Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-07
MODEL MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
Washington Is One of the Best Gov
.erned Cities.

Washington IL One OF the Best Gov
.erned Cities.
From the Philadelphia Telegraph.
One Of the best-governed cities on the
American continent is Washington. The
national capital is governed by board Of
Commissioners appointed by the Presi-
dent. The members are appointed gener-
ally not because they are politicians, but
because they are especially competent to
discharge the especial duties assigned
them. There Is no such thing as political
ring" or combine in that city at this
time. Law and order are admirably pre-
served. The police force is particularly eff-
Gent. The water supply Is good, all edu-
cational provisions admirable. The streets
are exceptionally well paved, lighted, and
cleaned, and in the way of municipal inn
provements every dollar spent represents
one hundred cents or more of value
ceived. Those who have control of the
municipal government have pride in their
work; public spirit alone actuateS them
in the performance of their duties.
The Washington board Of trade, purely
civic body, composed of the most repre-
sentative citizens, has recently adopted a
resolution recommending that Congress
shall pass an act placing all municipal en-
ployes, of all grades, upon the civil service
list. AS all employees Of the city are en-
ployes Of the federal government, 1t Is IN
the power of Congress to accede to this re-
quest. There is less reason for doing it in
the reason that politics has less to do with
the government and those who administer
it's affairs than with those Of other NUM-
cpalities. But the board of trade has
wisely determined to provide against the
possibility of change which would put
the government under the control Of the
practical politicians.
One President succeeding another,
whether republican or Democratic has
been exceedingly careful in the appoint
ment of the Board of Commissioners; but
lest one Of their successors should be less
careful and put upon the board some men
who would be rerntciously active in poll
tics and revolutionize the municipal gov
Ell ,ment by filling the offices and the little
places in the departments with their
henchmen, the board of trade has resolved
to make removals except for cause impos-
sitle. All employees, no matter how humble
or unimportant their work may be, are to
be obliged to pass a civil service examina-
ton, by which their competency, including
their general fitness, may be established.
So far as municipal government is con-
cerned, the best results can never be at
tanned without resort to some such plan as
this. Recent disclosures in New York have
shown what are the likely, or certain, con-
sequences of police force chosen by the
political bosses. The worst of our munich
pal government Is due to officers, employees
of all ranks, being chosen by political man
ayers. Out of that system all sorts of cor
ruption and .jobbery grow. No political
ring is possible in Washington or any
where SO long as those in control cannot
dispense the patronage to their followers;
they can have no followers to sustain rings
If they cannot have crowds of henchmen
under hire and salary. Political bossism
subsists only through its ability to control
the Offices to choose the hosts of the city's
employees. These latter, when owing their
means of living to the controlling officers.
become parts of the political machine,
which is always so dangerous in municipal
government Take from the bosses the
thousands of city employees and they will
cease to be bosses: Police departments.
ally in our American cities filled with the
ward and precinct workers Of this or that
boss, and it is not surprising that they are
largely compact political bodies, whose
chief duty is not police or fire duty, but
political work. When our cities change all
this municipal government will change for
the better and not till then.