The morning times., 1895-12-25
DR. ADAMS TWELVE POINTS
Showing th, Advantages Which Ge1d
Government Should Give.
Commendabie Features in the City
Governments of Paris and
Hamburg.

Prof. Herbert B. Adams of Johns Hop
kins University, III an address last night
to the Good Government clubs OF the Nine
teenth, Twentieth and Twenty-first wards
! In Cunnins' Memorial Reformed Episcopa
| Church. Baltimore, enumerated in twelve
points the principal advantages which good
/ government should afford 10 city residents.
ihe principal part oil his address was de-
| voted To an explanation OF the conmenda bic
features In the city governments of Paris
ana Hamburg, as made known through the
| recent studies in European municipal gov
erh'ient by Dr. Albert j. Shaw, who was
formerly IA pupil OF Dr. Adams.
Il. A weif-organiZed and efficient po-
lice.
~. A well trained fire department and
good building Laws.
-. a good water supply, free from the
germs oI typnolu fever.
A. A good system OF drainage which
can carry away not only the surIae,. water,
but also the overflow or the house drains OF
every Kind. Sucn Il system ought 10 do
away WIN all cesspoo.s ana lack yard
Closets, ana IL ought 10 make the city clean
and passabie even in u rainy or winlry
season.
q. A system OF inspection of food sup
plies III all tne markets ana provision stores,
rs the health of the city is largely conditioned
by what IL eats and drinks.
%. y proper system or public parks and
breathing places. There Is no more eniigirt-
ened public policy for a great city than
the maintenance of such parks as those
in baltlmore-Drdid Hill, PATTERSON, and
Clifton. In addition 10 these u number OF
small parks are needed wnere the popu In ton
Ii congested. City airholes are very inpor-
tant for life and breath.
II. Weil-paved streets and sidewalks,
kept clean summer and winter by frequent
sweeplngs, water flushiDgs, and even scrub
blngs. There is no better test of the char
;Icter OF a great town than the cleanliness
or its thoroughfares and sidewalks.
.. Rdpid traBsij Is 50 TtguIated by
the city that public convenience is in every
possible way promoted and the revenue
OF the city increased by taxation OF these
franchises. The experience Of the Old World
and the new alike show that the valuable
concessions ought not To be made to corpora
lions without adequate return to the city.
''9. The proper lighting of streets alleys,
courts, Railways, park and all public places.
II is now Il recognized principle that good
light is equal to good policeman. Many
cities have taken entire control of the tusi-
ness OF illumination. They have their own
plants and charge their own rates, which are
IN many cases far cheaper than those de-
mandcd by private enterprise.
40. A good system of civil service. ap-
pointed by reason or qualIfiCa tions rather
than as Il reward for party services. 1t is
apparent To any reflecting mind that city
engineers. health Officials police, school
teachers and many other public servants
ought to hold office during good behavior.
III. Public schools, beginning with kin
dcrgariens and ending with high schools and
trade schools. One great reason why there
are so many Inen and women out of work
in America is because they have never
learned to do anything in particular. There
is an abundance of la bor but never enough
OF skilled labor.
''l2. Public Iiharies'
Further on DR.. AGaDs gave six points
suggesting methods of remedying rad City
government. They were:
II. To limit the power of suffrage by a
poI--aN and by an educational qualifica-
ton. Unfortunately Maryland by her
constitution Is unable to impose a roll-:aX.
-. municipal council chosen on a gen
eral ticket by qualified voters and electinC
its own mayor and standing committees ON
education, sanitation, public works and
police. each committee employing expert
and paid service.
''3. The Brooklyn method of tLCCsing a
mayor with absolute power and entire re-
sponsibility.
II. Separation OF municipal government
from party politics.
-. Education OF the public in civic ard
the best politics.
''6. Better political leadership"