Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-09-15
TOWN GOVERNMENT.
SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED FOR THE
COMMON GOOD.

terprise-OmcIaIs should lie Che
sen For Ability and Fitness.
a city government is mutual benefit
association in which each citizen IS in
tercstcd hence the appropriateness Of
the sentiment which Is the motto Of the
Municipal league If Philadelphia,
Municipal Government Is business
Not Politics. Now let rs consider some
of the things that cities may do There
is class Of political theorists in this
country who say that governments
should not 10 anything Int govern
Cities, states and nations should not do
anything that individuals are willing
TO undertake. The idea is now pretty
generally discarded and the most en-
lightened opinion is that the people
may comparatively through the govern
ment undertake anything which they
can do TO better advantage for them
selves than private individuals can pur-
vey.
There is no good reason why city
government should be mere disbursing
agency. Its affairs should be conducted
with the same sagacity and application
of business principles as a private en-
terprise.
The best governed cities are those
that have had practical and successful
business men for mayors,
To such an extent is common sense
applied to municipal administration in
some European countries that in some
places as in Saxony, mayor may be
selected for his fitness for the Office even
If he is resident Of another city.
The municipal council is divided into
departments somewhat similar To a
committee At the head of each is
usually an expert The health commit
tee, for instance, is presided over by a
physician. that Of municipal improve
ments by an engineer, etc, the council
ors being elected for their special quail
ifcation and not by reason Of their po-
litical pull.
A municipal corporation may com
mand as high an order Of business abil
ity as a private corporation if it is will
ing to pay for it. and the public service
is the more important and should b
the most honorable.
There is no excuse for a city conduct
ed on business principles being in fnan-
cial straits, run down at the heel or a
public beggar, skimping salaries or So
Letting contributions from the salaries
of its employees, For city to compel
its employees to discount their war
rants, placing them at the mercy Of
cutthroat warrant brokers. is little
short of criminal
Now, let us see some of the results OF
common sense applied to municipal ad
mini5tratiop Take, for instance. the
police department Of Berlin. one Of the
model municipalities of the world. A
police officer there is something more
than a bluccoated dummy, whose prin
cipal occupation by day is to stand OF
q street corner, look wise and know
nothing, like an owl blinking at tn
sun, or by night to spend his time COS
siping with servant girls. In Berlin thu
bluecoat is a municipal agent who i
charged with the oversight Of a certain
section Of the city. The police captain
has block book Of the entire city, suCl
as an insurance adjustcr has. with de
scription of every building, and the Off
Ger on the block must know who til
occupants are, their character thci
employment if they have any. He mus
be able to tell the number Of vacan
houses. supply data for a school cens1
or q municipal directory, act as gen
cral inspector of sanitary conditions
in short, be on the alert at all times t
serve the municipality and its citizens
These activities leave him little time t
do politics, but that is not what a pc
Hceman is paid for in Berlin.
In this connection observe what
done in the matter of municipal suppl
of water, gas. electricity, the operatio
of street railways and other public uti
itics such as wharfs, markets, publ
art galleries, public libraries, park:
pleasure grounds. concerts and in effort
for the common good.
w lldl OIIlGI CLUES nave uCCOul pllSIlt
we can accomplish here. First educate
agitate and discuss, Let it be borne i
mind that this is our city and publ
officials are public servants. They mus
carry out the will Of the people, W
should cultivate civic spirit, one thu
will consider the interests of the who
city as common.
The city of Glasgow, one of the ma
wells of municipal administration, hi
maintained from time almost imm
mortal the fund of the common good
All municipal expenditures Of the we
managed city should be for the ICON
mon good. -
What the municipality owns is con
mon property. Each of you has an il
terest in the public schools, the street
the parks the city wharf, the publ
library and reading room. The mo-
such common property city owns Il
more each citizen has an equal right
enjoy and the larger will be the ind
vidual and the communal life.