The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-26
TO0BIG FOR TOWN MEETINGS.
THE REF. HEBER NBUTONS VIEWS OF
MTSGOTERNMENT IN LARGE CITIES.

MISC OTERNMENT IN LARGE CITIES.
what He Thinks We Want IL Reform so
Thnt the People ma Not the Makers 81
The Machine shall Govern Deeentiy.
The lev. II. Heber Newton preached his
second sermon on Municipal disagreement,
ia Causes and Remedies" Mt All Souls
Church Yesterday morning. He spoke from the
wards of tho psnlmist: walk about Zion, ana
90 round about her; tell the towers thereof.
Mark ye well her bulwarks; consider her
palaces"
! In describing the municipal corruption prev
nlcnt here Dr. Newton said he had not IN
tended 10 speak pessImistically. lie hau
frankly indicated the respects in which New
! York was worse than other great cities. Inc
same sort of evils prevailed In every great city.
Here. however thoy were aggravated bypecu-
| liar conditions The first factor OF disorder was
the extraordinary size Of tho modern city.
London had been described as province
covered with houses The new question was
how should snch II province be governed
| Tho germ OF city government. sal l tho
preacher. was the New England town meeting
Thence our municipal Government got most
| IL not all its best features. Circumstances had
changed. however, since the institution OF the
town meeting. At first every one knew every
one his character, and his ability To-day tho
citiyens met IA strangers. The circle had
spread beyond the possibility OF the individual
cti2cn's personal acquaintance.
Another factor OF disorder was the increase
in the cities OF tho ellen ent that was opposed
to everything good in government Tho idle,
dissolute. and criminal, the tramp, tho begEar.
and the yagrant hocked to the city. Many
men came here to do those things that they
we're ashamed to do in smaller towns where
every one knew them.
Tho New England town meeting system.
however. was not necessarily failure in great
cities. As tho town grew rapidly into city.
no one town meeting would be big enough for
all. SO people came naturally to the iden OF
several town mcctings-,hat is wards, dis
tricts. or whatever else they might DO called.
Tho citizens knew little or nothing OF each
solved to act unitedIy Tor their own selfish ends.
In the meeting they controlled the choice OF
the Representatives, such was the mRRcnine;
taxpayers at al! or very light taxi AYERS.
They manipulated the municipal Govern ment
Here these men had organized u Government
SO eompiicnted that 10 one could ind nIace
neglect or crime. Whenever an abuse was dis.
covered there was such II shutting and such Al
shifting about that no one, could lie found TO
"I pWstsy "" wants a corner The minute a re.
snonsihle e'son was looked for all positions
were changed, and the man wanted was not
there. The responsibility OF the appointment
and removal OF Commissioners and heads OF
departments was IS, SO divided th4t the Mayor
him When IA good and able man did get n
high position in the lily Government- and such
had occasional y been the case -ho was bound
hanl and foot by machine pIsmies.
All the elements of disorder enumerated
the influx Of the scum and dreGs Of other civil
i2ations. Iaupets and cTimlna had been sent
here in slip leads BY Lnrorcan authorities
shores. loreigncrs Of the criminal class did
got PASS ,hroqeh New Yam e tie inferior, as
the city 5 most dangerous element
The condition OF each OF tie three great
glasses which make ny tho city population
Mr. Newton thought to tie far from conducive 20
the solidity OF the munlcinll Institutions, I'm
n" first place me w2kipGnen Should be
the possession Of somcthinG-a house or a plot
OF ground. Each should lrel his irdivdnality
ms an owner oil property and not he lost like an
middle class. the mainstay OF every Govern
ment. was exceptionally weak in NeW ORR: 1t
filtered through the city limits and out into
the surrounding country to MAG homes i'll
BROOKLYN suburbs or '"yOnd IN" North River.
The wealth. peor!c OF the city we're not like
They came hero from all PARTS OF the country
to thGr none b % ba TO Their mrEady
Interests here and Iii" not !on in the cty's
civic life.
nations political life and strife 1t WAS u mag
piilcent responsibility. but how abused.
National Stne and municipal! elections were
held AT once. Only q nian OF unusual InGe-
renIence, could avoid voting H." straight
ticket Every voter waS whipped into linz.
regardless Of the ci;ys welfare Thus it came
that New ork citys Government was not II
Government OF tn" noble. but Of the gnoble:
not II Government Of Il . Intelligent, but Of tho
ignorant: not n Government If the good. hui OF
tho bad. II WAS II pyramid on it's areN.
The conclusion from all his was not utter
doSI air or scuu!aGcneni. In view OF al! tho
abuses. it was wonderful That things wrr" noi
worse rhnn they were, Tint New York should
have he nnost Fire Department and Health
department in tre world. drsGt" its mi.go,-
eminent. WAS n fact almost beyond under
standing, he one way out OF the abuses on
every side was TN ouEh reform. Heroic meas
ures. while they would not brI, z about Gov
ernment OF saints and angels. would secure 10
the city decent and honest administration Of
Its affairs.
In conclusion. Mr.. New on touched on the
question Of sunday observance and the ten
dency OF immigrated foreigners to turn the dav
OF rest into a day Of PLEASURE lie eNhorted his
to help along the reform OF city
affairs both rs Christians and cit iIcna. Pity,
charity. and aid for the working classes would
also help in the solution .! the political
problem.