New-York tribune., 1902-12-03

away 4. the Municipal School Of Art and De-
Sign, with the Arboretum, a beautiful pleasure
ground, behind IT. The college was originally
designed for a curriculum which would prepare
students for degrees at oxford and Cambridge.
and was subsequently enlarged by the addition
of special department for technical work.
Affiliated with the two leading universities, it
has attracted superior staff Of lecturers, teach
and demonstrators. and has been centre
of learning refinement and culture in this busy,
prosperous midland city. There are seven de-
partments: Language and literature, with
special commercial classes; normal school,
with classes for the training of teachers; chem
istry and metellurgy; natural science; mathe-
matics and physics; engineering, and mining
With the school Of design, and the remaining
institutions already named. the college offers
at low cost superior facilities for secondary and
technical training and it has had from the out
set an absolutely successful career. During
period when England has fallen behind Ger
many and America in secondary education and
technical instruction. the municipality Of Not
tingham has set a noble example of enlightened
energy and progressive enterprise.
The energies of the Town Council have not
been restricted to municipal trading on large
scale and to educational work of an advanced
character. 1t has taken UP the sewage prob
lem Birmingham lines of filtration and irri-
ment, a self-supporting farm of two thousand
acres It has introduced the allotments system
in the suburbs successfully that the city is
surrounded with workingnen's gardens. It has
built many dwellings for artisans and recon-
structed the unwholesome slums of the ancient
boroughs 1t has opened numerous parks, en-
eircled the town with broad boulevards and
carried out a series OF costly Improvements in
all directions from the spacious Market Square.
Central and district baths have been established
at great expense. municipal cemeteries have
been opened, and the markets have been en-
larged and improved. The Town Council has
kept we'll abreast with Glasgow. Liverpool. Man
chester and Birmng CHAM in the municipal rlove-
ment, and has been in advance of all other
English towns in educational progress The
outlay required for all these varied works has
been large. yet the general district rate has
increased only fourpence during the last five
years, when the water supply has been en-
iarged. electric plant introduced for lighting
and tramway service and extensive street I'M
provements and farm engagements been carried
out. If the Indebtedness of the town has been
considerably increased a large part of it is in
the form of renunerative investments which
under the operation of sinking funds will be
converted ultimately into sources of local reve-
nue. for the relief of the ratepayers-
Sir Samuel johnson. to whom I am indebted
for full explanations of the recent work Of the
Nottingham Council. justly asserts that the
spirit of emulation is constantly impartng
fresh impetus to the labors of municipalities.
Every progressive council is its mettie and
is determined not to be surpassed by its rivals,
Every new experiment in municipal ownership
is closely watched, and speedily initiated If the
results are favorable. Councimen not only
well informed respecting their own enterprises
but they are alse conversant with the achieve
naents of other municipalities. If one council
lowers a gas rate eheapens electric power or
the tramway service, committees of other coun-
efficient are placed on their defence and closely
questioned The municipal movement in Eng
land and Scotland has stimulated wholesome
emulation and intensified the zeal and interest
Of reformers. Possibly there are serious risks
involved in the development of municipal
services and functions, especially when men,
bers OF councils shareholders in electric
companies and not disinterested in their tudg-
ment when important issues to be decided
On their merits There have been however, no
public scandals in the recent course Of munich
pal government in English cities. Mscalcula-
tions and errors of judgment there have been.
although English conservatism is ordinarily q
safeguard against reekiessness; but. on the
whole there has been uninterrupted progress
in one of the greatest and most complex of
modern arts-the government Of great centres
Of population. 4. n. r.