Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-30
COST OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.

| November NUMBER OF Ine Orum Ou tue
subject OF municipal government, its
efficiency and cost in the United States
and Great Britain. He takes two cities
very nearly of the same population, one
in each country, and shows that the cost
of municipal government in the United
States is nearly six times greater than
it is in Great Britain. He compares
the expenditures of Boston with Birm-
ingham, and makes all allowances Tor
the different modes of management, Tor
the fact that the executive and many OF
the ministerial offices are honorary, and
for the further fact that the really re-
sponsible and onerous positions draw
far higher salaries than they do in Bos-
ton, and still makes showing that the
advantage of cost is from five to six
times greater in England than in this
country.
Nor does he, in showing the econom-
ical way in which the English city is
governed, yield anything to the higher
cost of American cities in the public i'm
provements they possess, or in the at
tractiveness of their parks, the COM
pleteness of their public libraries, or in
the general interest taken in their free
art galleries. All these are conducted
on the broadcast principles OF liberality,
compatible with the objects for which
they ale established. The streets are
kept clean, and the paving is always
carried on under well.approved sys-
tenn which preserves a uniformity of i'm
! provement rarely seen in the United
States.
He does not reply to the question why
municipal government should cost five
or six times more in the United States
than in England, but leaves that for
Americans to answer. Yet he cannot
refrain from letting out little sarcasm
at the claim made by President Harrison
and others, that although wages are
| higher in America than in Europe the
| increased efficiency of our own wage
workers produces greater and better re-
suits. On this principle, municipal gov
ernment ought not to be five or elk times
more costly in Boston than in Birming-
ham.
We labor under one disadvantage in
this country which is not the case in the
old countries. In the latter there is large
class who have leisure and who are
anxious to devote their talents and
time to the public service for the sake OF
the honor and distinction it confers
upon them. Here the uniform desire is
to serve for pay, and an office without
salary would go begging for some COM
petent person to fill it. In Birmingham
the assembly or lower council is filed
by popular election. The upper council
is selected by the popular body, and the
selection of its members is so arranged
that a majority Of the body is always
composed of old members. This insures
continuity of business under eyes that
are always familiar with it. The mayor
is appointed by the council and the
heads of departments are not subject to
removal unless for cause. One remark.
able statement is made by Mr.. Cham
berlain which sounds odd to an Ameri-
can who is familiarized with municipal
jobbery by its frequency, and that is
that there has never been suspicion
OF corruption raised against the munich
pal government of Birmingham.
The extravaganza of municipal gov
ernment in the United States has be-
come blisterupon the fair face OF every
city. Combinations of all kinds are
openly arranged to cinch the taxpayers.
Corrupt rings are formed in tie coun-
cls. and although their scandalous ras-
caities are known of all men, the people
seem to be helpless to cure the evil.
This is in great measure the fault of
the people themselves. They have been
known time and again to re-elect men to
positions which they have disgraced.
The "boss" System which has grown up
in our cities is one of the most serious
evils that confronts our people. The
bosses make politics business, and they
are enabled to succeed and thrive in it
on account of some peculiar features of
our system of municipal government.
The bosses make themselves felt at the
polls by organizing their followers or
dependents in the wards. Having the
power to defeat or elect councilmen,
they secure their interestin in the appoint
ment of the commissioners of fire de-
partments and police. With this pulp
they secure the active assistance of these
departments, and are thus intrenched
in power which it takes the awakened
strength of the community to overthrow.
The popular vote by which municipal
officers are elected in Birmingham and
in Boston is about the same. Why is it
then that the same tactics do not attain
and prevail in English cities as in Amer
lean? Tho answer is that there is bet
ter moral atmosphere in politics there
than here. The mass OF the people
there do not look as they do here upon
everything being fair in politics. There
is a higher public morale and sounder
public sentiment on the subject of pub
lie Office.
The American people are going
through probation now that will in
-sle