The morning call., 1892-04-11
| LESSON IN CITY GOVERNMENT.

Against the next cutlery for the abolition
of the consolidation act, and for the franz
ing of a new charter for San Francisco. it
may be we'll for citizens TO keep track of
municipal governments elsewhere. An in
teresting experiment in city government is
now being made in the largest city of the
world-London-an some account of it is
given in the Rerieac Of ReUie,rs. We may
learn something by studying it.
Until quite lately London was governed
by parish vestries and local boards, each of
which controlled small area, and each Of
which was independent of the others. The
business of drainage, combined systems of
street improvements and one or two other
matters requiring concerted action were in
the hands of the Metropolitan Board of
Works. whose members were chosen by the
local boards and vestres. In 1889 Parlia-
ment passed General County Council act.
Under this the ffty-nine divisions, or as
we should say wards, into which the city is
divided. elect each two members to County
Council, and the Council elects nineteen
Aldermen. 1t also elects a presiding
officer who practically does the work of
Mayor, though the Lord Mayor is retained,
with some of his ancient rights and privi-
leges. The powers of the Council are
limited 1t superseded the Metropolitan
Board of Works. But it has no control over
the police the water works, the docks, she
street railroads ard the gas supply. With
the exception of the first ali of these are
owned and controlled 10y private corpor-
ations.
Ii Is now proposed to amend the County
Council act by extending the district gov
erned. so that i: shall cover the whole metro
politan police district-an area of several
hnp Cd x,,it ID of
about six millions. 1t is then intended to
give the Council control of the police. water,
gas. street railroads, docks and markets
in fact, TO clothe il with each and every
power heretofore exercised by the 50 local
boards and parish vestries. II is case
Of GENERALIZATION in contrast with the move
ment for decentralization which is going on
in Scotland and Ireland. The municipal
'prOgressives," as they are called, demand
that the city shall buy the eight water works,
all the plants and mains of the gas COM
panies, and the markets. docks and street
railroads. 1t is commended that the revenue
derived from these properties, at lower rates
than those which now prevail would pay
the interest on the bonds issued for their
purchase, and that material increase in the
income of the city may lie secured by COM
pelling the nobility, who own the hulk of
the city, TO pay taxes Oh the ground rents
which they collect
1t Will be perceived that this is one of the
great financial operations of the age The
amount involved must be reckoned in the
hundreds of millions. Were sach an under
taking begun in great American city the
parties engaged in it would most likely make
millions out of it, y "steal" would most
likely be involved which would prove fatal
-,
sions seem to be entertained in London.
In that city municipal officials seem to
be singuerly pure. COuncilmen and Alder
men all serve without pay and are regarded
as iEcorruptble An impartial authority
observes that mot one OF the l37 members
has ever been suspected of corruption or
abusing his trust" If this statement is
founded on fact We have good reason TO
envy the English.
In several matters the reforms which the
London ''progressiYes" demand are not re-
Quired here. We have no 99-year ground
rents, and owners of property. however
used. are supposed to pay the same taxes as
their neightors. Docks are owned by cities
or States. There would be considerable
opposition TO a project for sale of city
railroads to the municipality. The markets,
gas plants and mains, water works and
mains VIII some day be all owned by cities,
as they are now in most cases. Their ac-
QUESTION is only delayed by the unwilling
ness of taxpayers TO pay the exorbtant
sums demanded by their present owners.
But We shall not in this country attain the
perfection in municipal government which
London seems TO expect until we can raise
the moral standard OF municipal officers to
the level it is said to have reached in Lon
don. AT the present time corruption is the
rule both in the legislative and the execu-
tive branches of city governments all over
the Uni ted States, and from this cause tax
payers are more inclined to restrict than to
enlarge their province. If ever We get in
San Francisco a Board of Supervisors
which, like the London Councilmen. shall
be above suspicion, and a set of executive
officers who shall be incapable Of betraying
a trust people may intrust them with more
power than they now enjoy. Til then the
tendency is to wait and watch.