Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-11

the courts, In one or tive very stiff decisions,
have confined the rights of towns to do as
much as they chose, If what they did served
the general welfare.
In historical fact, the settlers of Massa-
chu.etts were already grouped more or less
distinctly when they arrived at their
new homes The groups acted for their
local purposes, while they recognized the
authority of the General Court for general
purposes.
Authority of the selectmen.
TIE name that each group gave its officers
showed whence their authority came They
were "selectmen," men who had been set
over them. There is in the records of the
General Court no trace of authority to
choose these selectmen. They were selected
by just the same authority as would have
selected the men to carry timbers Tor n
bridge, or to yoke the oxen when ''the town"
was building or mending its highways
Somebody must do certain things, and the
town selected the men who should do them
From this common-sense way Of managing
affairs there grew up an admirably elastic
but strong way system of local admins
tration. Ii a town could have i school open
all the year, it had it. But if it could only
open the school 20 weeks, it did that; if it
could carry it 30 weeks, it did that. If it
can build an iron bridge over a stream, it
does; If it can only have 4 log bridge, 1t has
that; if it must be satisfied with a ford, WHY
it must be and is. One has only to compare
this with the delay and annoyance, with the
fuss and feathers" belonging to French ad-
ministration, where a central bureau must
report about the stream, and a plap for the
bridge must be sent down from Paris, to see
why the New Englander hates centralizdtion
more than is really wise, in his conscious
ness that on the whole '"there is no manure
like the foot of the owner" and that, in
general, people should be left to manage
their own affairs.
As a school for government, the town.
meeting has proved itself invaluable The
States which never looked kindly on it have
suffered more than they know for the lack
OF such school.
A Logical and Oratorical Training
There is no training Tor debate or oratory
equal to that where people who know each
other are to be convinced, and where words
are weighed by a standard balance which
pays fit regard to the real worth of him who
utters them. The proud boy who is per-
mitted to drive his father down to the
meeting, learns lessons of government there
which no textbook could teach him. He
into the meeting house and takes his modest
place on the side seats, while the elders and
other leaders confer in front. The moderator
is chosen, the warrant is read. The select
men say what they have done and why, and
what they have left urdone a1d why. Every
grumbler there has his rights, and may
talk. They have their rights, also, and they
may defend their policy, their characters
and their administration. In that cross-fre,
in the discussion OF details, or in the con-
sideration of principles, the boy learns, both
OF methods and of realities, lessons which he
cannot gain elsewhere.
Rings cannot exist where the town meet
iLg holds its own. If the mayor of city
chooses to be treasurer of an electric light
company, he may enrich himself and ruin
his reputation by the contact which, as
mayor, he makes with himself as treasurer
But this could not be if you had a town
meeting. The selectman has to appear in
person and answer all questions.
81 should like to know why the granite
for the curbstoue was taken from White
Hill, and not rom the town ledge?" The
man who took the granite must stand up and
say why. Woe to him If he cannot stand
that ordeal.
l have been glad to know that one, at
least, of the thriving towns of the Western
Reserve in Ohio has considered seriously the
question of introducing the town meeting
proper in its methods OF home admlnistra-
tion. EDWARD EVERETT HALE.
BOSTON, MASS, April l.