Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-12-31
EFFORTS TO REFORM MUNICIPAL GOV
ERNMENT

CIV VuSollOho VI pOlltlCdl economy
have been more frequently or more intelli-
gently debated recently than that of mis-
management IN municipal government.
Just now the chief metropolis of the Pa
cific coast is wrestling with the subject,
and struggling for reform through the aid
of Board of Freeholders which is con-
structing a new charter, and this gives the
subject local interest. Among the more
forcible and exhaustive monographs touch
ing the subject is that by Mr. Crandon in
the Popular Science Monthly. 1t is a hope
full sign that such discussion is engaged in,
and that the people follow it with interest
1t is, however, one-sided, since there has
not as yet appeared any advocate of pres
ent systems, or any to excuse the confessed
disagreement.
Mr. Crandon points out that great cities
are essential to the development of inhu-
entail national life If the people realize
this TRUTH how shall we account for the
woeful neglect to reform the abuses that
have grown up in cities? Probably it is
not due to lack of interest in the national
life, or because of non-conviction of duty
but rather to the lack of courage which
has its root in self-interest. He must be a
brave man, indeed, who invites the pun
ishment disagreement will visit upon
those who attempt to GUST it from power.
Crandon holds, and correctly, that with
all our advancement there has developed
nothing that can be called the science of
municipal government. The evils of
municipal misgovernment are, first, the
legitimate fruit of systems in themselves
vicious, and to be remedied only by radical
change in government machinery; second,
those resulting from abuse and corrupt
use of proper and bene6cent agencies, and
to be remedied only by keeping the con-
troll in the hands of the best citizens.
Herein the essayist has diagnosed the case
What specifics, then, should be adopted
The simpler answer apparently is Gre
form the machinery as required, in the
first place transfer the control into the
best hands, in the second" 1t is easy to
point the way upward, but difficult task
to make the ascent.
Let US see how Mr.. Crandon would
accomplish it. By general and compre-
hensive acts of incorporation in place of
special charters The latter are generally
answers to special demands of individuals,
and become presently patchwork and
means for the designing, of which char
acter are most separate Boards of control
and commissions for the departments of city
goTenment-as fire, water, police and so
on, in subdivision without end Of sup
Elemental legislation aiming to meet
pressing needs and to head off" ras-
cality. Chicago, wearying of these adj
dendums to her charter, suu endered them
all for a general charter, in which single
body is held responsible for municipal gov
ernment and the executive is directly re-
s2onsible for the administration. Il has
bettered, not cured but that proves, he
thinks, only how good agent may become
prostituted to evil New York and Brook
lyn have advanced in this direction of To-
calizing responsibility, and Boston is tend |
ing in her policy to the same end-that is,
TO system that enables the people to
locate misgoyernment and say, Thou art
the man.
But, however, good system, it must be
put into the hands of good and true men.
That would mean precisely that which
the REcoRD-UNIoN has uniformly con-
tended for-divoreement of municipal gov
eminent from party control; the conduct
of city business on the principles obtaining
in well-conducted private enterprises. The
idea that public interests can be cared for
by any one must be abandoned, and ca
pacity made superior to political seryitude.
But how can this end be attained
That is the one important and as vet I'M
solved problem. Crandon leaves its solu-
ton for subsequent paper Meanwhile
We may ans yer for ourselves by the ex-
preston of the opinion, that as the moral
sentiment of people is the ground-siIl
Of all effective laws, the missionary effort
must continue to bring public thought up
to public conviction of the duty of ignor-
ing political methods in choosing munich
pal administrators. And this is being
done, and progress is being made by the
preachers of municipal reform. While
he pauses before giving the results of his
Investigations as to methods to be EN-
ployed to innoculate cities with business
methods our scientific student points out
some intermediate ills that may have cor
receives short of total revolution. We
can no more than catalogue them now.
sMisdirection Of charities and too great