The record-union., 1896-12-06
MUNICIPAL VOTERS.
Difficulties in the Way Of Reforms in
Cities.
Arguments in Favor of Extending
Municipal Functions to Supply
of Light and Water.

seemed more unaccountable and dis
couraging than the apparent stupidity
Of the voters in our large cities.
During the early years of the agita-
ton for municipal reforms the apathy
of the people was attributed to a lack
of information, but this explanation
can no longer be accepted as sufficient
No facts could have been made palmer
or more universally known than the
prevalence of corruption, extravaganza
and incompetency in our city govern
ments. Nothing could have been more
clearly demonstrated than than that
these evils are due to the "spoils sys-
tenn and to an excessive partisanShip
and neglect OF public duties on the
part of the citizens. The folly Of in
trusting the common assets of great
community to the itching palms" of
such an universally distrusted class as
the professional politicians has been as
sailed with an unfailing stream of ar
gument and denunciatiOn from pulpit,
press and platform. There has been
no lack of clearness and earnestness
in describing the demoralizing effect
of municipal corruption upon private
character, and the peril it involves
for the State and National Govern
mentS. The immense moral and mate
rial advantages Of an honest, intelli-
gent, business-like management of local
affairs, the mutual dependence and mu-
tual obligations of fellow citizens, the
principle that a right to vote is neces-
sarily a trust for others as we'll as
personal privilege, and the truth that
a man who fails to vote for the COM
mon good is a social criminal, have all
been urged with a force and diligence
which could hardly be surpassed.
But notwithstanding all these efforts
the masses have seldom wavered in
their support Of bad men and bad
methods, and with few and transient
exceptions they have seemed to be as
little affected by the arguments and
appeals Of reformers as herd Of
browsing cattle would have been by
the reasoning Of Socrates or the elo-
quence Of Cicero
Under these circumstances it seems
natural that the advocates Of reform
should ascribe their failures to the
stupidity of the average voter, and
conclude that their final success can
only be attained through better edu-
cation of generations yet unborn.
A more careful analysis will lead to
the entirely different conclusion that
the voters have had some very plausi-
BILE reasons for the course they have
pursued, and that reforrners instead
of being surprised at the slowness of
their progress should be encouraged by
the gains which it has been possible to
make under such adverse conditions.
In order to understand the motives of
the voters we must remember that they
are composed Of two classes, those who
are, and those who are not, the owners
of property subject to municipal taxa
ton.
For convenience we may speak of
them as taxpayers and taxpayers,
although of course, directly or tndi-
rectly all residents, whether they know
it or not, are more or less affected by
the local taxation. We should also re-
member that the taxpayers are only
small minority of the voters, and that
arguments which appeal solely to the
former can have but little influence on
the results of elections.
The proportions are doubtless mate
rally different in different cities, and it
is difficult to obtain reliable figures, but
official statistics compiled in Boston
show that in that city six-sevenths of
the municipal voters must be classed
among the non-taxpayers.
Taking first the comparatively insig-
rificant minority composed of taxpay-
ers, we find that their principal reasons
for not assuming an active part in the
nomination and support Of reform can
didates may be stated briefly as follows:
First-Because they fear that their
opposition to influential politicians may
be punished by an increase in their as
sessments for taxation, or by loss of
custom or employment, or by some
other action injurious to their personal
or business interests.
Second-Because as investors, en-
ployes, or otherwise, they have or hope
to have some pecuniary interests In
corporations, contracts or offices, which
would be much less profitable under a
government too pure to be corrupted,
and too intelligent to be outwitted
Third-Because they believe that it
Pays better in dollars and cents to SUBJ
NIT to existing abuses than to expend
the time and money required for a. long
and difficult series of political contests.
Fourth-Because they consider that
national legislation affects their per-
sonal interests far more than any prob.
able action Of their local government.
and that their national party must
therefore be supported in it's efforts to
strengthen itself by securing complete
control of local affairs.
Fffth-Because they believe the local
machine of the opposition party is still
worse than their own, and that to pro-
| mote its success by wasting their votes
ON third ticket would only be iunp
ing out OF the frying pan into the fire.
SlNth-Beeause they have no faith In
the possibility of subjecting politics to
the principles of common honesty. or
pubic affairs to the methods of intellf-
gent business.
Ihls list is not complete, but It is s,1ff1-
GENTLY formidable to show that the nro-
gress of reform principles amongthe tax.
payers must continue to be Slow ond
difficult. unless city government can ba
made to appear much more important
and interesting than it has hitherto
seemed to be-
The difficulties which the reformer ba g
to contend with when he is DEALING viii
the taxpayers are certainly great, but
those which he is obliged to meet when
ne appeals to the main body OF the
voters are much greater This is partly
because he has several times as many
people to reach. and partly because
those whom he seeks to convince are so
situated that many Of his best arpu-
ments can make but little IL anv ,ronro.-