The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-11-17
MUNICIPAL

Canadian cities will profit by II as we'll
as those Of the United States. But Il was
won by dead lift effort which IL not easily
sustained. while jobbery and corruption
are always at work and are always creep
ing steadily TO their mark. You have had
such victories more than once before.
notably in the case of Tweed, and they
have been followed by collapse.
There il no denying" says Mr.. Bryce,
that the government Of cities Is the one
conspicuous failure OF the United States"
There Is one city In the United States, the
government of which IL not a failure, but a
complete success. Washington, Of which
the Executive Is a Board of three Commi q
sioners appointed by the President under
rules which preclude a~scendancy Of par y,
seems to be securely and thoroughly we'll
governed. All the services appear to be
ex c~ellent; nobody Is heard to complain
that taxes are Incorporated. Tit
efficiency and purity Of the administration
are special attractions to a city which, hav-
Ing forty years & looked like a line OF
ragged villa ges, Is now the fairest OF the
cities on this continent and Is fast becom-
ing one of the fairest In the world. There
is a debt, but It Is the legacy OF a former
regime, and l believe Is In course OF re-
duction. Half the taxes. It Ia true, are con-
tributed by the Federal Government; but
I'M Of the assessors told me that he be-
lieved that. all things considered, this
was not nue. more than the Governments
fair share. At all events. the money, from
wha tever source IL comes. Is honestly and
well spent. A thoroughly competent and
not uncritical observer says;
For decency Of behavior, courtesy TO
the public, and the percentage OF value OBJ
tanned per dollar Of expenditure. the mu-
nicipal service Of Washington Is so far
ahead Of any other important American city
that the best Of the others can but o1er
an unfavorable contrast. II In a better
governed city than London, Paris, Vienna
or Rome. and possibly Berlin and ST.
P~etersburgh.'
In one case then. at least. the problem
has been solved. The case Is special.
no doubt. Presidential appointment and
control by Congressional committees IAN
not be reproduced elsewhere. but the per-
manent, skilled and responsible Executive
may; while for the other conditions equiva-
Tents based on the principle Of indirect
election and securing personal response
bility for appointments may possibly b.
II is government by popular election
that has failed, and In spite OF these spasms
Of reform must, II In to be feared, con-
tinue TO fall In great cities II fails and
must continue TO fail for two reasons. 1t
Il an attempt to run q city with a village
organization; and Il In an attempt TO do
with political machinery that which Is
properly the work Of scientific and business
administration
The system Of city government by
popular election oomes dow to us from
the Middle Ages. A city In the Middle
Ases, compared with our cities. was a
village. The great problems, admins
~trative and scientific. OF the modern city
did not then exist. The police was Dog
berry and verges, or, In case OF a riot, a
general levy Of the citizens. Sanitary
measures were unknown. The sewer WAS
the gutter In the street. Public works
were executed by Joint labor. Such pub
lie education a. there was a monastic or
charity school provided. or the duty Of
the city government an important part
was political, combating in defence of munio-
ipal rights against the King, the Lord, or
the Abbot. The leading men took the
offices. which formed the only distinction
within their reach, and the work Of which
WIZ UOl 80 HtaNF m W AAA' Nv
their commercial business. The people
know each other, 30 hat there could be no
difficulty In the selection OF candidates.
Probably, however. the leading mon elected
Themselves. Municipal corporations In
England had generally become close long
before the Municipal Reform act OF 1885.
Very different h the state Of things now
A city at the present day Is a vast area OF
population. presenting administrative and
scientific problems Of the utmost impor-
lance, and requiring the steady action OF a
government. not only expert. but perma-
nent enough for system and forecast.
Political questions there are or ought to
be none. The work 81 administration,
besides its special character, is too heavy
10 lie undertaken "a . rule by the leading
men In addition TO their own business.
There II no unity or mutual understanding
among the citizens, no power Of collective
choice The people might be generally
wiling 20 elect the best men, II the best
men could be nominated But ~ a rule
the b.st men cannot be nominated. and tho
inevitable ~cousequ-ncs 10 ths asoendancy
of the ward p1ltician and the Boss. with
their w~oll-kuoNu aims and ways The his
tory ~ the great municipalities generally
10 pretty much the safur MlsgaN rrH-
ment ant currupiion la Chicago seem to
h. A. bad ~ th.y have bsen In New York
~ Philadelphia they seem q" be worse
Syracuse. ! am t'ld. 10 hardly better on
Tho causs~ are Nrrv~h here tho same, the
village organization applied 70 a city ani
d political maahiu- 20, Co 10 work which 10
rrui-tIy admIuistrtuyr ami s'ouuho
1isrr 0. practically no. httl" I-ur-pusI
| RESPONSIBILITY iu oar ,ity Councils generally
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