St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-09-23
THE CIVIC

THE CIVIC FED ER ALTON.
The problem Ut municipal govern
meEt. resting in this country upon the
deeper problem of the ability of the
American people to govern themselves,
is one of The most important problems
Of the day, not only i'll itself as affecting
he large critics of the country. but as
foreshadowing the ultimate result Of
the question Of the %capability of men
for self-government. This capacity is
not put to its test in the smaller COM
munities. or in more sparsely settled
portions of the country, where the cO,n-
munal wants are small and the oppOr-
tunltieS for all improper use of munici.
pal power are slight. There are no such
problems in he township or in the vii
lagos or in the smaller cities.
Ii is when we come to the large cen
tiers OF population. where the struggle
of life is f%iercest, where the attention of
men is most strongly concentrated upon
their Individual concerns. and where
the conduct of the public business falls
by their neglect into the hands Of the
few who are willing TO devote TO it their
time and attention. either for the slight
honor it comfers or the money there is
to be made in it, that we find the Ques-
ton presenting itself it its most serious
and. at present, alarming as pect. If the
inhabitants of our large cities show
themselves incapable of governing
themselves, if large ag%gregations of III
dividuals mean simply large oppor-
tunities utilized for private gain, then it
will surely follow thai we will find the
same conditions extending to the coun-
try as its increasing density of popula-
ton creates similar conditions.
The question of municipal govern
ment is II that is attracting general
attention. Its literature is already num-
bered by the hundreds of volumes, and
specialists in all the countries are CIV
ing it their careful and thoughtful con-
sideration. In the larger cities associ-
atoms are forming having for their OBJ
ject the publication of the politics of
their cities and the removal of those
sources of corruption in which the Off
Gals OF the city have found their profits.
In the city of New York there is a
'Good Government association of citi.
zens, which has been very influential in
the investigation into the methods by
which Inc police of that city deal with
the criminal and Immoral element.
The city of Chicago has its Civic Fed
Grafton, composed of earnest, sincere.
energetic men, who are tai ing In hand
the various problems Of city government,
and addressing themselves to the eradi.
cation of the evils in them. In the latter
city this association is now directing it's
efforts to the suppression of gambling.
and has prosecuted its efforts with
remarkable success, invading and
breaking up a number of gambling
dens, and at last securing from the
mayor an order to the police to close
every public gaming place in the city.
The agents, to the credit of the asso.
citation, have ferreted out the gambling
places, secured evidence against them,
its officers and attorneys have prose-
cuted them. and the citizens of Chicago
nave been diverted by the spectacle of
the destruction OF the implements of
gambling i'll the streets by directi on of
tie court. In New York city the Good
Government association is lending its
energies to the elimination of the cleo
ton of the city officers from the political
organizations and endeavoring to put it
upon the only proper basis, that of in
dividual fitness for the places.
The gloomy pessimist sees only these
dark phases of municipal government.
and points to them as the best evidence
of the incapacity of men for self-gov-
eminent. While there is much i'll these
conditions to warrant the dependency
of the pessimIst, there are other
features of the situation which the Opti-
mist sees also, and takes account of.
The very fact that in these larger cities
men are organizing for the purpose of
experimenting the lnetficiency of the
official administration. and the large
fact thai in all communities corruption
and deficiency quail before a public
opinion that becomes aroused. indicates
a latent capacity for treating the evils
of our social condition, that, in the
process of our development, will become
more and more influential in The con-
duct of our public affairs.
Due consideration is not given to the
remarkable condition Of our social
structure. We are the most hetero-
geneous of people. Into this great
kneading trough of the nations have
been poured the people of all the ma
tons of the earth with all their differ
ent views of governments, social habits
and hereditary traits. The inevitable
result is a certain social confusion,
which is easily taken advantage of by
those who find in the game of politics
either their pleasure or their profit, and
who. while the great mass of the people,
separated as yet by the repellent effects
of differing na%tionalities, are engaged
In their separate pursuits. seize upon
the machinery Of politics., and manipu-
late it in their own interests. Another
encouraging feature is the growth of
the belief in this country that govern
ment. and especially municipal govern
ment, is not at all a matter of policies,
but a business administration of the
affairs Of the community. That the