Evening star., 1901-11-23
MUNICIPAL REFORM.
The City Something More Than q
Mere Business establishments.

Mere Business Establishment.
Richard T. Ely in the Baltimore American.
Municipal reform is subject of univer-
sal import Not only is the dweler in the
city concerned in municipal reform, but
upon the salvation of the city depends in
large degree the welfare of the woodsman
of the forest and the frontiersman of the
west. On the other hand, the dwellers in
the city must not vainly suppose that mu-
nicipal well-being can be secured while the
rural cities are neglected. The problem of
the city is the problem of a revolution-a
revolution brought about by a remarkable
evolution. This country Of ours has been
developed largely by men from the farm
and the plantation. Significant Is the fact
that for the habitation of the nation we
use the word ''the country and say this
country of ours whereas the Greek of
classical times used the word city for state
and would say this city of ours meaning
not only the city in the narrow sense, but
the city with the rural district surround
ing it,
the battle for municipal reform are those
grouped around the business idea of the
city. 1t Is said that I'VE want municipal
administration based upon purely business
principles also, municipal government in
business, not politics." Then, as a corol-
larry. the demand is made that business men
be put in Office. Business men, we are in
formed, are the natural and inevitable di-
rectors of public affairs. And when the busf-
ness idea Is made dominant retrenchment is
usually coupled with reform. 1t is urged that
an extravagant administration must be re-
placed by an economical one and the tax
rate lowered. 1t Is easy to recall many
past campaigns In which the hosts Of re-
form have been gathered together to do
battle for the salvation Of a city. One Of
the earliest great reforms which we recall
is the one in New York which overthrew
the Tweed regime. and, it was thought
downed Tammany. Then followed, some
fifteen years ago, the Hewitt campaign
when the business idea triumphed. In 1894
Dr. Parkhurst brought about the triumph
of reform, when Tammany was again over:
thrown. But why all this? 1t is not said
out of sympathy with the efforts that have
been made in the past to effect municipal
reform, but because we Of the twentieth
century feel that We need a wider basis
upon which to work. We feel that in the
latter part of the nineteenth century we
were not led to full and lasting success,
and we are opening the twentieth century
with a demand for a positive, constructive
program.
II we stop to consider all the knowledge
that is required Of an expert administrator
of municipal affairs we shall see how alb
surd it is to expect that man can under
take the leadership in municipal matters
without proper training anG experience
We can enumerate eight or ten different
sciences a knowledge of which is required
for successful municipal government. 1t
is something far more than a business,
but, looking at 1t even as a business, it has
its own pecniarities.
1t does not follow that we must give our
selves to class of oficeholders and allow
them to rule as they will. Offices are di-
vided into two classes, legislative and ad-
ministrative. The function of the legisla-
tive officer Is to exercise general control
and to represent the community. The mu-
nicipai council, of course, is the proper
legislative body. This should include men
representing all the different interests of
the city. The administrative offices, on the
other hand, should be filled by experts, with
permanent tenure of office. If the mayor of
a city is to be regarded as an administra-
tive officer, then his tenure should be per-
manent. If he Is looked upon as a legisla-
tive officer, then he should be taken from
the ranks of the citizens and should not
have a permanent tenure of Office. If some
say that the methods have suggested are
German methods, 1 reply that, after all,
they are old American methods. and are
stfll used where we have the best public
administration. ! have said that the city
is something more than business concern.
This business idea of the city does not. as
a matter of fact, move the masses of the
people sufficiently to arouse great amount
of genuine enthusiasm. We need broader
basis of reform and higher aim, and this
Is afforded by new rallying cry which
we are beginning to hear--namely. 1.-The
city a well-ordered household 1t is this
idea which Is giving form and scope to the
tWppti lot century cffv