both
sides of the lou;c a. practical solution Oh u
most complex and difficult problem.
a.,
and It's one hundred and twenty-five square
milo. of hum1n ha5italions. constitutes ID nation
nv itself With the exception OF a -ir.ricd
area controlled by thc ancient City Corporation,
fiji, vast population has been without local
government in any tue municipal sense :"
William Harcourt provides fox these enormous
hives of human activity a single municipality.
Following existing lines and dIVdirE the
metropolis into thirty-uine districts, j" creates
AN elective council Of two hundred aud forty
members. to whom will be- delegated all the
functions Of municipal government This
Council absorb, all the powers OF the ancient
CORPORATION OF London the Metropolitan Board
of Works, the Commission Oi sewers and all
the local vestrcs-thuty-ninc administrative
bodies in all. This London Parliament will have
supreme executive authority, and while dele
eating some Of its functions 70 District COUn-
ellis. will always retain the ultimate control oi
all municipal matters. There will be District
Council in each of the thirty administm-
five areas already existing, and its members
will be elected on the same day a. the Common
Councillors. and for the same poriod-threc
years These District Councils will not have
any authority to tax or to raise money, but VIII
preparc estimates supervise expenditures ana
perform other functions. These subordinate
agencies may in time be suspended, for the
whole question as to the best division OF the
METROPOLITAN area for municipal purposes is re-
served for the consideration of the new Common
Council. and power is given il to rearrange the
districts and to redistrbute representatives,
Among Them The hest judges are convinced
that the smaller councils will ultimately be
suuerseded by a series of committees within the
great council.
The Home Secretary has taken every possible
precaution to dsarm opposition to this measure.
Nearly all the officials who are legislatcd ont
of being are provided for in the new scheme,
and education, police and licensing are excluded
temporarily from the operation OF the bill.
| Woun susceptibilties are sOothcd and
ancicp privileges recognized, and an aspect of
moderation and conservatism is impaired to
a very large measure efiecting tremendous
results. Yet the Home Secretary, with all
his dexterity cannot disguise the fact that
his is one of the most remarkable expert
mentS in municipal legislation and adminiStia
ton ever made. The creation of Il municipality
of q novel character for four millions of people
will be one of the great events of the genera
ton. The London Parliament will have
neither Cabinet nor Ministry, and with its
honorary and acting Lord Mayors will be
legislative and administrative body without
parallel in political history.