The herald., 1895-08-05

10 Clues. htTIldHN uU'' i iald,
Austria. Italy and Belgium are striking
examples of his movement. In the
United States at the end of the war OF
independence about per cent OF the
people dwet in towns and cities. At
present about 30 per cent are thus stu
ated.
The rapid revolution in our industrial
and trans portaton systems has brought
on US an equally marked revolution in
our social status.
The concentration OF population in
cities is progressing in America as else
where and is recent with us.
City government in country without
cities was not likely to receive much at
tention. 1t did not receive adequate at
tention from the early trainers of our gov
ernment forms.
City government is today The weak
est spot in our whole American political
system. The failure of our city govern
ments to meet conditions daily growing
more eXacting is attracting continually
increasing tteVtion. Tho overthrow
amidst popular excitement uf one corrupt
com blnation after another has not stopped
high taxes and low returns. The repeat
ed failure to get good city government by
knOCklUR Ouh u DOSS VI lWO bdS ~ iuSh
turned attention to Il modification OF
method as necessary to mt ke city gov
ernment efficient, economical and pro-
gressive.
The criminal waste or robbery of public
funds under present city politics can be
better forgiven than the resultant and
concomltant dangers growing out OF q
political police, a poor fire service.lll built
streets and an inadequate health depart
ment. Increased dangers and deaths to
the people in cities is a bad enough result
when added to high taxes, but none OF
these things compare in arraignment
against resent city government to the in
evitable degradation of the great majority
of men entering political life.
When political system undermines the
manhood and honor Of its citizens the
time has come for change.
The time has come for change in Ameri-
can city government. City politics are
in mo al sewer. City government is
disgrace to American manhood and
reproach to universal suffrage and free
government the world over. If a man
were introduced into business circles.
as a San Francisco supervisor or as u
councilman of any large American city
the fact would diminish his credit and
standing. The burden OF proof would be
upon him to show that he was n decent
and honest man that respectable people
no less fact than it is a disgrace.
The Citizens league and the last grand
jury showed the incapacity and waste
fulness of our city government.
Two illustrations will be sufficient. The
Superintendent of streets handled at that
time $3.50. 000 most of which did not ap-
pear on the city budget because raised by
separate street assessments. There were
in the street superintendent office no
books, no accounts and no checks for this
large sum of money. not even ledger.
The only way the $4,000 deficit was found
was by collateral examination in other
departments by two expert accountants
The wonder is not that there was any de-
ticit. but that it was not larger.
A corps of engineers under the orders
of the grand jury examined the cons.ruc-
tion OF streets all over the city of Los An
geles. In no single case was street
found built according to the specifications
OF the contract. The skimping was found
mainly in the foundations.
That is something for the citizens to
think about-not one street honestly
built.
A regular system of taxing city laborers
on their pay was discovered.
Here is department that should be in
the immediate charge of a competent en-
gineer at all; and the large financial
operations OF which should be under spe-
cial check, and safeguard, without at that
time any accounts whatever.
The city school board has long been a
common scandal to the citizens. The
last grand jury indicated to what depth
OF petty chicanery that particular board
had descended. The investigation showed
that teachers had paid for their places
and that lands, supplies and labor had all
been made to pay dividends TO someone.
Only two of the board were indicted.
What condition OF affairs among those
controlling the education of our chill
knowledge nor interest in the public
schools. They sought and obtained the
offices of school directors for what could
be made out of them. Several mem bers
are illustrious exceptions to this state
ment. The school board as at presen t
constituted is OF no value to the city.
On the contrary it is distinct disad-
vantage to education and a demoralizer
of the whole working force in the schools.
The supplies for the city are supposed
to be bought by contract from the lowest
bidder. AS a rule. however, a ,rtion
only of what is needed, cay in the schools.
is advertised for. One of the ring gets the
contract under the legally required adver-
tisement near or below cost, but when it
cess of the contract the cost will be found
even above the open retail market and
far higher than the prices of any contract
bidder.
This sort of thing is going on in the
city in one department or another all the
time.
The sewers are nearly all faulty and
imperfectly constructed. Several notorious
fraudSlin sewer work have been too well
known in certain circles.
In the department of education the
people have long since lost confidence.
Bargains and deals for real estate are
perennial scandal in our school boards.
Poor sites, poor construction, poor plans,
poor material, ventilation that does not
yentilate, heaters that do not heat,
plumbing on-est-inventus; in fact, the
whole business is a miserable mess. II
has almost complete charge OF our child
rem.
As to streets, nobody thinks any longer
that these will be built according to tie
specifications paid for. Streets are graded
or paved and then dug up to make
again to lay gas pipe, etc. ad nauseam.
There is absolutely no guarantee OF good
street work and no well defined plan
of carrying out such work.
Fifteen years ago | wrote an arti lie ad-
vocating that when the streets of Los
Angeles were to be paved a sewer should
first be constructed large enough for
mains and for electric wires; all con-
nection to be made by underground man
holes and the pavement never to be dis
turbed except in the interest of the pave
ment. The first extra cost of such q
Sc wer to be met by tax ON its use by
the water, gas, telephone. electric or other
companies. The city could with such
a system refuse to permit the erection OF
telegraph or telephone or electric power
tran nj sci