The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-08-08
PROGRESS OF GLASGOW.

To the Editor of the San Francisco Cdl-SIR:
In quarto volume of over 400 pages, by Sir
James Bell, Bart. Lord Provost of Glasgow,
1925 and 1896. and James Patton, f. l..
S., president OF the Museum Associations of
the United Kingdom, entitled "Glasgow-Its
Municipal Organization and Administration"
the committee of 100 appointed by Mayor
Phelan to formulate a new charter will find
Klondike wealth of practical information
which they should carefully consider before
adopting system of government for San
Francisco, since Glasgow is conceded by ali
who we'll in formed on civic progress to be
far in the lead of any other city in Europe or
America as a progressive and weIl-governed
municipality.
This expansive volume may not be acces-
sible to many of the hundred members of the
comm ittee, and so 1T may well tor me to note
and present through TIE CALL some of the
features of the Glasgow government which af-
ford practical suggestions adapted to meet the
wants of our own community. This task is
an agreeable one TO me, for a somewhat pro-
longed examination OF the remarkable
achievements made by the citizens OF GLASGOW
has awakened in me a strong desire to see San
Francisco lead all other cities in our own
country by adopting some OF the progressive
features of the Glasgow charter.
In this preliminary article 1t may be desir-
able to let Sir James tell why this book was
published. "My object in the preparation of
the following volume" he says i'll PREDATORY
note, sis to present to my fellow-citizens and
to those interested In making municipal in
situations comprehensive view OF the vari-
Gus means by which the complex work of a
great Tciyicl corporation is carried on and the
intimate relation in which these and their re-
suit stand TO the health, happiness and pros
perity of the citizens"
Please note the last clause-'to the health,
happiness and pros perity of the citizens"
'Such work." he adds, sit seems to me,
would serve useful purpose as history OF
Glasgow's municipal d lie up to this present
Glasgow and to the numerous and distin-
guished visitors from all lands who come to
study the work ing OF our system OF local gov
eminent" az place the record before the
reader in the hope that its perusal may help
to deepen and streng hen civic patrio tism in
duce a still stronger interest in the important
and complete problems OF city government,
and show the able and earnest men among us
how great and valuable are the services they
can render TO the community as members OF
our loca! parliament, where we deal only with
local and practical issues and supply proved
needs, leaving entirely out OF consideration
all imperial [nationail questions The great
est strength of our council is in being nom
political in its election and working"
Until the new order of things was estab-
lished in Glasgow, which was gradually inau-
gurated within a generation, Sir James tells US
in the in PRODUCTION that "whether the people
lived or died was not the care OF the councils
that might be left to the churches and chart
table organizations. II was sufficient for the
public decency maintained" The evils of q
crowded population living in the most unsan-
itary condition in wretcheo tenements, result
ing in epidemics and frighuul death rate,
were regarded, he says, 'as d1spensatlons OF
Providence which had to be accepted with
resignation rather than as calls for their
amelioralion."
With the dawn of the new time the result OF
much public discussion ana agitation, the
mere maintenance of public order and the en-
forcement OF public deeency did not satisfy an
IT, 14A nv,A sod hi ian
but show to enable the poor TO live healthy.
decent comfortable lives-how even to add
some enjoyment 10 these hves,' says Sir
James, "was the momentous question which
offered itself for solution"
JOSEPH AsBURY JOHNSON.
IL Essex street, August 5, 1897.