Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-13

,>W$~ tain the relationship
they bear to the CEN
trail authority.
shall, as far as the limits of this article
will permit, give summary of the form of
municipal government existing in the lea1
ing European capitals and the methods by
which they are aided by the state or gen.
eral government
A description of the government Of Lon
don within the limits OF newspaper article
II wellnigh impossible. since it has been de-
scribed so full of anomalies and distinc-
lions that to find an Englishman who can ex-
plain II is exceptional. and to a foreigner it
presents hopeless task. One noble lord is on
record as saying he doubled very much
whether anybody could explain 1t.
Earl Fortesque, speaking Of the relation
ship Of London to the imperial government.
strongly deprecated the idea of treating
London as simply city in England. 1t
was. he said, Emporium in imperio;' it was
not prudent. nor in conformity with the gen
eral practice Of other countries in different
ages to treat a capital like an ordinary
town, and especially the capital of the Brit
fsh empire-the huge metropolis. far the
largest city in the world, with its vast pop
ulation OF more than four million souls,
crowded round the seat of the imperial Leg
there were nothing very special or excep-
tional in its character or circumstances and
requirements: as If 1t could be safely dealt
with on the same principles as other great
towns in the kingdom: as If it ought to be
constituted into a county, or city, like any
other, differing from the rest in little else
than in its size. 1t would, indeed, DE not
only ungracious, but futile and unreason-
able. Thesystem OF local government in
London is extremely complicated.
The inhabitant of a borough lives in a
tour-fold area-namely. in the borough, in
the parish. in a union. and in county
none of which is coterminus unless by ac
cident- He may be under six governments
and pay rates to all of them. viz, the local
board. the vestry, the union. the burial
board. the quarter session, the school board
and the highway district. Happily the rates
are gathered by collectors. since if he had
to form one of line. as 1 have seen around
Collector Davis office. he would spend
large part Of his life paying taxes. Su-
prene over all is the local government
board, the president of which is a member
Of the cabinet. Then comes the county
county council, the members of which elect
the aldermen and the aldermen elect the
lord mayor. The council cannot build
main sewer. That is done by government,
and each town, suburb or borough, through
which 1t passes, pays a fixed amount for
the use Of it. This is necessary, since the
towns so closely join each other that the
sewers are Of great capacity. and run for
twenty miles or more before they find a
suitable outlet.
How LondOn's Expenses Are Borne.
In England and France the injustice Of
compelling the Inhabitants Of the capital
where the seat of government is located 10
bear its entire expense. is clearly recog-
nized. and substantial aid given. To ascer-
tain the full amount Of the cost Of govern
ing the city of London is difficult The d.
vision Of the expense between the munich
pality and the government is so interviewer
as to make separation well nigh impossible
We may, however, reach an approximate
Idea of the amount by stating the several
things which are cared for by the state and
paid for out of the national treasury. The
metropolitan police supported by the gov
eminent musters 15,O35 officers and men
and Is divided into twenty-five divisions Of
which one division does duty on the river
Thames. and five divisions care for the dock
yards; the pay of the six divisions thus as
signed being paid out of the appropriation
for the navy. The chief receives the sum Of
$4,000 per annum, more than the general
commanding the United States army and
as much as the Chief Justice of the Su-
preine Court of the United States. He has
several assistants, two of whom receive
5000 apiece; the men receive about 500
per annuTn- There fifteen police court
stations supported by the government The
lord mayor holds court in one. The judges
In each Of the others receive about 81 800
per annun, The fire brigade is largely sup
ported by the state, and cost, in 1892, f155,-
90, equal to about 100000 of which
amount the insurance companies contrib
uted f32,O6S- There are a great many fine
parks in London. some kept by the city and
no orlr
tJO643- The government collects from the
people tax known as the local rate "a
large part OF which goes to London). In
" II amounted to 1851 $50, nearly S4O-
100000. The cost of governing the CITY of
London Is about f3S. 100000 a year. OF this
amount the government subvention, as 1t is
eaHeo; amounted to about 100000 al
though the British government does not
own one-half OF the land in London as is
the case with the federal government in
Washington.
Berlin,
The government OF Berlin is simple and
olrect In all Its parts and illustrates In the
highest sense the intelligence of the people.
The first leading principle is the formation
OF a permanent court OF aldermen apart
from the town council. Now. this court or
aldermen may consist of any number of
men, Just as the council may determine
Nearly one-half are paid members of the
court and the others are unpaid, the law re-
curing the greater number to be unpaid
members: and in the present court the I'M
paid members have two majority there be-
Ing fifteen paid to seventeen unpaid Their
functions are very important and their DOW
er great. The paid members consist of the
heads or departments. who give their whole
time to their duties; the unpaid members
are generally wealthy citizens who are ex-
pected to give their time to the public but
of course, are not held to strict account like
the paid members. The paid members are
elected by the town council for twelve years
and resemble in their duties our collector
assessor. auditor, building inspector, health
ofncer. attorney, plumbing inspector super
htendent OF sewers, &c. The unpaid alder
men have their duties apportioned in the
same way, and to an outsider their business
seems to be to see that the paid fellow does
bis duty The court OF aldermen is presided
Uer by mayor (oberDurgermeister) who is
chosen by the council for term of twelve
years. but his selection must be approved
by the emperor.
He Is paid about 81 500 a year, and Is an
'fticer of great power and dignity All
power Of appointment is exercised BY the
own council, which consists of I2f MEM
,ers, elected by the electors. Let us see
low the state assists the nun ;cipaIity
first. the government has given t. Tire
hty magnificent park of 600 acres ,Thler-
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