The Red Cloud chief., 1893-08-11
An EXCELLENT PAPER.
Read by l.. II. Albright before
the Rcd Cloud club.

One Of the most serious and interest
ing political problems OF the day. is the
problem Of successful administration OF
municipal affairs. To a certain extent
it may be safely asserted in a broad way
that our municipal governments have
been and are failures. Yet, that there
was a time within the remembrance Of
men now living when there was a great
deal Of pride and interest in municipal
affairs, admits Of no doubt whatever.
The municipal records, the newspaper re.
ports and the memory Of old residents, all
agree that at a period about forty yea RS
ago municipal affairs were objects Of
ambition to really eminent citizens. /
mean men conspicuous for their high
personal character, for their well estab.
lished social position, or their profes.
sional or commercial success. 1t was
the Office that sought the man and the
man accepted. Not n faction seeking a
man with whom they could down the
other faction, not a party man with
whom they could down the other party,
not a policy man through whom they
must work favoritism or some other ism
not a Prohibitionist for fear Of a dry
town. not a moderate drinker to be sure
Of a license, but a man chosen by the
voters as n Of the ordinary and iuevi.
table dccencies OF municipal govern.
ment. To explain the change that has
taken place in the attitude Of the more
intelligent portion Of the voters towards
the municipality and it's belongings is to
explain the crisis through which munich.
pal politics are passing. I do not be.
lieve our municipal troubles are due 10
much to the particular kind Of legisla.
ton as to the particular state Of mind
among the people. 1t is too apparent
that the main object OF our city cleo.
tons is to decide which of the parties
shall have the control and distribu ton
OF the city funds. 1t is not surprising
that this state OF affairs exists when we
remember that our city finances have
become an unexplained mystery to the
masses OF the people. Our county af.
fairs are generally handled with careful
economy. Our state governments are
usually administered with excellent
economy. Our national affairs in the
question Of economy is highly salts
factory. Why this difference? The
people are the same, they read the same
newspapers. their intelligence and NOR
atty are the same, why are the results
OF their political efforts 80 widely differ.
ent? Why are nations and state which
are relatively remote better governed
than cities which are our immediate
homes? 1t is because the large affairs
OF the state and nation appeal more
forcibly to mems imagination along
the lines Of patriotism and tradition
and the same effort will create a more
lively interest in them and that on the
principle that the less is always subord,
mate to the greater. local elections and
local tickets and local interests are eth
or lost sight Of entirely or traded ant
slaughtered in an absorbing zeal for the
wider issues. There seems to be an in
difference on the part Of many Of ouI
most interested citizens or those who
should be most interested in our mu
nicipal affairs. Bad government con
sists generally in the wrong uses o.
money and shows itself in the expens,
account. Men usually take no Interest
in what they do not understand and ar,
unwilling to devote very much effort I,
understand what for the time being ap
pears remote from their wi persona
interests. There are over twenty incor
porated cities in u W state. ranging
in population from $50 to 1000. / dt
not believe there are two Of them tina
have the same methods Of beck. keeping
, There are no two OF them that pursu,
; precisely the same curse in the assess
ment and valuation Of property for tn
|, purpose OF taxation. And il there ar,
any OF them that pursue the same polio,
: with reference to the ownership o
plants Tor furnishing their people will
/, light, with water, with pavemcnts. will
sewers, it is, l should judge, %entircl.
from accident rather than design. No
|, is there any system directing how tn
city accounts are to he kept. As a mat
, ter Of fact the legislature has not, an,
, never has had anything hat could b.
I. called a policy in regard to the permit
which it has granted to the various mu
= inequalities Of u state. None Of on
cities are under any obligation to repor
, their financial condition to any centra
state authority. So that there Is n
' place to which an inquirer may resort (
obtain reliable Information with refer
. cnce to the receipts and expenditures G
8 any OF our cities. The more CAREFUL
y one considers the figures which ar
available with reference to the cost {
% municipal government, the greater on