The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-24

utes most to this result The city's ex
ecutive is clothed with great authority
but he is always a man emineptly wei
| qualified, and although he has the power
to select his cabinet and chief associates
he would no more think of using this
power to reward a personal following
than he would undertake to plumber the
| public treasury. There is no such thing
| as partisan politics at ALL Only those
| are chosen who are known to be the
very best available, and these manage af-
fairs with no desire to aid a partisan or
ganization, or to stand by ones friends,
| and with no fear that they will "be turned
down." except for incompetency Here
| is literally 1.-The business administration
which we hear talked about in this cam
| paign, which is forgotten as soon as the
election is over. So long as the inhabi-
| tants Of your cities will allow men known
| to be incompetent and often believed to he
dishonest to hold the responsible posi-
| lions in city government "a bad condi-
| ton of affairs must prevail.
| TAXATION.n
The city taxes of Chicago for 1900 were
| 81, O06, 4OS. 18; those of Berlin something
under $14OOO,O 600. In Chicago every cent
is consumed, while in Berlin there is al
| ways a surplus ranging from 81, 69O,OU)
| to $3,500,000 In Berlin more money is
| annually received from the tax levy than
was anticipated; in Chicago less. Taxa
| ton bears less heavily upon the individ-
| ual taxpayer than in Chicago-apd
| touching this point 1 wish to refer to
| several facts IN connection with taxation
| that deem of much Importance In the
| first place everything made taxable by
| the laws of the empire is taxed and a
| uniform standard everywhere governs
| There is no tax lodging. If taxable
| articles are not reported by the owner,
| even if he escapes detection during his
! life, at death it Is unavoidably discover
| ed, and his entire estate, If necessary,
Is taken to satisfy all back taxes that
should have been paid, together with
| penalties. There is absolutely nothing
gained by Withholding or undertaking
values. In the second place those VINO
enjoy the benefits ana profits OF city
life pay the greater part of the tax
The largest single item in the citys re-
ceipts is made up by tax on incomes All
incomes over 600 marks (about $15O) are
taxed, though not heavily until they be-
come large. All foreigners stopping In
the city for a longer time than three
months pay this tax also. I confess
my inability to see anything wrong In
it. That those who prosper most under
city rule should do most for it's good and
its support seems logical and reasonable
In the third place franchises are taxed
The amount Of money derived by the CITY
from the net income of the water COM
pany and the gas company is Ivy no
means insignificant. In regard to the
city railway companies, until few
years ago, only horse, cars were used
but the people became exceedingly I'M
patient with this slow method or city
transportation, and forced the municipal
officers to make some, terms with the
company holding the franchise which
eXUired by express limitation in 1903 The
owners of the franchise expressed a
willingness to substitute electricity pro-
vided their charter was extended but
claimed the ShortneSs or time under
existing charter would not Justify so
tremendous an outlay The matter was
finally so arranged that the company
| agreed to substitute electricity for
horses, and the city extended tie right
of franchise to 1918, when 1T reverts to
the city. In the meantime the company
is not to charge more than 2S8 cents
fen pfennig) within the city limits, and
to certain named points Beyond the city;
| 1t must also pay tax upon gross earn
| tngs, and finally turn over to the city
| the entire amount beyond a certain net
| income to the company. To an ordinary
American these terms would seem to be
| rather severe, but the people of Berlin
| were not satisfied, and felt that the city
| government had been overreached This
! feeling was probably shared by the city
| officials themselves, for they very soon
! planned and began to put into operation
| second network of city railways that
would of course prove formidable COM
| petitors of the other companies, and at
the same time give the city all needed
experience to manage the entire system
| when 1t should. revert to it. The move
ment throughout Germany in favor OF
| munfeipaI ownership .ofnpublie utilities
is general, and in. some Cities, notably
Frankfort, is complete.
| THE LESSON.
| American cities cannot too speedily
| learn that it will very soon be entirely be-
yond their resources to support their gov
ernments by the old forms OF taxation
that are already becoming unreasonabiy
| burdensome. The expense Of city govern
ment is not going to lessen, even if wise
ly and honestly administered; various
causes will compel rather it's increase
! The argument in favor of municipal own
ership Of such utilities as the water and
| gas supply and of street transp orta ton
seems overwhelming. The city that today
gives away forty or ffty-year franchise
seems to place very great and unneces-
sary handicap upon the9city's prosperity.
| Again, the money must be honestly and
wisely expended. See the ruined streets
| in Chicago; works costing millions of dol
| lars abandoned, useless gRotting pave
ments, crumbling walls, insufficient sew
| erage. What does not here testify to
monumental mismanagement? I am not
quoting the arguments of political oppo-
nents; I am basing all that I say upon
what both concede. I have no idea
whether conditions would be improved by
change of executives. Il am assured that
there would be no material change in the
condition if Mayor Harrison were defeat
| ed. 1t does seem to me, and I trust that
| I commit no objectionable folly in saying
| SO, that the salvation of municipal gov.
| eminent in America Hes entirely above
and beyond party politics, and in the su.
| premacy of those principles of honesty
fairness and justice that yet believe te
| be inherent in the great majority of the
American people. Surely the time has
! come when it is the part of wisdom te
| turn from 'the madding crowd" from all
| the turmoil and frenzy Of warning fac.
| tors, whose principal object seems to be
full share Of the public treasury, and
| with courageous determination place in
corruptible manhood above the mere par.
| tisan. The question will be solved then
and soon Chicago will be as fair as Berlin
! or Paris. "A. J. Smith.