Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-22

Dream Faces. Selections on Childhood
Lillian Leslie johnson.
This is one of the daintiest, and most
original little holiday books that has
ever come to our notice. The selec-
tons from the great poets, of the beau
tiful passages relating to childhood
are admirably made and reflect great
credit upon Miss Johnson's literary
taste and discrimination. The work
is beautifully illustrated with half
tone Illustrations giving n series of
charming baby faces, and taken. we
suspect. from life. This little book
will he on sale at the book stores. 1t
should meet with a large sale.
Municipal Reform in the United
states, by Thomas c. Devlin, G. T..
Putnam's Sons. New York.
This is the latest volume of the pop
ular Questions OF the Day series.
The reputation Of the writer entities
his opinions to respect. whether or not
we may agree with him in any. or all,
the conclusions he reaches. At this
time. when the question of making
certain changes in u city charter is
under consideration such a work as
this is of special interest, and We have
therefore distracted it at some length.
The author says:
"Th Science of Municipal Govern
ment in this country is crude our
methods are expensive and our GOV
ernments inefficient. The burden has
become oppressive. and nearly every
citizen in the land is making some eff
forts for reform, and there are no cities
where the same are not necessary. The
ultimate results will be good, hut their
attainment through numerous failures
may be slow and costly. Good govern
ment in his country must come from
the people. and they must know what
measures are desirable and what theo-
ries are visionary and impraCticable.
The student of municipal government
can find abundant information in
many books upon the subject. The
newspapers and magazines have pub
lished numerous articles that are in
teresting and instructive to the aver
age reader. but they present the sub
ject in a promiScuouS and disconnected
manner. II. after a somewhat careful
study of municipal statistics, and some
Of the important contributions from
painstaking students. h writer has
presented his conclusions in a a
that will he helpful to those citizens
who should be interested in the good
government OF the cities in which they
live, he has accomplished all he could
desire.
~, .ti IS ..tiA,
during the last twenty-five years has
demanded much Of their builders. A
modern city represents many different
interests. Enterprises either public or
private that are hurried too much are
very apt to be faulty in detail and
more costly than if one more deliber-
ately. II would be too much to expect
that Il constantly changing force of
| public officials. without precedent or
| experience would devise n suitable syS-
tenn of government for n modern city
| and also perfect every work demanded
| by an estate of such magnitude. Rapid
transportation. water supply, sewers.
| paved streets, electric lights, police
| and fire protection. etc, have all been
demanded of the modern city with
| such rapidity as would ave bewil-
dered any community a half century
| ago. Many of these in the order of
their Importance have been. in a way.