The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-02
LOW TELLS OF
 CIVIC DUTY Speech of the Mayor of ,, New York. SOME OF THE QUESTIONS Towns are No Longer Robbed
 in the Open. The Granting of Franchises and the Awarding of Contracts for
 Public Works Must Be
 Watched, He Says.
SOME OF THE QUESTIONS

Chicago, Oct. LA banquet to the visit. ing Mayors and the concert by the United States Marine Band followed tonight by a public gathering at the Auditorium Theatre, at which Mayor Seth Low of New York was the principal speaker. brought Chicago's centennial celebration to close. Mayors of a score of citi $ sat down to the evening banquet in theii> | honor, among them being Rolla Wells St | Louis; Paul Capdevielle, New Orieans: Evan P. Howell. Atlanta; James A. Reed, Kansas City. and Julius Fleischmann, Cincinnati.
 At one of the tables sat the Chicagoans who went to Texas in November, 1902 They had as their guests R. D. Bowen. chairman of the Texas Reception Com-y mittee; Mayor Capdevielle of New Dr. leans. and Joseph Jefferson. Joseph Jef-, ferson read an original poem.
 Mir. Low spoke on Civic Duty" says ing. in part:
 Speech of Low.
 'Tt is hardly more than thirty years since the people of the United States first came to realize that there was such thing as a city problem. Tn the years before the Civil War none of our cities were very large. and the slavery ques- ton dominated everything for several de- cades before that period. During the war and after 1t the thoughts of men were usually dominated by questions springfng out of the war, and 1t is only since these were settled in their more acute form that government of cities has become q matter of general interest. In the early days 1t was taken for granted that cities might be treated as a little state and se-s curity was sought by a division of power just as though the problems of a city were chiefly political instead of mainly questions of administration and fore sight. p 5c5 Tt became apparent, however. that charters of this kind afforded great op- | portunties for plumber oE one hand and prevented the development of the city. Gradually the tendency everywhsre has bcen to coneentnafE. administrative power | lands of the Mayor and in cities whera. this has been done there has, think. been distinct gain along the lines of buai- ness efficiency.
 No Open Robbery. Tt is seldom necessary nowadays to protect cities against bold and open rob- bery, such as was suffered by most of them in their early history. The effort now Is to prevent their suffering by the giving away of their charters, and If I may use a phrase which has been recently originated in my own city. from the 'mer- cenary spirit which breeds dishonesty in public servants. Public work is often
 
 often less well done than It should pc because those who have charge of 1t are Frequently tempted to secure for them selves some profit or advantage.
 These are days when everybody tends toward the city. It is easy enough to understand this tendency, for in the cities there is a greater volume and variety of entertainment. It used to be thought tNat the city had enough for the child life of its population when 1t pro- vided for 1t ample school accommodations. It has come to be realized, however, in all the larger cities of the country. certainly in my own city. that the crowd- ing together of many people in the city. as the city grows. changes the environ ment of children most unfortunately. They are likely to suffer for air in their homes and they are likely to be deprived of opportunities for play. It has come 5 to be believed with us therefore that the city has no higher duty to its own people or to the nation than to afford ample op- , portunity for It's children for play as we'll as work. -..
 Place for Universities. Et-
 There Is one other direction in which the cities can be of great service to tho country. Whatever may be said as to the college. the city is certainly the best location in the world for the university
 
 atmosphere in which the advanced student can do his work. As iron shar- peneth with iron so the man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. The cities therefore have always been the centers of civilization and the advance posts of . progress.
 Tn such an atmosphere the student seeking new truths finds himself at home and therefore 1t Is that many of most notable contributions to knowledge have ben made fin cities from time immemora. ble. In these days also the best talents of the country In every direction natural ly sek opportunity in the city. The teacher Is no exception to this rule and therefore 1t is that the city universities can command rightly a larger choice of men than one not so fortunately placed. congratulate the city of Chicago that in this direction it has taken an honorable place among the great cities of the land"