New-York tribune., 1903-03-04
MUNICIPAL BUSINESS.


Lewis for the National Convention on dunici-
paI Ownership was not read at the meeting, be-
cause the discussion had been closed before lts
arrival The passages from 1t published In The
Neyg-York Evening Post" give cause Tor regret
that the members while in session did not nave
the benefit Of it's clear thinking and practical
good sense The old ideas Of the functions OF
government in the United States are being un-
dermined and, curiouSly enough, chiefly oy
those who profess particular devotion to demo
cratic theories. Jefferson taught that the pest
government was the one which governed least.
but his would-be followers are more and more
plunging into the socialism which would make
government transact good part OF the ordt-
nary industrial business of the community.
Mr.. Lewis does well to call attention to the
nroner function Of government, which is to
supervise private action and prevent wrong.
Any government which is based on popular
suffrage must, to be successful, present sim
ple issues to the decision Of the electorate.
Il is impossible for the voters to decide at one
time multiplicity of questions. Anything that
tends to relieve government Of its simple duty,
the performance Of which everybody at least
ought to be able to appraise, and subject the
voters to the necessity OF passing upon complex
Questions tends to break down the system. 1t
is q good thing. at a time when many are de-
Iuded by specious denunciations of private en-
terprise, to have Nir. Lewis thus turn the light
on the argument for putting enterprises in the
hands Of the people:
OF all political fallacies which are current
among us. Of all empty phrases which are used
to impose on the intelligence and to pervert
the consciences Of men, this cry in behalf Of
''the people" is at once tha>most absurd ana
people" controlling. administering and exploit
ing public franchises is too hollow to be serious
= ga GTYRh ~ a q
possible, there iE no such administration con-
ceivable under present conditions. For nu-
81 Pc g-e9snt time in the United States IS
nothing more nor less than to increase the
temptation, already irresistible to cunning ana
unscrupuloue men, to enter into So-caIled poll
tics for private gain.
The advocates Of municipal operation Of rail-
roads and other works find much comfort in the
examples furnished by Great Britain and Ger
many, but Mr.. Lewis points out that in the
cities Of Great Britain the voters are the tax
payers. In Germany the suffrage is even more
restricted. In some cities of Prussia one one
hundredth Of the voters count for one-third Of
the voting strength owing to the property classt-
hcation. "In no country In the world in which
municipal industries can make even plau-
'sible claim to success does the city corporation
(which conducts the business In any degree re-
"semble the city corporation here" Whatever
those who pay the taxes and who have an In
terest to see that the work is well done man
age the enterprise, new aspect is put on the
matter by universal suffrage. Mr.. Lewis says
that in New-York the city government draws
its supplies directly from less than per cent Of
the population. The people as a whole undoubt-
edIy suffer from extravaganza but the influence
is too indirect upon the majority to be strong
political force, while 'the number of voters
who, In their immediate daily wages, in
salaries, In favors obtained by political inhu-
"ence In peculations and benefits. direct or In
''direct, profit by extravaganza and corruption
''in the administration is several times as great
"as the number Of those who pay the taxes"
Therefore. In the opinion Of Mr. Lewis:
For every business investment Of enterprise
which we put into the hands Of municipal gov
eminent we are increasing the power and the
temptation OF those who are not taxpayers to
take untustly from those who are. We are brtb-
Ing voters against reform. We are creating
vast and permanent corruption fund to prevent
our local elections from resulting in q pure ard
efacient administration. AZ long al this condi-
is a blow sined at the foundations OF our in
Gtituttons.
II may be thought that such a view Of this
indicates q distrust Of democratic institutions
and desire to create q privileged class. But
that is not the case. It indicates an understand.
ing OF the proper function Of democracy. The
fathers established popular government to pro-
tect life and liberty. It Is adapted to that end
The average man, taxpayer or not, has stake
in the administration Of Justice, the exercise
Of the police power and the performances Of the
other duties proper to government under the old
American theory. Universal suffrage was the
natural outcome ef that theory. But universal
suffrage IL not equally adapted to managing
railroads. We complain that railroad directors
sometimes neglect precautions for the public
safety, but are they more negIsctfuI than cities