New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-11
MUNICIPAL BERLIN.
THE GOVERNMENT OF TIE CrTY-THE
LIGlITING-THE CABS--T POLICE.
Nav

lin. one thing would strike him more than all
others. There is no stealing there IL no ooS"'
no politics, no Tammany Hail. no Croker: there
has been no Tweed. there no Irish. IL there
he an eminent name in the affairs OF th" c'rN, IL
Il Herr Won Forkenbcck. who long ruled Berlin
AZ it's chief burgomaster: a kind OF mnncIpai
Bismarck in his gift OF governing well WITHIN MS
own dominions II was in great part. under his
rule, that Rerln became what II is-one OF the
hest ordered cities in Europe or anywhere else
The streets arr actually paved and not az FOR the
most part in New-York. in process OF being p1v"i-
They are we'll paved and not badly paved The
work is honestly done. The city and the citizens
and taxpavcrs do not exist exclusively or mainly
fcr the benefit Of dishonest contractors. Certain
work il done ny contract. but i. is not given ont
at the dictation Of a corrupt political club or OF
corrupt political manager There are street
railways and one hears that money has been
made out Of them Int made in the honest and
ordinary course Of business. The German seems 10
he able TO thrive sufficiently we'll on that: or. il
in his business transactions with the outer world
no has sometimes been thought sharp. he is at
least Obliged 10 deal fairly with the authorities
81 his own country. and give a good article at
stipulated and moderate price.
All this will seem 10 the Now-Yorker so much
rnrc romance but assure him il is what he
will he told in berlin on the best authority. anil
hy those who know whereof thcv speak. The
lighting OF the streets is beyond praise: the num-
hnr and brilliancy Of tho lamps equally rrmarka-
bic Electricity is not vet much used II the
streets-not at all 7 think. except by private
persons. But the gas is pure and luminous and
I will venture to say, costs loss than the impure
and very imporfectly luminous Gas OF hond'n
In London. as in New-york municipal iobberv ia
A. atri,c ahoya
suspicion Of evil-doing at the of the rate
PAYERS.
TIL" streets the lighting OF them. the mans OF
getting about In them. and tn" police. are per
laps what the visitor is met likely to take not"
Of as evidences ri good or bad municf6al man.
aacment or Of management for the benefit OF IN"
mnnicirolitv. hc the controlling authority what II
may Water and drains he must take for granted
unless he is stn1vinC things seriously.
II is possible the stranger NAV at first lind IN"
cab regulations complicated. and may not quite
understand why there should he first-class cabs.
and second-class cabs. and luggage cabs. TIL"
statutes whir,, determine his liabilities for drive
within and beyond the precincts Of the city AMI
hack miqht. rerhars. no mastered h. n week OF
dilirrnt study. and so might the various farms
applicable to luggage 70 driving home from tn"
theatre il the cab no ordered beforehand and to
rain. JIe NAV he surprised. and perhaps terri
fed al finding on his arrival by rail that his hrsf
effort TO hire cab brings him in contact with
policeman. YOn mist, or your porter must Tor
yon. apply TO a policeman stationed near the exit
for a numbered metal ticket saving which cl'ss
Of cab YOU wish You must fake the cab Of which
the policeman gives You the number. and no
other. and without the numbered metal ticket M
cabman will. or dare take you at all
Arriving from an evcurson into tn" country on"
Sunday evening at tho Iehrtc Bahnhof. lonG way
from The centre Of the town, and having 70 send
telegram it was fifteen minutes before reached
the cab stand. There had been few passengers
Wv train. and the few were gone: the station de-
serted but plenty OF cabs and drivers on the rank.
hailed one. lie drove up and allowed rs to get
in. hut then descended from his box. explaining
cjvilly that before ne could omit the ward. h"
must end tho policeman who haG the numbered
tickets comradc goo6-natilrcdlv helped him.
and the tickle. presently appeared. No persuasion
and no amount of bacl,shSh would hav" inlurol
him 70 drive away unticketcd No doubt this is
chcck on the too cnterprisng cabman who is
oven in Berlin. somrtmes-not often-milllv on
tortionate This little measlr" Of considerate
protection costs you. Won afterward discover.
tho sum Of twenty-five pfennige about six cents
There is however really no need TO Know all
those things. TO vey vOnr soul ov"rmnch about
intricacies OF cab tarifrs When all is said and
done. cabs in Berlin chear. and quarter Of
q dollar will adjust all the differences Of opinion
] over heard Of between .chu and his passenger.
And the first class victorias and broughams are
excellent; clean. fairly well horscd. and driven
at good pace Tie cost is half dollar an hour.
with twelve cents extra for the first hour. II
may not he democratic to divide them into class
IL 70 haya Tho
hut not the divisions. and 10 pay as much for a
bad cah az for a good one The Germans lil<" to
recognize facts which other people occasionally
disguise under a fine name.
Muddy streets are not 10 he Saen in Berlin: il
thoy do occur. this was not goo'' time for them
il is ona Of the cOmrcnsltons Of patcrnal gov
eminent or of what President G1evcind calls
rarcntalism, that the much governed German IL
well provided with tho comforts and cOnvonicncas
of life. Berlin is municipality. hut il is also
the chief city Of a province, III" capital of king
CON- and tho capital OF an empire and il profits
in all three ways am not sure that it is not
itself province. II has a military government,
% police government and municipal govern
nent You hear no nonsense talked in Berlin. as
in London. about municipal control Of In" police.
They are under tho Minister Of tho Interior, and
he and his colleague IT the War Office or The
military commandment Of the city, are veXel bv
no pcdantc or political theories such as are aire
in TIE London County Council and. unhappily, in
the House of Commons. and by the leader Of the
House OF Commons They concerned 10 keep
order, and they keep it. and the doctrnairsm OF
Germany is at liberty 10 occupy itself with other
subjects. What is the result
The result is the finest body Of police in the
world Or. il il bc rash to say the finest in the
world will say the finest have ever seen tho
fines, in physique. in discipline, in efficiency. and
also the most ornamental. Tho Berlin mob il ono
Of the ronghcst in Europe, and needs sometimes.
and sometimes gets. rough handling The police
have thus acquired reputation for what tie
criminal Glasses consider brutality SO did the
London police in the Trafalgar Square riots when
YOU heard hvsterlcal shrieks about Bloody Sun
day." the blood flowing from few broken heads.
co hns Alo Iris which In cronnrnl