Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-06-15


ist under each form.
The American democratic form is
suited only to community in which
the average intelligence and educa'
ton of the voters is of a high order
Even with the standards of the Amer.
lean people great abuses and misrule
have existed In many cases.
In the predatory note to the "Mu.
nicipal Program" prepared by the Ma
tional Municipal League of the United
States. published in 1900, II is stated,
AT the time of the Philadelphia Con
ference for Good City Government,
called in January. 1894. at the joint
invitation of the City Club of New
York and the Municipal League Of
Philadelphia. the feeling on the part
OF students of municipal government,
and those interested in its reform
was largely one of hopelessness. The
papers read at the Philadelphia meet
ing set forth a condition Of affairs suf
flcient to I'LL the most stout.hearted
with, a feeling of dismay.'
The members OF the Municipal Pro
gram were Horace L. Deming of New
York. George W. Guthrie of Pitts
burg, Charles Richardson of Philadel
phia. Frank j. Goodnow of New
York. Leo S. Rowe Of Philadelphia.
Albert Shaw of New York. and Gin.
ton r. Woodruff of Philadelphia. all
eminent men and of large experience.
Meetings were held in the cities Ct
Minneapolis. Cleveland. Baltimore.
Louisville. indianapolis and Columbus.
Information was sought, discussions
were had. and the suggestions and
criticisms of large number of per.
sons throughout the country interest.
ed in municipal government were OBJ
tanned
In presenting a statement OF the
evils and dangers to be avoided. the
committee stated that three funda.
mental evils in the government OF our
cities were recognized. namely:
Il. The first of these evils is eco.
nomic, and consists in the waste Of
public funds, through the multiplied.
ton of offices. the employment OF in.
efficient officers, the payment Of exor.
bitant prices. and the expenditure 3t
large sums in relatively fruitless en-
terprises.
"2. The second evil Is political in
the true sense of the term. and con.
sists in the inadequacy Of the service
rendered by the city government TO
the people of the city and State. U
Is believed to be the true function oI
the city as political organization so
to regulate the relations Of the citizens
and so to master the environment OF
urban life. that the people of the city
may have the fullest possible oppor
tnnlty for acknowledgment In civiliza'
ton. As matter of fact. however the
physical. moral and esthetic condi.
tions, amenable to political control are
often so neglected that the true ends
of associated life in the city are par.
TALLY unattainablc.
20. The third evil of a city govern
| 10 plNs anu NbISlHlS III
the corrupt use of civic authority for
the furtheranCe of individual ends. II
Is patent In the utilization of public
funds as assets with which to pay pc,
litical debts, in the barter of fran,
chises and contracts Tor private remu
neration of one kind or another, in
the failure to enforce the laws, and
sometimes even in the protection OF
vice and crime for a money contribu
ton or for political support.
This evil gets It's chief importance
not from the direct financial loss "a
the city, nor from the freedom enjoy
ed by the vicious and criminal classes
but from the fact that It throws poll
tics into disrepute and degrades civic
ideals, so saturating public opinio,
with distrust and a sense of helpless
ness that cooperation among the PEG
pie for the attainment OF truly pollti
cal ends is rendered wcll.nigh impos
Isiblc."
The committee, proceeding, states
Every existing evil has one q
more causes, and to destroy the evi
the causes must be removed. Tn,
causes of the evils of municipal gov
eminent are many Of them, plain Il
even the casual observer. Some, hON
ever. are more obscure. and often tn,
obscure cause Is as important as IT.
patent one. The committee finds tn
following principal causes of the fun
damental evils already mentioned:
"Of the economic evil, waste of put
lie funds.
81. the first cause Is ignoranC,
which takes three forms-ordinary !
| literacy. or narrOwness OF intellectua
. culture among public officials, ignol
ance on the part OF the people Of tn
actual processes of their government
I and that species OF ignorance exhibit
! ed by men possessing wide genera
culture when they are called upon I
2 perform public duties OF a special nj
, turc and for which they have no sp
s cial preparation.
!, 80. A second cause Of waste Is pa
. tisanshlp. by which 10 meant not tn
Legitimate adherence to political q
. Iganization that stands for different pul
+ lie policies in the city, but rather I'll
II Introduction OF irrelevant issues I'M
~ the choice Of city officers and the 8
. luton OF city problems.
n "3. \ third cause of waste Is Sta
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