Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-02-25
SQUARE, BERLIN.

municipal methods, SO as to allow the
reader to make comparisons. My at
tempts will also be to make these arti-
cles as interesting as the difficult and
complicated subject matter will permit,
end in doing this shall omit many de-
tails which would otherwise render my
work too cumbersome. For some Of the
data here quoted l am indebted to the
Berlin municipal authorities, others L
have extracted from official publca-
tions, and yet others have from mem
bers of the Berlin city council.
Generally speaking, the influence of
the municipality and it's government
is In Germany far more positive fac
tor in the life of the family or of the
individual than is the case i'll America.
1t is the business of the municipality
to promote in every possible way it's
! own welfare and the welfare of its cit
liens. 1t holds itself responsible for
the education of all; for the provision
OF amusement and the means of rccrea-
ton; for the health of families; for
the promotion of individual thrift; for
protection from various misfortunes;
for the development of advantages and
opportunities, in order to promote the
industrial and commercial welI-being;
and. incidentally, for the supply of COM
mon services and the introduction of
conveniences. To accomplish all this,
of course, a well-adjusted and yet COM
pick machinery is required; an enlight-
ened, unselfish and philosophical di-
recting body and large corps of we'll
trained, intelligent and honest officials.
The confidence must be there on the
part of the citizens that the municipal
government means the welfare of all
! md distributes justly and evenly the
burdens and the advantages among the
total population. This confidence is
there. and it is but rarely misplaced.
Dishonesty, favoritism or incompe-
tency are, practically, unknown fac
tors in Berlin land as whole, in Ger
many municipal government. That is
one vital difference when compared
with American municipal government.
A striking proof of this well-placed con-
tidence is found in the following:
In 1895 the charitable fund of the
city of Berlin amounted to 33.997,767
marks ($s.4o0,00o), having increased
since 1894 by 5,44a,O9o marks. This fund
represents charitable requests from
over 1000 citizens, some of these be-
! quests dating back 100 years and over,
although the bulk is of recent date.
The municipal government disburses
the interest and other emoluments is
suing from this fund in the exact spirit
and with the identical intention of the
givers, no case of malversation or mis-
application of the fund having ever oc-
CURED. Besides this fund, however.
the municipal government has also full
charge of the comprehensive system Of
aiding the poor, the unemployed, the
sick In want, ETC., assisted and cooper.
ted with in this herculean task by q
large body of volunteers of good social
and financial standing, who discharge
their onerous tasle-tor which purpose
the city is divided into several hun
dreds Of poor districts'-purely for
the honor 1t brings. The city has an
accumulated municipal fortune amount
ing this year to 543, $3.50, 4s6 marks $685.
Ooo,ooo), of which 35G,645,526 marks is
In real estate. The total debt of the city
amounts to 2ss,sO3, 031 marks ($71 ,OOO,-
! ooQl. Aaysps assFeassa last year by g.