The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-01-17
For Good Local Government.

moment Thought, IL dppileu bs
each citizen to the problem of good
government in this city, ought to es-
tablish the truth of the assertion that
the beginning-noint of reform is in the
selection Of representative citizens as
councilmen. While under the municipal
act of 1889 it is true that the power
entrusted to the executive branch of
the municipal government is very con-
siderable more nearly realizing, than
in any other system with which We are
familiar, the much-mooted idea of ''one-
man power" it yet remains true that
all legislation, both financial. police
and miscellaneous, must under that
act, originate in councils, which is in
such matters practically supreme. The
reflective man does not need to be told
what this fact means, in daily applica-
tion. When he imports from foreign
land OF buys LIQUOR and tobacco he ex-
periences contact with legislation en-
acted at Washington. When he sues or
is sued in the county courts, he re-
ali2es the significance of the legisla-
tive work performed at Harrisburg.
These occasions, with most men. are
either few or unimportant. But as
citizen Of Scranton, concerned as a
property-owner in the municipal eX-
Denditures which are recouped by di-
rect taxation levied on his possessions,
there is not an hour in the year that
he is not in some way reminded of the
Importance and the necessity of wise,
economical and business-like legisla-
ton in the two council chambers at
Washington avenue and Mulberry
street. The travel on our streets, the
sewers that drain our homes, the men
who guard our property against burg
larry. or fire, every detail in the long
list of conveniences which differentiate
metropolitan Scranton from the unin-
cOrporated collection Of country homes
known as the 'cross roads village" re-
fleet at some point the good or i'll work
performed by those who transact the
local legislation originating in councils.
Some facts embodied in the last city
handbook with reference to the gov
ernment Of Scranton during the year
ended March 81, 1894, will help to bring
about a proper realization of the i'm
portance and the needs of our munich
pal Legislative branch. In that year
u sets Of viewers awarded damages
against the CITY, incidental to public
improvements, aggregating $50, 600 The
collections of the law departments, DIN
that year, were $4,000. on an assessed
valuation of 10000, 900 the city had a
net Indebtedness of S3S5,lO0. For paw
ing and grading of streets, S3j ,O66 G6
was expended; while to keep in
order the city's 1i0 miles of streets
only $4,000 was appropriated. Every
one of these items is traceable,
at some point, to councils. The
legislation governing the handling
of this money is THE work of councils,
and of councils alone. But there are
other facts. Although we have 40
miles of streets within the city limits,
the total mileage of sewers laid in the
city Is only 35. Last year $6i 500 was
expended on this important factor IN
the city's sanitary condition, yet easily
one-half of the inhabited portion of the
city is yet unprovided for. An item of
$42,99576, charged against the police de-
partment, represents the total of ex-
penses which must first receive an
proval by councils; and the same Is
true of the $4,75S.44 charged against
the mayors department, the $6,OO3. 81
against the department of the treas
urer, the ss,530.67 against that of the
controller, the $3,l02.12 against that of
the solicitor, the $l0,251.7 against that
of the city clerk, the $1,575 against that
of the building inspector the $9,547.S1
against THAT of the assessors, the $685.
1894 against the fire department, the
$1232l. SO against the board of health,
the $1,514.1S against the park commits
sioners, the $4,000 against the public
library the $S3,SlS.67 against the gem
eral city account and the SCISSOR of
deficiencies arising in that year. We
have here total expenditure Of $780,
24994 which passes in one year through
the two branches of our city legislature
and which must in the final analysis,
be paid din some manner or another by
the citizens and property owners of
Scranton. If every voter in this city
knew and realized that city govern
ments costs $3.50 per capita, or nearly
$3.50 for each head of a household,
would ne, by an indifferent ballot cast
at the party caucus or at the polls dele
/.