The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-25

stamp our clVll1Zat1on as. DelLer tuam
theirs.
How TO KEEP GOOD MUNICIPAL Gov
ERNMENT
Let us offer our fellow citizens in all ranks
OF life an equal share in such municipal
functions DIS experience in other less intel
ligent countries proves that We can under
take without danger; let us treat our FELLOW
citizens as our partners in these municipal
undertakings, and we shall secure CO.
operation which alone can render permanent
our November victory
That is the conclusion of an article on
Things Municipal by Edmond Kelly, in
the International Monthly. The general
scope Of the article chiefly relates to the
question of how to better municipal gov
eminent in New York, in particular, and
the country generally Tammany has
been beaten in New York before but it
always comes back The reform forces
have won notable victories in a dozen
great cities, but sooner or later the COR
rupt gang returns to power. The problem
is, How can the good government people
Mr.. Kelly's article gives us some ideas
and suggests others.
Let us consider first-he does not-the
conditions under which the rule Of the
gang is occasionally Interrupted. 1t is
when it's administration of the functions
Of government that closely touch the COM
mon man, of common clay. adversely to
hat No ~ l. g., s~,4o
the electorate rebels against corrupt gov
eminent. If the police department is
wellmanaged, if the fire department is
efficient, if life and property are safe, if
taxation is not too high, the average man
is not likely to feel aggrieved if the al
dermen Doodle little and contractors are
allowed good stealage to divide with COM
mercial politicians.
But corruption is contagious and sooner
or later an administration that winks at
boodling will deteriorate in all it's de-
partments. At last there comes a time
when the people can stand it no longer
Then they put in the reform administra-
ton. But this administration soon
comes to touch their interests adversely
in another way. The saloons are closed
up tight on Sundays and the beer drinker
growls; it enforces civil service reform
and the small politician is out of a Job
and the big ones finds he has no Gin
fuence.' The dive keeper, can get no
special consideration from the police anG
all those who enjoyed special favors I'M
der the old admlnistra tion-all the police
! men who have lost positions, all the Of
fice-holders who have been turned out.
all the contractors who are favored no
more dlnd the reform administration det-
rlmental to their selfish interests.
Hence they set to work to overthrow it.
1t is at this point that Mr.. Kelly submits
his remedy. When the ''better element,
gets into power it can retain it's place.
he thinks, if it will offer the public some.
sort of municipal program that prom
Use direct material benefits to the masses
OF the people. SUPPOSE it undertakes to
secure and finally gets Scent cares from
the street railways. That is something
that directly affects more people fayorably
than all the Irregularities of the gang ad-
ministration, and is constant financial
object lesson of the advantages of a city
administration that is conducted for II
the people. The idea is that when the
people have much to gain from gopd gov
eminent, more than they can possibly ex-
pect to gain from bad government, their
pocketbooks as well as their convictions
will be on the side of reform. Good gov
eminent means different things to differ
ent men. To a majority it probably
means the government under which indi-
vidual interests thrive best. II the citi-
zens of certain city conceive that bust
ness will be better if the town is wide
open, wide open town they will have.
public functions that are now entrusted to
persons or corporations, which they con-
duct as their own private business, the.
citizen will have the interest in their
management that the stockholder has at
present. He will know that he can not
He will insist on honest men to serve him
in a public capacity, just as he will in.
sist on honesty in his cashier or clerk.
This is, by no means new idea, but Mr..
Kelly puts it we'll. :Inasmuch as the indis-
putable tendency Of the times is towards
municipal ownership Of all public func-.
ton plants that depend upon natural mo-
nopolies, it is encouraging to realize that
the tendency is likely to carry with it a
betterment for municipal government.
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