Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
LondOn's Government.

London's Government.
The decentraliZing movement with regard
to LondOn's local government is advancing
and the result will be like returning to first
principles. for after all London is simply
a congregation of small towns with their
various business centers.
1t is now certain that the Big Westmins-
ter will remain out of the London govern
ment bill. The new city of Westminster is,
in fact. the restoration of the old historic
city to its former dimensions, though 1t,
of course. now possesses a wealth. a pOpu
latfOn and influence which it never had in
its ancient days. 1t is generally understood
that the first mayor of the new city will
be the Duke of Westminster, and 1t is prob
able that several of the West End borOughs
will have titled mayors Lord Glenesk is
mentioned, for instance. as the first mayor
of the borough of kensingtOn, and Lord
Cadogan in connection with Chelsea. There
has for some time been a craze for aristO-
cratic mayors. and in few months we shall
have plenty of them in London.
a remarkab BILE document signed by a num-
Der of South London clergy has just been
Issued. 1t is in the form of an appeal ito
the English Church for further help for
that district on the ground of the desperate
needs which exist there, and the paper
points out that South London is the swift
est-gro~ing portion of the capital, the
increase in the population being at the stu
pendous rate of 26,pJO souls every year
A London Missionary Field.
The clergy of South London number
about one TO every 1000 of the population.
While the parishes (sixty-one of which have
populations of over 10000 and six over
10000 are growing every day, the poverty
of the people who live in its area is said
to be unparalleled for the extent of its
range. "Overcrowding in the single room
or two rooms which constitute the so-called
homes of the masses is the statement pro-
ceeds, 'mOnstrous in Its proportions and
intellectually cruel in It's issues, witness
the tragic story of preventabe disease and
death told by the yearly statistics of the
officer of health for London" Moreover,
South London is said to be unique in the
constitution of its population. There are
no fewer than 100000 of people, most OF
whom belong to the working classes. Re
g2rdlng the religious condition of the
masses of South London it is urged, on the
authority of clergy who have labored IN
the foreign mission field that the So
called heather of India have more religious
feeling in them and perform the religious
duties OF prayer and worship more gen.
orally thdn the masses in South London -
The clergy signing this document claim TO
have shown that South London offers ''un-
limited scope for the self-sacrificing deyo-
ton Of the Christian church and for the
generous activities of the phiIanthronic
world
They recognize the earnest efforts made
by other Christian bodies outside the
church of England. but they claim that it
is the ministra tons of the church which
are still foremost in reaching ard infil-
encing the masses. The appeal is said to
be issued with the full sanction and an
prevail of the bishop of Rochester. and it
Is expected that it will have some weight
with the leisured and wealthy classes, to
whom II is more particularly addressed.
In Memory of ILyinysfone
Mr. II. NJ. Stanleys suggestion of a mon
ument to be erected over the site where the
heart of Livingstone lies buried in Central
Africa has been favorably received though
nothing practica! has Yet been done Mr..
Stanley's idea is that suitable bronze
monument should be prepared here and
sent out to be erected where Il decaying
mpundu tree alone marks the burial site
The Royal Geographical Society have.
however, taken steps which Will do some
thing TO remove the reproach of neglect.
even if Mr.. Stanley's scheme cannot be
carried out. They have requested Mr.. AL
fred Sharpe, her majesty's commissioner
and consul general in the British Central
Africa proteCtOrate. to secure a section of
the trunk of the mpundu tree, with the
original inscription carved upon it, for
preservation in the society rooms in Sa-
vile Row. Mr.. Sharpe promises to do this.
and also 10 mark the site by substan-
ti&l Cairn. with a bronze plate with suit
tiers Of DR. Livingstone approve of this
course But funds will probably be forth
coming for carrying out a larger scheme.
l.. H MOORE