New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-23
THE FRENCH MUNICIPAL SYSTEM.

The present system, or modification OF the orlsi-
nal system was adopted in 1884, and was largely
xuggested by the English municipal code OF loo-.
Cnder II the Commune is the municlpai unit
The whole Republic Is divided into eighty-seVeh
departments, these into 362 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
these into ISL cantons. and these last INTO 'oi4V
communes These communes vary greatly IN size
Some are large cities, some mere villages pu'
zach Is governed by municipal council. pro-
portionate In numbers to the size or the COM
mune; ranging from ten in communes OF only
800 or less inhabitants. to thrty-six in those OK
GO 900 or more. The council Is chosen for Tour
wears by popular vote on general ticket, or
"scrutin de ste." at an election entliey sepa-
rate from any other election. national or other
wise The "scrutin de liste" system tends to
secure q high average OF character ana aoii'y
among the members; and to the fact that it does
not prevail in Paris is attributed the lherioi"'
of that ctys council.
The Municipal Council Of each commune elects
nv ballot from among its own membership
mavor and-according to the size or the COM
mune-from one to twelve adjuncts. or assistant
MAYORS The mayor and his adjuncts form
standing Executive Committee or the council re-
sponsible for the every-day administration oi
affairs. The council itself meets infrequeh'!'
only four meetings year being required oy Ia"'
All these officers serve without salary but their
actual EXPENSES incurred in public work, are
paid out of the municipal treasury. The mayor.
however has dual character. he Is the chiei
executive Of the council, and he is also an agent
q, the National Government, charged with exc
cution of the national laws. Therefore ne Is
subject to temporary suspension. for cause, by
the project of the department. and to removal
for cause. by the President Of the Republic.
Indeed the President has-but very rarely exsr-
cises-nower TO suspend or to dismiss the entire
council.
Each municipality. of course. has It's own char-
acteristics Of policy and administration. accord
ing to the sentiments and requiremt nis OF the
people The uniform national system Is SUI
fciently elastic to permit that. Inc geherai
principles of administration however. ike those
OF organization. identical in all, and lndeed
are substantially identical with those In Paris
as already described The disposition OF pubic
franchises is pretty much the same everywhere.
So is the care of streets and roads and other
public works. Compulsory gratutous education
prevails everywhere. with free textbooks, cheap
meals infant schools and technical training: 80
that not one child in a hundred Is growing up
,literate. and muititudes are being fitted to excel
in the Industrial arts. Public charities are uni
versal. with the useful adjunct Of the municipal
loan bureau. The same may be said OF savings
banks There are actually as many savings
bank accounts there are families In france;
the overwhelming majority OF the depositors be-
longing of course, TO the wage-earning classes.
Perhaps the least favorable condition Of French
town and city life is its unsantariness. There
is. or mas been, tendency toward over,rowdins.
and the water supply. drainage. etc. are not a.
ways what they should be- The resui. is high
rate Of mortality. the number Of deaths almost
Invariably exceeding that Of births. We cannot
attribute to this cause alone the faci that the
population of France is stationary. Tie blth
rate is doubtless much too 'oY as he death
rate Is too high. Nevertheless there Is room
for much improvement in sanitary respects MI
Shaw believes that such Improvement Will be
effected and that the next ten years VII see
decided betterment In the conditions of urban lfe
throughout the Republic.