Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-21

spicuously well governed as American
cities are VIGOROUSLY Ill governed: Va
rious reasons for this contrast have
been suggested by different writer's.
The most recent attempt to. explain the
general excellence Of the British
municipal system Is that Of Senator
Francis w. Parker Of Illinois In the
November number Of The World to-
day.
This writer. who spent the past
summer in Great Britain studying
municipal institutions. declares that
the opinions ON this question held by
American reformers are largely mis-
taken. He did not find In the British
cities certain conditions that are conn
monty supposed to exist there and are
generally believed to account for the
high character Of municipal govern
ment. THE average American"
writes Mr.. Parker. admits the SUI
periority Of British municipal ad-
ministrations, and particularly their
freedom from graft, and accepts
American municipal failure as a neces-
sary evil which time alone can cure.
He explains and seeks to quiet his
conscience by placing the blame on
the conditions which surround our
cities. He says we must have unified
administrations. no partisan politics.
the merit system. no municipal own
ership. an increased leisure class, fur.
Their assimilation Of the foreign popu-
lations, and a good mayor with auto
cratic powers, or at least some Of these
things, before we can have good city
government like the British" But
what does an inspection Of British
municipal practice reveal? This:
The British cities have the most COM
pick local administrations, with multi.
piled overlapping jurisdictions; parti-
san politics; little or no merit system:
a most extensive scheme Of municipal
ownership; no leisure class in city
politics; populations which, man for
man. are less desirable as a basis Of
municipal government than the popu-
lation Of an ordinary American city:
and mayors without the appointing or
veto power. And vet these cities are
we'll governed. The things he thought
necessary are wanting and the condi-
lions he was afraid of are present"
The real secret Of the success Of Brit
ish municipal government is found by
Mr.. Parker in IAN educated and alert
public sentiment" which elects the
best citizens to municipal Offices, gives
them duties Of SO important q nature
as to merit the attention of strong men.
and tolerates no ineificiency. dishonesty
or extravaganza in the public service.
This diagnosis is good as far as 1t
goes, but it does not go to the root Of
the matter. The reason why British
cities are efficiently, honestly and
economically governed while American
municipal administration is incompe-
tent. corrupt and wasteful lies in
condition which Mr.. Parker curiously
neglects to mention. This is the re-
striction of the municipal suffrage in
Great Britain. The principle Of prop
erty qualification for voting is applied
in very thoroughgoing way, This
means that the city plant Is adminis-
tered by the men who own property
and pay taxes. Consequently it il the
direct pecuniary interest of the elector-
ate to have the city affairs conducted
by capable men in an honest and
manner. In American
cities, on the other hand, universal
suffrage gives the control of the city
plant into the hands Of those who own
no property and pay no taxes. Hence
plumber and graft.
The British are level-headed enough
to perceive that city government il
mainly business proposition, and to
place the municipal suffrage on busi-
ness basis. That is the chief cause Of
their uniform success In municipal adj