The San Francisco call., 1897-08-20

refcrmers," those who would make the Mayor
a dictator, should not have bAen earlier op-
posed by another school, which would advo-
cate the concentration of authority ana re-
sponsibility in the Council" think there is
no escape from Mr.. Shaw's conclusion that
Logically, the Mayor must eventually swai-
low ne Council or the Council must swallow
the Mayor, If political forces 20 be accorded
some degree OF atural play; and the one man
Is on the decline everywhere In this age"
we sho1ld be able to catch. the significance
OF another TACT 10 which he thus calls atten-
uon: Municipal governments outside OF the
united States do not erect a separate one-man
power ana give 1t the means to obStruct the
fuling administrative body and to diminish
It's scope and responsibility. The Mayor else
where than in the United States is an integral
part OF the council Throughout the United
hlngdom municipal government is simply
government by group of men who are 10 be
regarded as grand committee of the munich
pal corporation, consisting of the whole body
OF ihe qualified cit zens. In Glasgow it is
IN Manchester OF 104 in Birmin CHAM of
seventy-two and in most OF the large English
towns OF sixty-four."
He'eXplalns on page "a how these large
councils, or ''grand committees" appoint or
remove all officials, and have entire charge of
the municipal admin iStration, distributing
Inc work OF department management and SUI
pervlslon TO standing committees of their
own numb ber which they organize and consti-
tute as they judge best And he adds: "If
such local government cannot be trusted the
quite certain to be as good government as
the people deserve to have. The system is q
simple, logical and effective as the American
system is complicated and incompatib.e e with
harmonious and responsible administration.
lntini ely superior is the Eng Iish system"
etc.
From the second and larger volume on
Municipal Government in Continental Eu-
rope" l shall only present single para
graph to be found in the preface, pages and
b: "Ihe term municipal government i'll the
United States is suggestive of attempts TO
emanclpate our great towns from the control
OF corrupt and inefficient men, to the end that
the revenues may be honestly collected and
expended and public work properly performed
and that the police power may be pur1tred
from its taint OF alliance with I'M US tce and
crime. But i'll Europe the honesty and
efficiency of municipal government are not
seriously in question anywhere. Municipal
aling the bacterioogist and the sanitary in
spector, fostering the kindergarten and the
technical school, and inquiring anxiously
about the housing of the people, etc"
Gentlemen of the charter committee, l re-
spectfuily submit the query whether it is not
and prejudice long enough 10 give serious
consideration to the undena bic merits and
unques tionable success OF the European sys-
tenn OF municipal government. l think we
have chance to lead American cities in
adopting better form OF government.
AT the conclusion Of the reading of the
communication the matter of public
libraries was discussed. This led to an
animated debate and the eof much sar-
casm. No definite conclusion, however,
regarding Libraries was reached. The
convention adjourned before the question
had been disposed OF.