The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-05-08
CITY AND TOWN GOVERNMENT.


The growing disposition among New
England towns to make cities OF them
selves marks the passing of the old town
meeting traditions of our forefathers.
The town meeting is distinctly thing
of tho bygone period in any thing but
the very smallest communities. Inc
old town meeting in Rhode Island was
select affair, limited to the land-hoiders'
and its proceedings were distinguished
by great dignity of department on the
part of those participating and by sober
ness and adequacy OF consideration TO
those subjects that came mp. AS towns
grew the character OF the town
meeting changed-and it had changed
even in the days, somewhat distant, be-
fore we had universal suffrage and all OF
us were privileged to attend town meet
ing and take part in the voting, to say
nothing of the debate 1t was remarked
as one of the qualities oil our dear friend
"Old Grimes" that he never ''made a
noise town meetin' days, as many peo-
pie do" which indicates that the gener-
alton which the old fellow found grow
ing up around him did not mai ntain the
dignity and decorum of the town meet
ings with which his youth had been as
sociated.
The recently growing disposition to
make our towns into cities may strike
us at first glance as revolutionary, but
it is really all right. 1t is only ques-
ton of methods of running the business
of community and the city method is
simply big improvement over the
town method, both for facility and
economy. In private business something
of the same sort Of change Of ideas has
been marked the past few years, and the
old partnership and firms" have been
made over by wholesale into corporations.
The parallel with the change from town
to municipal government is by no means
exact, but it similarly illustrates the
progress in business methods and the
adoption of new and practical ideas to
replace worn out traditions.
1t has pompous sound to unfamiliar
ears for town to want to be city.
We remember when Pawtucket. whi ch
had grown to be the biggest town in the
United States, undertook to be city.
We had lots Of sport with it, though its
population at the time was as big, or
bigger, than that of Newport. Then
Woonsocket wanted TO be citified and
when Central Falls become ambitions
there was lots of fun about it. Now it
is Cranston's turn7-an agricultural
city" as some local wag has already
called it.
But Cranston is all right. So is Cen
trail Falls. So, we should say, would
be half the towns in Rhode Island
should they want to adopt city form
of government. Being city and being
town is only question of business
methods.
In the great and new and up-to-date
West. where they cut loose from Eastern
traditions and blow-in Eastern money,
towns are scarce and cities are many.
They make cities ont there from villages
no bigger than Apponaug. OF course it
helps the boom to call a place city,
but quite aside fiom that the city form
of government is the best form for carry
ing on the business of community that
has any population big enough to have
much business to do.
We do not feel that the growth Of
the city sentiment in our towns need
awaken any sentiment but approval. 1t
is good thing-push it along.