Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-03
MuNICIpAI. REBORN.
Advance OF the Movement In vnrious
cities,
Hhtper's Weekly.

Hhrper's Weekly
The desire for municipal reform Is spread
Ing, and II Is sincerely to be hoped that the
result OF the recent election in this city will
not discourage the friends Of good govern
ment from perssvering in their efforts to
reach sound solution OF one Of the most
vexing problems that is presented by our
democratic form OF government.
II Is our present purpose to chronicle two
movements that are indicative of the general
trend in the right direction. Philadelphia
has long been recognized as one OF the worst
governed cities in the country. More than
fifteen years ago the reformers under the
lead OF a committee OF citizens, defeated a
ring OF plunderers who had established them
selves as a great wealth-gettng corporation,
making money from nearly every public in
strumentality for the corporate health and
comfort. But new devices for robbery have
been invented, and on the ilth Of this month
state senate investigation was begun into
the abuses that have nourshed under the
present charter of the city How great a sum
these abuses have cost the taxpayer may be
judged from a statement made by MIR.
Freedley, a lawyer who explained the pur
pose and scope OF the investigation. He said:
"On January /, 1887, the annual cost of the
various departments was under S9,000,00O.
On January 1, 1885, the annual cost was over
500 100000" The work Of the highway and
street cleaning bureaus OF Philadelphia is
done by contract and the charge is made
that the money expended by these bureaus
is not employed for the benefit of the city,
but is diverted to political purposes The
city does not get the benefit of the money;
the 'heelers," the strikers" the boys"
do This is an old story In more than one
American city, and we are told that the evils
of the contract system are likely to be fully
exposed by the investigation. 1t seems that
under no system are the interests of the city
safe from the plunderers Whether the
work is done by the city officials or by con-
tractors employed by them, advantage is
taken of every opportunity for stealing di-
vertng municipal revenues.
The other effort for municipal reform is
being made in New Orleans. Affairs in that
city seem to have reached the lowest depth
of political degradation. Serious criminal
charges are made against men who are in
high position, and the implicated officials ap-
pear to have banded together to persscute
those who are charged with the duty of
bringing them to Justice. The character OF
from the statement that is made by the Plea
yure that the corrupt and constituencies
political bosses have managed the city's
affairs that numbers of the peoples repre-
sentatves have become criminals, convicted
of felonies, and others are charged with Grim
inal corruption, while the good name of the
city has been covered with shame and dis
grace"
A war against this state of things has been
going on for some time, but now public sem
tment has been conc ntrated by the forma- |
ton of citizens league, at a meeting which |
was held on the Sth of this month at the |
Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 1t is |
the intention of the league to make war on |
the corrupt bosses" at the polls
All such movements as these make for the |
moral health of the whole country. and if |
they are persisted in, their result will be |
the reform Of most of our municipal govern
ments.