Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-16
Municipal Government and Corpora.
lions.


To the Editor of The Evening Star:
What explanation have the advocates OF
the present form of local government to
offer for the growing sentiment In favor of
a change that shall give recognition to the
vital principle Of our political system? This
sentiment has at last reached the citizens
associations. organizations Of property
owners, who, according to Commissioner
Macfarland. are well content with the gov
eminent by the best citizens" Does not this
movement, which has, at last, reached pro-
portions compelling reluctant attention. Of
fer the most convincing evidence that the
directors of Mr.. Macfarland's business
corporation are not giving satisfaction to
some, at least, of the more influential
stockholders? And here let me reserve sew
eral exceptions to the parallel that Mr..
Mcfarland attempts to draw between the
business corporation and municipal gov
eminent.
1t is to be expected that a person who
enterta1nS the views of government an
nounced by Commissioner Mcfarland in
his speech before the Mount Pleasant Cttt-
zens Association the other evening should
favor the rule of three-that is three direct
ors administering the government for the
taxpayers (who) are the chief stockhold-
ers," but nevertheless, his parallel is fatal
ly defective. business corporation Is es-
tablished and maintained exclusively for
the private gain or profit of its stockhold-
ers: municipal government Is established
and maintained for no such purpose, unless
Mr.. Mcfarland Is right In his somewhat
trite and ttme-worn theory. municipal
corporation is created by the state as It's
instrument for the government of people
living more or less denSely in given COM
munity. and in no other branch of our polit-
zeal institutions is the fact-the existence
OF government felt by the citizen, as In the
case OF the municipal corporation. for IN
the exercise of it's functions 1t touches him
In his daily life In many very vital par
tculars. 1t may supervise his business: it
does educate his children; protects his per-
son and property: looks after his health,
even to the extent Of regulating his ex-
pectoration; tells him how and to what ex-
tent he may improve his property, collects
convincing ways brings home to him the
fact that there are three of the best citi
zenS engaged in a self-sacrihcing effort
of compelling the mass of inferior citizens
to live uprightly and to obey the laws
without inquiring too closely into the rea-
sons for them. Ali this is government with
vengeance, and government Is politics.
But politics In municipal government Is a
horrid thing. says Commissioner Macfar-
land, and the people should not be allowed
to have any. The best citizens must be
given the monopoly In that matter.
How strange all this sounds! One recalls
claims, in essence the same that Mr.. Mac
farland makes. that led to an affair in
England about 1685-'88 OF some historic In
terest; another in France. beginning about
1883. and a third in this country in which
gentleman named Washington took a part.
The ghost of home rule and local self-gov-
eminent VIII not remain down. and despite
beguiifng phrase our rule OF three will yet
give way to the only system of government
that can safely be tolerated In this coun-
try. that which Is based upon the will, the
expressed consent OF the governed.
F. L. SIDDONS.