The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-29
LOWS TAWDRY CLAM0R.
HIs THEORIES (TO E OFFICE oN)
TORN TO SHREDS ny HIS
OWN PROFESSORS.

n the Advocates OF Non. far;iidnship IN Local
ADdfrs.
GENTLEMEN Unless the community Is en-
tircly mislod and deceived, tho issue OF MIR.
Lows campaign is that municipal government
IL matter OF business, not politics. thatit is a
matter with which political parties have np:h-
inS to do. and that, therefore, from the very
nature OF tho case municipal government
should DO " non-partisan." AND tho two historic
parties alike be driven from the field. So far as
discovcrablc. the Citizens Union has introduced
no other issue into this campaign, and. save for
this. Mr.. Low is running for Office without a
policy and without a platform. Now let us see
whether this " pulling jargon y Is as innocent as
II Ia foolish and mischicvOus.
The theory that municipal government Is nom
political, and that the election OF local officers
should be non. partisan. being easily presented
and extremely spccious. became popular n few
years ago among two classes of PERSONS. but for
entirely different reasons. One class consisted
Of certain young theorists and easy going busi-
ness men, who. while practically entirely I'M
familiar with constitutional law or the science
of government, nevertheless proclaimed the doc
trine that the affairs of the city were business
affairs purely and simply, because they saw
only the business side it. The other class was
that OF the discontented politicians, who. being
unable to secure the prominence and offices they
desired from their own parties, awaited OF this
theory, and Of the support Of the theorist and
tho sophomore, as n Justification for entering
upon all sorts OF political combinations and
deals for the temporary creation OF a local party,
brought into existence for the purposes OF a
single battle and q personal victory.
The idea that the affairs OF n municipal cor
poration were like the affairs OF any other cor
poration whatever-wcrc in fact, fundamen.
tally and essentially the samc-has been fos.
tered by the newspapers and the theoretical re-
formers until now they believe it has been so
popularized as to afford a practical doctrinal
basis for the organization of n new municipal
party. Acting on these lines, the Citizens Union
is seeking to secure control OF the city through
an appeal to our voters for their suffrage on this
ground alone, for they do not deny the expert
once, character or ability Of any OF the nominees
of the Republican party, whose ticket is the
most commendablo one ever offered to the peo-
pie by any political party for local offices.
We are thus brought sQuarely face to face
with the question whether or not the theory OF
non-partisanship in the administration of mu-
nicipal affairs is a sound and tenable one, and
to ask what measure of truth does 1t contain r.
To discover that we have only to turn from the
advocates and associates of Mr.. Low. drunk
with the desire for office. to the professors OF
Mr.. Lows university, sobered by their response.
bility as public teachers.
What Mr.. Low and his campaign orators are
preaching at this time is the irresponsible talk
OF the candidate, and Is not SO well considered
as are the teachings Of the university. because,
II for no other reason, they are not subjected to
the Same class and quality of criticism. Mr..
Lows professors. undisturbed by the desire for
office or the temptations OF power. recognize the
actual facts in the honest spirit OF truth seek
ing. Let US. therefore. begin by appealing from
Mr.. Low, the candidate, TO the admissions and
authoritative feachippa of tha nrofooaora apa
post-graduates of Columbia University.
During the past ten years no institution in
our country has done moro serious work in
teaching constitutional and administrative law
than Columbia. 1t has graduated an exception
ally large number OF brilliant young men. and
numbers among its professors some Of the ablest
men in the country in this particular depart
ment, and none more able than Prof. Frank ].
Goodnow. its professor Of administrative law.
At this time. when Mr.. Low. being the President
of the university. Is seeking the suffrage of our
citizens on the ground that municipal govern.
ment Is business, not politics." Columbia,
through it's professors here and its graduates
elsewhere, is teaching exactly the opposite doc.
trine. and pointing out the fact that the hasty
and mistaken theory which their President now
espouses before the public is one which cannot
properly or safely be taught in tho university
over which he presides.
a EcCcut BEhuuulc, III written an e1Cep
tionally able book on the problems OF municipal
functions-I mean DR.. Delos F. Wilcox-thui
says: Some years ago, and, indeed, until very
recently, municipal reforme-s generally raised
the cry of business, not politics, in reference L
city government There seems to be q,
the present time a healthful reaction
born Of wider knowledge and saner judg
ment, toward the recognition Of the essentially
political character OF cities" Elsewher
Nrt IL
ton, but is an agent OF the people in their SOY
ereign capacity. and in so far is co-ordinat,
with the central State Government ITSELF
which is equivalent to saying that city govern
ment 10 political by nature. Just as national AM
State Governments are; and such Is tho fact
for all three have their political and their bust
moss sides alike. But we shall como to tina
later.
Prof. Goodnow, In his latest book, "Municipa
Problems" published during the present year
says: The city is essentially a governmental
rather than a business corporation. 1t is tru
that a large part Of its work is local; but it i
not the less governmental" He points out tina
SO long as the city is the mere delegate of tn
State for the performance of State functions, 1
Is impossible to sever State from municipal pol
tics and to exclude the regular political organ
~izations from the controlling voice In the affair
Of tho city. The most natural solution whic
appeals to his mind Is to have the State r,
assume the exercise of its own functions. Blu
how different that is from the claim involved l
Mr.. Lows new doctrine, viz, that they ar
not the affairs of the State or of tn
State parties at all! He finds that SOM
thing can be done in this way, "to remove TIL
temptation for political parties to interfere
municipal government /. C., by deprivinR tn
municipality OF the functions themselves, an
ne refers to the recent assumption by the Stat