Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-11
MUNICIPAL REFORM.

President Andrew d. White, as q result
of his study of municipal systems abroad
and his experience of those at home, sub
mitted to the recent social science Congress
his plan for securing the better administra-
tion of the city governments in the United
States. Beyond the statement of the truism
which every intelligent man recognizes,
but which few have the backbone to insist
on in the face of the politicians, that
national issues should not be carried into the
government of cities, President Whites
plan consists of two features: A Board of
Control with the exclusive authority to grant
franchises and to make municipal expendi-
lures, to be elected by vote of the property
holders only, and the election of q Mayor
and Board Of Aldermen for the other
functions of the city government, to be
elected on a general ticket, instead of
electing the latter by wards.
The idea that a higher degree of consci-
entiousness and economy would be secured
if the municipal body controlling public
expenditures was elected by the property
holders alone, is very general among a
certain class of theoretical reformers,
and is not altogether without foundation.
1t is true that the citizens who
pay rent are nearly as much interested in
honest administration and judicious expen-
the failure to realize these qualities does not
come home to them so directly in the form
of increased taxes. The idea of improving
municipal expenditure by establishing a
property qualification, might be worth con-
sidering, If it did not involve tine surrender
of objects that are more important, that is,
the interesting of all citizens in the admins
tration of public affairs and especially in
the interest of their own city; the encourage
ment of the legitimate ambition of participa-
ting in public matters on the part of the
humblest and poorest; and the plain assurance
in municipal as well as national business that
the government is on eof the people and by
the people. Upon the accepted American
plan, if the popular vote makes municipal
government wasteful and extravagant, it is
better that the people shall suffer the penalty
than that they shall be restrained from par
ticipating in the government of their city.
The proposal to have a Board of Alder
men elected on a general ticket instead of
by wards is predicated on the assumption
that where ticket is pu. up for the vote of
an entire community, the character Of the
candidates will be better than where can
didate is put up in each ward or district
1t is questionable if the assumption is borne
out by the facts. The character of whole
is determined by the character of its con-
stituent parts. If majority of the wards
in city will elect bad representatives. we
may be sure that candidate put up to |
carry the whole city will have the same
character. If a majority will elect good
candidates the need for the change disap- |
pears. AS a matter Of TACT, it has by no |
means been the rule that the misgoverned |
cities have secured higher character in
their Mayor or other officials elected on the |
general ticket than the average of the Coun- |
ellis. President Whites change in the |
cities most imperatively in need of reform |
would be likely to result in the elimination |
from the Councils or Aldermanic boards of |
the reformatory minority which now serve |
as a check on misrule.
The reliance upon change of methods |
for reforming the evils of democratic gov |
evinced by this plan, makes it |
pertinent to say that all plans are futile |
which do not base their expectation of |
reform on the enlightenment and education
of the people. If that is secured the reform
will come, no matter how public officials |
are elected. If public influences foster ig-
norance and recklessness among the people |
these qualities will have their effect in the
no matter what forms are de-
vised to prevent it. 1t will be much better
than to disfranchise the non-propertv
holding class, and not much more difficult, to
carry out the democratic intentions of the |
government to encourage every citizen to be
a property holder. 1t will realize a much I
more thorough and lasting reform to so
educate every citizen on the effects of
extravaganza and corruption that
be will always vote in favor of honest gov
ernment than i: will to make some shift in
the forms of election, through which the
character of the electorate will be sure to
make itself felt.
In other words, what we need is not re-
forms in methods and forms. SO much as
D change in social tendencies. Let the in
fuences which are concentrating wealth at
the cost of ignorance and poverty among
the masses be checked, and the fundamental
intention of republican institutions will
assert themselves. Let them keep on, and
the misgovernment of American cities will
be among the least Of the evils that follow.