New-York tribune., 1890-05-26
MlSRULE IN CITIES.
l1S CAUSES DISCUSSED BY THE REV. DIR.
NEWTON.
ENORMOUS SIZE AND RAPID GROWTH OF TOWNS
IMPORTANT FACToRS-DANGERS OF THE
LARGE FOREIGN POPrLATION.


IMPORTANT FACToG;s-DANGERs OF THE
LARGE FOREIGN POPULATION.
The Rev. DR.. X. Heber Newton delivered another
sermon yesterday morning upon municipal misgovern-
ment with especial reference TO NcwY York. and gave
some suggestions to its before congregation
which completely filed All Souls Church. lie said
mat the first Of the real factors of modern municipal
msgOverlnent was the size Of modern cities
Athens itself numbered less than 100000 its total
population Florence in its pamy days had less than
loo,oOo people The modern gigantic cities were
necessarily difficult TO mage They had grown with
enormous rapldy. The tendency OF modern civilza
ton was toward an incra ssng concentration Of popn
laton In the great centre In the present decade IT
was estimated that ew-York had increased three
quarters OF million. AladdiE's famous palace scarcely
grew faster than some Of the Western cities Ameri-
cities at ,rcat Disadvantage in that those
In the Old World had something to start with III the
way of social institutions and civic systems Ameri-
can cities. starting from nothing growing like weeds,
had had to build up everything once. The system
OF civic government in these cities, growing 50 rapidly,
had been outgrown long before new system adequate
TO the emergency had been provided. Continuing, he
said
Our American systems OF divided responsibility would
appear to have been devised IA order 10 show now not 10
do IT, Mayor elected by the people but removable by
tho Governor; hydnheaded commissions heads Of de-
partmcnt appointed 10y the Mayor but not removable by
him, the Mayors actions aud appointments subject To ht
rattle alton Of city Council the Board Of Aldermen
thc,o and other familiar nu,llemcnts infinitely cacu
lated dodSe respons bly. 10 has been pretty game
OF 'pussy wants a corner" In which a. the word riorm
all parties change positions, aAd offender can DE spotted
The town meeting the germ cell Of the N'v-hne-
land Ito In the enlargement Of the city has
supplied by cIude representative system
1t has possible FOR class Of seeking office
for the public good. but fSr private enrichment to
league together and. the whole city government III"
Of
sentative syst ~. This Onceho,lIC class goes In not
Tor economy. expenditure; not for work done 10
last but for dono BE- done Instead Of th'
crest Engand's heir "Ich Dicn II serve the crest
oi our ruling elias. "On tho make"
These general causes OF the m.n'ipal nisro'ernment
Of tho city aggravated IN our own case by
special The het,rgoncou~nS> of our Ncw-Nor@
population seriously conplcatc. urobcm. Tho lead
nations OF the world represented In such numbers
ar 10 form d the, colonies well maiSIcd quarters m our
II ha, estimated that - pep cent Of our popu-
lailon is Of foreign birth Of foreign par'ntaec. \
very large portion and alien population forms
NOS, unilyorabo material citE e.hip From all parts
II the drift into the metropolis not only u"
wholesome tle and enterprise snd brains and
character but The scum which hoats On the surface Of
National he and the dfcg, which are carried along
ln H., deep und rcurr,nts.
large portion of tho foreign population. a course j.
distinct and great adyantarr the city, Erlre~'nting
~ enterprise and energy. the brains and c'@'c''r ~
tho rr.a. nations oi tho Old World. Unfortunately, how
a drnhH prton Of this alien popuhthl is ol
thoroughly und- rablc material IN the interests Of civic
.rd,r. Iliterttn peoples wholly unsccustomci +" demo
cr4tc Institutions. land upon NJ In shoaI' out ~ this
uurrou-ug material = serious task to fashion
oi'ilrl-lp. II without saying That unless "" can
nut forth unusual eNctton and guide that "Nerton by
unusual vision ". ha,. this OF mt rat" alien
people simply tso NV rial Of civic corruption.
The ooud!,Io.. ~ ~ graf cv az, for ~"
- mon 80 lcar.g har a, seriously AGAINST ~,
d.v,Iopa,ut of Vial constituents o' civic orc'r.
fr.. city need. ff.eu-n. T. clu1.u- must De- burghor
froud Of cfy which ondoNs them "ir prosperity
anchorinc the order n the security and comfort
- o., hom. do. sat~ r-st- on ~" family md u'
nrn, r,..- mon tr hos". our n"Fnt"rns lily i"i"-
d,llhla rros- oGt u'o ~, suburbs freely and nndS 300
.h.4 pro,l, IT, homes for thc great mass 81
10 working people wherein Individuality bc cherished
Independence o-ier~d md ne oi her people I'D 10 the
-ocal order bv magic Of property. Ala for %
whom such ai,alag's are denied. until star'@manship
ha plan :or u Sew iork. and religion shall
iuspi-c heroic treatment by which our raINatoh
shall io wrought ont win fear and TREMBLING
Tho middle sas-.s In New-Y York being driven ont
OF Tho city over Brookyn. tic city of churches. the
ciy ~ public spirit ont Into tl' subnfi~ in all directions
our Young men WHO IOo 10 tol themselves
u 300 account aui not Firh as To ~cone I'ai.r-.
..ndnr ter time IN bunting the "d bar. thus
o,-uuine civic eNa's. WIN h'm dfi'- away from r'
g.. very material which should naturally o"A for
civic reform. city rapidly becoming ct' ot 81"
r,h and %, tlc lsof.th, two cities which Plato ~"
Ia N. great 81 or'e and os'r which d. u"r.na
Ia, rim ar. rr,tltsung Aer" from al p'rt- - tl"
llry lutfta-" tlNlf tlf a4f 4tFt "a 'HiN
lntu. and ind the rr'Ies' possible rno} mont from
their graf fortunes. Th,ir Attachments ~" la otl'r
centre, they natura.l7c go 'o peak here they
a--rno lit,c r,sronsiniv for oar municipal hf. ihy
ar bolrdrfs among W.. not r--id'r's.
NenA orb -uc.r, again from u- chronic Intrusion ~
PARTISAN politics lot, IT, civic affair. Now-horh stat
ha- the misfortune % bing the commanding sat" m -
Union. Ncw.Yoft city ha. hc nI-forune ot being u'
l,dinq city of oil, pivotal STAT. Ia oIr inon DO otnf
,ori- the ss-t stake Of N,ton. polite, 81. q t"-
mined ia our city The excitement of onf National
politics whips mcn lnto iiue with "a. ir1t Iart'-.
and H.. L,,r,d determination to carry hc city ior u"
mart, override every consideration Of municipal inter r.
NUM-. lp,i and National cc, ,ons hld a. th' same
,ir, tli and National ,ick't- bun'h'd for one amt
rru sane Not.. The ,hcIco Of rulers is H"dr and
t., Excitement Of National campaign and determined
b, the tricks interruptions politicians, b'nt nt aI
hazard, oa uc Of the National ticket Herr is r"
ro,a opportunity turn civic government into tr m-r'r
Of tho p.ots,ionas Il poIucsa royal opportunity winch
hl, been rv' ally u,'d.
thus to ia-s that ont of the" general
causes. common great ct'- Of a." HNl h N" 30"
argr.sa;,d by tho special conditions ~ Nc-l ofh Guy
v, have developed uon-trS Of perverted govern
n,nt-u government not ~ trc best but oi the worst
not OF tn noble leuobr not OF rr educated
bur of De ignorant Of nr Nirtnou7 and "odle'i-
bat of Ia" Sicou, aud the criminal.