The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-03
Pittsburg's Municipal League
Protests Against Politics
Interfering With the Manage
ment of City Affairs.
1T HAS. NO BUSINESS
In the Conduct of City Matters
at All.
Republicanism, Democracy or
POpulism Have No Place.

P1rrsBURe. Jan. 3.-The public ad-
dress which is the platform of the Mu-
nicipal league has been issued Its most
interesting paragraphs are the follow
ing:
conscientious public service is a sacred
duty. which each citizen is bound to
render to the municipality in which he
resides.
1.-THE municipality is a corporation
which should be controlled by its stock
holders-the people-exclusively and
solely for the public benefit Its execu-
tive officers should be chosen by and be
directly responsible to them. Its en-
ployes should be selected, retained and
promoted solely on account of their fit
ness for and fidelity to the duties as
signed to them by law. And its public
franchises, it's most valuable assets should
not be given away, but should be dis
posed of under proper restrictions and
made to yield an adeq uate return to the
public
THE administration of municipal af-
fairs, such as equitable taxation. protec-
ton from fire, disease and the criminal
classes, humane care of the INDECENT and
insane, the furnishing of good water,
good drainage, good pavements. GOOD
streets, good lighting and good schools;
the means for recreation and the facili-
ties for rapid transit, should be managed
like those of any we'll regulated private
corporation, on sound business prin-
ciples.
1.-The enforcement of these principl
we hold to be absolutely essential to a
good municipal government.
"Many of our most valuable franchises,
notably those for street railways, have
been given away to private corporations
without any regard to the interests OF the
municipality, and from these gifts large
private fortunes have been quickly made.
Unless a change in our city government
can be accomplished, this sQuandering
of our assets will continue, the few fran
chises left will be given away to other
Corporations, to become in turn new
weapons of attack upon our interests and
our suffrages, and the people. who are
the rightful owners of these franchises,
will be bound and helpless in the power
of private trusts.
Like heavy taxation, defective transit,
unsafe streets, polluted water and i'm
pure air, fall most heavily on the laborer.
The pecuniary losses through misgov-
eminent may be demonstrated by fig
ures, but not the wrong and misery
which it entails. Manning, disease and
death cannot be computed in money.
sit may be less criminal, but it GER
fainly is a most absurd departure from
these principles, that municipal admin
istrations and national politics are unit
ed. There is no honest connection be-
tween the two. The history OF every
large city in the United States shows
that wherever tried it has been the fruit
full source of weakness and corruption
to the dominant party, and of mismau-
agement in the municipality.
"The Illogical and sabsurd injection of
partisan politics into the local issues of
municipal government, and the dramatic
shaking of the party fetch before the
eyes of the faithful at election time, must
therefore be cast aside as methods uu-
worthy of serious and thinking men,
when seeking to provide for and regu-
late their city affairs, which affect so
deeply the every day life and interest of
themselves and their families.
"The employees of the city should be
selected. paid solely with reference to
their fitness, efficiency and integrity.
The present system of bartering city of
fees for compulsory political support, and
of reducing salaries by enforced political
assessment, tends only to the demoraliza-
ton of the public service and to the deg
radiation of the officeholder."