Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-05-28


voters ia the town attend the stated
March meeting at the call of the
selectmen. 1t is as much their duty
TO remain all day and 10 take part in
discussing the affairs of the town as
to cast their ballots for governor or
for presidential electors. The war
rant for the town meeting notifies
the townsmen of the business that
will come before them. Tn addition
to the articles relating to the regular
and routine proceedings Of the occa-
sion are special articles which have
been inserted IN the warrant at the
request of private citizens. Each
voter has printed copy of the town
report. In contains a minutely
itemized account of the e&pend
itures of the past year. These items
are criticised or defended by the
town. The debate is general. Ap-
preparations are voted. Usually
there is a subject which breeds ex
element. 1t may relate to a project
for new school house, to the OPEN
ing of a new street, to the building
of new sewer. The work that
shall be done for the coming year is
determined. The manner in which
the roads and bridges shall be re-
paired is prescribed. All the bust
ness transacted i'm villages by the
board of trustees is done by the
townsmen themselves. Every one
knows what is to be done, and how
1t is to be done. Every one has the
opportunity to disclose what he
knows Of the misfeasances of the
town officers, to suggest how work
might have been better done, how
money might have been saved.
The results of this method in the
fiscal affairs of localities and upon
the character of state governments
have been indicated as fully as is
possible within limited space. The
influence of the .town-meeting gov
ernnent upon the physical character
of the country, upon the highways
and bridges, and upon tho appear
ance of the villages is familiar to all
who have travelled through New
England. The excellent roads, the
stanch bridges, the trim, tree.shaded
streets, the universal signs of thrift
and of the peoples pride in the out
ward aspects of their villages, are
too well known TO be dwelt upon.
The town meeting has also devel-
oped an intelligent, actiye-minded,
alert, publc-spirited people. Partic-
ipation in public business has in
duced a patriotic interest in the art
of government. 1t is true that the
intelligence of the average New
England rural voter is best shown
in his opinions and actions in town
politics, but this simply indicates
that the citizen should not unneces-
sarlly undertake the control of
matters not affecting his own local
ity, nor should he give to agents
meeting in remote capital large
and important jurisdiction over the
individual. Inc New England
townsman knows how to transact
public business. The first task of
every town meeting is the selection
of a moderator. In New England
town nearly every man OF promi-
nence has presided at one time or
another over the town meeting.
Even they who have not must be
familiar with parliamentary law and
practice, for the clear and simple
rules of Cushing and Jefferson are
deliberately discussed not only by the
lawyers and the clergymen, but by
the doctors, the store keepers, the
mechanics and the farmers. 1t
would be difficult to find in "a New
England community a man who
cannot take charge of public meet
ing, and conduct its proceedings
with some regard to the forms that
are observed in parliamentary bodies.
On the other hand, it would be
difficult In any other part of the
country to find citizen who has
not held office who has any knowl-
edge of such forms and observances.
In New England there is not voter
who may not, and very few voters
who do not, actively participate in
the work of government. In the
other parts of the country hardly
any one takes part in public affairs
except the Office holder. The effect
Of this Is precisely what may be
anticipated. The man of the New
England town is equipped for the
larger stage of the state or nation.
The tyro from New York who
sent TO congress must learn the les.
son which the other acquired in the
town meeting. From "rown aud
Village Government" by Henry l..
Nelson, in Harper's Magazine for
June.