The record-union., 1896-02-07


was an effort worthy of the highest pa
triotism and deserving the highest
praise In time, the desire to remedy
these evils engaged the minds of many
eminent and truly patriotic men, who
after long and careful study, came to
the conclusion that the chief causes for
the evils of municipal government lie,
first, in the great division Of power and
responsibility in municipal executive
departments; secondly, in the apathy
and indifference to local affairs on the
part Of the better citizenship; and
thirdly, in allowing the influence of the
great political parties to extend to
municipal affairs.
1t was found that decent citizenship,
believing itself utterly helpless in any
attempt to contend with the riff-raff of
the body polite, allowed its privileges
to go by default and practically sur
rendered it's local political rights to
all that is politically vicious and un-
scrupulous.
Thus it was found that municipal
affairs which should have remained in
the best hands have been allowed to
drift into the worst, and that those who
should take the deepest interest in the
affairs Of their city take the least.
It was found that division of power
and responsibility in executive depart
ments destroys all individuality, MAX
| ing OF the Mayor in many cities mere
| fgurehead, and, while expecting much
of him. making it possible for him to
do but little.
It was found that division of power
and responsibility makes it possible for
the greatest corruption to exist; for
the greatest political crimes to be COM
mitted without the people. as rule,
being able to locate responsibility.
1t was found that the influence of the
great political parties in local affairs
| is corrupting and demoralizing. The
desire. on the part of party managers
to control State and national affairs
prompts them to begin not alone with
the city and the ward, but even with
the precinct.
It was found that party managers
deem it essential to success to persuade
the voter that even for the least i'm
portant municipal office he must, in or
der to be loyal to his party, vote as the
party dictates.
How well party managers have sue
| ceeded in this direction is made mani
fest on every local election day when in
most cities thousands of otherwise in
| telligent and well-meaning voters cast
their ballots for candidates whom they
know within their heart of hearts are
totally unfit for office-candidates
whose only claim upon such voters lies
in being on the straight ticket"
The causes for the many municipal
evils having been found, the next step
lay in the direction of finding remedies.
Experience having made it plain that
division of power and responsibility was
a grave political error, the first step
toward municipal reform lay clearly in
the direction of concentrating power
and centralizing responsibility.
Years of intelligent agitation by voice
and pen en- the part of some of the
ablest American minds finally re-
suited in a number of charters of
the larger American cities being so
fewer hands and in holding those few
/ strictly accountable for results.
| SO far as possible, these newer char
| ters were made to conform to the fun
damentaI laws which so successfully
govern the nation. The Mayor Of the
city was given relatively the same
| power and authority in governing his
city that the President is invested with
in governing the nation.
1 The duties of the city representatives.
/ like Congress, were made purely legis-
/ lative. All executive power and all po-
/ litical patronage were taken from them
and placed in the hands of the Mayor.
Some cities going so far as to give the
Mayor unconditional power to make all
appointments and removals, while
other cities more closely following the
national scheme of government made
the Mayors appointments subject to
confirmation by the local legislative
body.
The second step toward municipal
reform lay in the direction of educating
voters to realize that State and national
questions have little in common with
] the management of city affairs; that
while State and National questions are
political in their nature, the affairs of a
city are, as a rule, purely matters of
business; that while the purpose of
State and National Government is
mainly to establish laws that viii give
its citizens the fullest political rights
and the most complete protection at
home and abroad, the purpose of local
| government is mainly to care for the
/ education of the young, to protect its
/ citizens against violators of the law, to
provide public comforts, conveniences
and safety
The disciples of municipal reform in
order to combat the pernicious influ-
ence of party managers in city govern
ment, found it necessary in many cities
to organize Citizens Associations" and
Taxpayers Parties" and Commit
! tees of One Hundred ;" composed as a
rule of voters from various parties,
who were pledged to the principle Of
conducting city affairs on business
methods, and who aimed to elect the
/ best available men to municipal office,
regardless of their political faith or
their party affiliations.
These associations, while seldom sue
cessful in electing their own candidates,
seemed to have an excellent influence,
not alone in prompting the regular po-
litical parties to select better candi-
dates for Office, but also in arousing a
greater interest in municipal affairs
among many Of the better citizens who
but too often remain Indifferent.
Thus these associations perform a
most important and patriotic duty in
seeking to overcome the apathy and
the indifference to local affairs on the
! part OF much Of the better citizenship.
Municipal reformers have a great
task still before them. The adoption of
new charters so prepared as to insure
better city government is a result of
SOW attainment. Many efforts to
change old regimes have repeatedly
+ failed and generally as a result of the
! determined efforts to perpetuate ex-