The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-01-25
BEST GOVERNED CITY
IN THE UNITED STATES

department of the city's life. should con
tinUe TO be dominated in the highest de-
partment Of all. the administration Of the
community's affairs. the promotion of the
common welfare.
1T is clear TO my mind that the gen
eral possession Of the suffrage, SO long
as it is exercised in the ordinary parti-
san way. is detrimental to good govern
ment in municipalities.
1t is. of course political heresy to say
that universal manhood suffrage is a fail
ure. even in municipalities, but IL Is no
heresy to say that il has made municipal
government a failure in this country be
cause Of the way In which It has been
used. or that the elimination OF the suf-
frage necessarily resulting in the elimtna-
ton OF politics unquestionably brings
about ideal conditions for municipal gov
eminent as the experience Of the District
Of Columbia atJests-
Servants. Not Bosses.
''The citizens Of Washington know that
a complaint or suggestion, a request or
a protest. in letter. in a newspaper. in
a resolution in a public meeting, viii not
be ignored. but Will be respectfully con-
sidered. Their executive officers are real
bosses. and who cannot by dePe udence
NJ on political bosses assert their indie
Pendence OF the people. Everything con
guiras to make IL thcir highest interest
TO serve the people faithfully They give
account Of their stewardship continually
under a scrutiny which is searching.
though generally friendly. because Of the
general belief that they mean TO do their
best"
Mr. MacfnrInud's Suggestions.
Commissioner mcfarland would ex-
tend the District form of government 30
other cities. Failing this, as incompai-
bic with our institutions. he offered the
following suggestions:
1T is assumed that outside Of the Dis
trict Of Columbia it is impracticable to
provide for municipal government without
practically universal manhood suffrage
Il Is assumed that the citizens Of the
worst governed municipalities would
rather bear the ills they have than fly
to those that would result from sur
render Of the elective franchise. They
would rather 90 on forever choosing be
tween the nominees Of two bosses than
give up the right to cast the ballot
Therefore. II is said that government by
commission. without the elective fran
chise-that is 10 say, government by the
best public opinion. as in the District OF
Columbia-is not to be considered out
side of It,
Granting this to be so. we have moth
ing TO offer in the way Of example as 10
form. but We have much to offer in the
way OF suggestion as to principle The
elimination Of partisan politics by some
method. aud therefore the stimulation Of
public spirit and the creation OF whole
some and controlling public opinion. is
possible whenever the real leaders OF any
community make up their minds that
they really want il enough TO make sac
rifces TO obtain II.
In British Cities.
'If we have not, as yet, much in the
way Of precedent for such a course in this
country. we have only to look to those
cities of Great Britain which. beginning
with Glasgow, have gained worldwide
reputation for good government In those
cities the natural leaders have taken
charge OF the business OF government.
and have managed it as honestly. as skill
fully, and as successfully as they have
managed their own businesses, and with
as little regard for mere political con-
siderations.
They have managed 70 do this without
attempting TO abolish the suffrage. al
though it has been, az a rule, more re-
stricted with them than with us. How
ever. the men who have made the great
cities OF the United States what they are
in wealth beauty. and Intellectual power
can. il they will. do even more than has
been done in Great Britain toward achiev-
ing the highest ideas Of municipal gov
eminent"