Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-17
TOM .LoHNsoN ON HoNH RuLE.

In his recent message inaugurating
his new term of office Mayor Tom l..
Johnson of Cleveland has re-stated in
forcible language the problem of munich
pal home rule, which is no less a living
issue in Ohio and other states than 1t Is
here in Nebraska. What Mayor johnson
says on this subject, therefore, is all
most equally pertinent with anything
which might be said with special refer
ence to our own local conditions, rein
forcing as it does much of the argument
that has been made from time to time in
The Bee in favor of the vesting more
complete powers of self-government in
the citizens of our municipalities in their
capacity as shareholders of u munich
pal corporations. He says:
Not alone is Cleveland the largest city in
Ohio, but she has successfully taken the
lead-a claim she may make with all mod
esty in working out the worldwide prob
lem of municipal home rule by the people
themselves. OF all civic problems this one
is the most pressing. 1t is even more press
Ing In the United States than elsewhere.
Our old questions of state sovereignty were
set at rest by the logic of the Civil war.
Let the mere theory of state rights linger
as 1t may, the stern fact is that federation
has given way to nationality. In national
affairs the central government Is now SUI
preme. The only power the states can any
longer hope to preserve is power over their
Internal affairs-the exclusive right of
home rule I'm matters of state concern.
That readjustment of the relations of the
nation to the states is suggestive and
prophetic of a similar readjustment of the
relations of the states to their respective
municipalities. This is clear to all who re-
fleet. Along with the decline of the po-
litical power once asserted by the states
has arisen a necessity, II popular liberty
is to be preserved, for an extension to mu-
inequalities of the same benign principle OF
home rule to which the states themselves
may stil lay claim. Municipalities must
cease to be answerable to their states, eX-
cept in matters Of state concern, and be-
come answerable in matters of home con,
Germ only to their own people. Such a
policy is in line with the trend Of the times
This being so-and who can dispute it,
we could nave wished for a more generous
recognition of the principle of home ruiz
for the cities of Ohio than the expiring
legislature has seen fit to concede. w
could wish for a more complete application
of the principle than is possible perhap.
under the state constitution as 1t now ex
lists. A municipal code under which ever,
city could make its own laws. could desigr
its own organization, could in every wa!
bONCAh llSOll ny An6 DdllOlS OIL us own DeO
pie. absolutely untrammeled by outsid,
dictation or interference. except with refer
ence to matters of outside concern-sucl
, a code would be the ideal of state legisla
ton for municipal government.
While Mayor Johnson lamonts that tn,
=, system embraced in the new Ohio mu
nicipal code is significantly defective be
+ cause it rests on no fundamental prin
! ciple, embodies no consistent scheme o
popular rule and revives "the UNIVERSAL
discredited devices of board rule and d
6 vided responsibility" it is still far in ad
, vance of what prevails in municipal gov
eminent in many other states. In re
spect to Nebraska, we have the unfortU
4 nate condition to regret that the lates
4 legislation touching the government O
, our cities appears to be a decided ste
backward from home rule, rather tina
g in conformity with the general tren
r toward amplihcaion of local powers an
4 more stringent divorce Of the admins
tration of municipal affairs from til
s state government. This ~retrograd
movement however, cannot be perm.
o nent. AS soon as our people realize IL
situation more fully they are sure
~retrace their course and to put Nebrask
in line with other progressive state
% that are all going steadily forward
the direction of complete municipal hon
n rule.