St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-14
THE FEARFUL EXAMPLE,.

The Pioneer Press, strenuous for
Capitalization of power in munich
pal government, and as fearful of
home rule as a negro is of hoodoo,
quotes from a report on the admin
istration Of the city of Philadelphia
under council and executive govern
mental systems, in which an appall-
ing picture is drawn of the results
under the former and the improve
ment under the latter. In 1887 the
Bullitt charter was passed adopting
1.-The state and federal system of
decently endowed and responsible
executive"
Philadelphia is now in the throes
of another city election. The Rec
ord is making the fight for ex-Gov.
Pattison, the Democratic nominee,
on the extravaganza of the city gov
eminent 1t teens and bristles
with statistics showing the rapid in
crease of the cost under this de
Gently endowed and responsible eX-
ecutive." From 1860 to 1886 the cost
of the various departments, eXclud-
ing fixed charges, interest on debt,
ETC., increased from $2,6S2, 54S in the
first to IS, 935, 207 in the latter-one
year, 1875, it having been $10,105, 919.
In 1887 the cost jumped to $12, 755, $50,
and has since steadily increased,
reaching $29, 1872, 591 in 1894 The as
sessed valuation of the city in 1860
was $155, 697, $3.50; in 1887 was 1928, 49,
312, and in 1894 was $769, $50, 542.
Under the system of a ''decently en-
doWed executive" the cost has in
creased $16,556,64 or $50 per cent,
while the valuation has increased
Sal Psi ,230, or % per cent.
The fixed charges have shown a
similar increase. from $22, 1881 in
1890 to So, 65S, 704 in 1894. The debt
tells the same story of how de
Gently endowed and responsible ex-
ecutive" system operates. The COM
mittee of one hundred, which worked
a revolution in that city seventeen
years ago, brought about reforms
under the councils system of govern
ment-please note-that reduced the
city debt from $73, 10000 in 1878 to
$50, 900, 900 in 1887. Under the new and
improved and altogether to be
praised plan of government, the debt
has been steadily climbing back
again until in 1894 it reached $60,67S,
O45. These figures the Record takes
from the official reports of the comp
troller, and surely they do not sus-
tain the claim for the superiority Of
the "decently endowed executive"
system.
The comparison, however, does
establish one fact that is too much
lost sight of by all the advocates of
the two systems of municipal gov
eminent, and that is that the gov
eminent of any city under any form
is just what it's citizens make it,
and no better, no worse. There was
corruption under the councils and
committee system because the voters
were Indifferent and let the control
of the city fall into the hands of
corrupt men, just as it will under any
form where the people neglect their
duties. 1t was the revolt of 1877
there that drove out the rascalS,
stopped the flood of extravaganza
and fraud, reduced expenses, cut
down the debt and gave the city, for
a time, a good administration. 1t
was the confidence that everything
would be honest and economical I'M
der the Bullitt charter, with it's de
Gently endowed and responsible ex-
ecutive," that gave the rascals
again a chance to get their grip on
the city's finances.
The lesson there and here and
everywhere is home rule, bringing
the government as closely to the
people as possible, and then I'M
ceasing vigilance on the part of the
people. If they select honest, capa-
BILE men with business ability to
transact their public business, if
they are watchful of them, they will
have a good government. If they
let a machine usurp their functions
and content themselves with grum-
bling and praying to Jupiter for new
charters, and especially if they have
to await the pleasure of a sovereign
legislature to correct the mistakes in
charters, then they will get what
they deserve, the rule of a ring, in
tent only on plumber.