The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-12-20
CITY GOVERNMENT
BY ABBOT KINNEY

"a paper read before the National Gill Service
Reform League, Washington Dc, Deem.
Der, 1895.
Our present city system makes ptitics
business. The getting of offices fees,
franchises and contracts in all our cies is
today business in the hands of p,fes.
SIGNAL politicians. All citizens not il the
ranks of some political society like Inn
many or in league with some political oss
are in fact rank outsiders. The plain, slf-
supporting citizen is reduced in local aff@s
to be mere chooser between the NOMINEES
and creatures of one cabal or boss an
those of another.
1t has been held that general attent
ance upon primaries woul Il cure our cit.
politics and result in an efficient and econ
omical government. Several answers can
be given to this proposition:
First-A prolonged experience indicates
that disinterested citizens, that is. the gem
eral public, do not attend primaries. We
cannot reasonably expect general and
permanent change in this one point while
the other points in the problem remain the
same.
Second-Those citizens who do attend
primaries find at once that they as individ-
uals confront an organization with slate
or plan. In other words, the citizen is an
amateur among professionals. These pro-
fessionals are in the business of politics
for gain; they are engaged in it perma-
nently and make it business. The voter,
only interested in the public good, finds at
the primary and convention band CT &C.
tual or would-be policemen. firemen, dep
utes, contractors, and often auditors, en-
gineers, coroners and what not, with all
their retainers regularly organized, sup
t<,I with n
itary discipline. The convention itself is
dominated by trades between office-seek-
ers, unless a political boss has previously
fixed the slate.
The situation suggests the feudal age,
with its bsronial bandits ruling body OF
men supported out of the plumber taken.
A third answer to the remedy OF political
primary attendance is that the primaries
involve tacit consent to the primary de-
cison. This is political action within po-
litical action, and before he knows what he
is consenting to. A voter should never be
in such blind lane.
Fourth-The primary introduces ma
tional party organization with all its pas
sions and prejudices into local affairs,
where these do not belong. Party preJu-
dice in city affairs is only and clearly an
injury to the conduct of its public busl-
ness.
Fifth-The primaries and conventions
are IlOt III tuS ldWs lOt Ill thC SOuStNuNoA
and are not necessary. Instead OF want
ing to make citizens go to primaries we
ought to abolish the reason for the primary
and get rid Of it.
The Australian ballot, the election in
local affairs of but one or two persons. as
in the federal government, the nomination
by not over ten petitioners OF these few
candidates; this seems to be the line Of es-
cape from maladministration under any
plan adopted The fact that our primary
system is fifth wheel, registering any
thing except the popular will, and that 1t
is unnecessary and an absolute nuisance,
is proved by the experience OF eNcellentiy
self-governed cities in various parts OF the
world, not one of which ever suffered I'M
der the primary curse or convention poll
tics.
We recognize that the present city sys-
tenn is bad. Probably all thinkers realize
that the new system must have unity and
force in itself sufficient to carry on the
public business in an efficient and econom-
ical manner, and that the confusion Of
great numbers of candidates and the lack
of responsibility in an entirely headleSS
system must be done away with.
The weakness and lack of adaptation to
present conditions of our existing plan of
city government has built up the cabal or
boss system, which is used to make money
for private enjoyment out OF the pubic
business.
The general tendency of the work for
city reform of method seems to be toward
the federal system with council and
strong executive elected and all other Of
ficers appointed by the executive. With
well organized civil service for police, fire.
men, clerks, ETC., this plan would make
great improvement in city government
Whatever plan is adopted there are, to my
mind, two essentials for the highest sue
cess:
First-The legal recognition of no nomi-
nation other than that of the real Austral-
ian ballot law; that is by petition. requir-
ing ten and no more signers. This would
not interfere with anyone's holding con-
venticn, but would neutraiize previous
professional political work as now done at
primaries.
Second-A civil service for all city en-
ploy other than department chiefs.
This system should probably have pre-
lminary examination to enter an appren-
ticeship of, say, six months, for special
preparation and a final examination, the
passing of which would alone admit to
eligibility for employment.
secure tenure of office has its recon-
mendations, but believe has still greater
drawbacks. civil service system that
excludes favor and substitutes merit in
all appointments need not be handicapped
with fixed tenures subject to being ended
only by trial.
The Citizens league has advocated the
strong executive or one-man power plan
for a long time in Los Angeles. I still be-
lieve that such plan of city government
would relieve us of our worst ills and would
undoubtedly destroy the possibility of the
present strong unlawful executive existing
| in all our large cities and called the boss.
| Since reading the valuable and instructive
| work OH municipal government in Great
| Britain by Mr.. Albert Shaw, have come
| to realize the efficiency OF that system. as
shown by the success of great cities like
| Glasgow. Birmingham, Manchester. etc..
| in honorable, economical and effec i've
treatment of all their public business. The
idea of grand artificial port like that OF
| Glasgow constructed by the city out OF its
own funds would not SO much as enter the
head of an American citizen as possible
| here. The public water works, street rail-
ways and street openings that have been
honestly and successfully carried through
in that far northern city, prove that their
| system of government must be on essen
! TALLY sound principles. The main features
| OF the English plan are:
First-The division of the city into dis
tricts, say from ten to thirty districts to a
/ city.
| cecond-The election every year of one
councllorin each district. Councillor holds
for three years. so each district has three
councillors or aldermen. Names imma
| terial.
J Enthusiastically all power is in the
council, which elects mayor. This Off
cial represents the city, but is little more