Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-19

UO0A1N OF SMALL AhEA
Enormous Income Of the City--only
Few Thousands votsrs-Night
Population $4,000.
By WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
A new lord mayor of London Sir William
Treloar, has just been inaugurated with
tremendous ceremony and the time honored
pageant which has occurred annually In
the civic history Of that metropolis for
seven hundred years. There is a good deal
of criticism among practical people concern
ing the perpetuation of these pageants.
which cost lot Of money. but the civ
cried companies as the guilds of mer-
chants are called, would not abandon them
any more than they would deny their
birthright The mayor of London. as you
know, rules. over a comparatively small.
city, with only a few Thousand voters: The
day population Is nearly million; the
night population about 26O00, and his iuris-
dietion extends only a little way above st.
Paufs Cathedral and over a mile square
in the heart of the metropolis. :
The remainder of London is ruled by the
county council. =
An Ancient Office.
The earliest mention of a mayor In the
records Of London appears in writ issued
by King Henry II in 1154, but the history
Of that Office begins in the reign of Richard
T IN, ubo E1tZ-EV1win
made lord mayor by the king and continued
as such to the end of his life. In 1893 the
mayor appears the custodian OF King
Richards ransom
Up to 1915 the mayor was appointed by
the crown, but in that year King John
granted the citizens the right to choose
their own ruler, and the election has taken
place annually ever since on st. Michael
mas day. one of the members OF the ooa par,
of aldermen being voted for by his col
leagues. There has not been contest for
many years. The members of the board or
aldermen, who are elected for life take
service who has not already passed the
chair Is selected. In London aldermen are
elected for life an arrangement which
would be a great source of gratihcation to
the present incumbents of that office In
New York, Chicago and other cities II the
custom could be introduced here
An Alderman's Qualifications.
them out No man is eligible for alderman
in London unless he Is worth $4,000 in
taxable property, and when elected he Is
compelled to serve or pay a fine of $500.
If lord mayor-elect refuse to serve, he,-1 Is
fined S5COO An alderman receives no SAL
airy or perquisites of any kind and mis-
duties and responsibilities are consid-
cradle tax upon his purse. Therefore no
poor man can assume them. The lord
mayor receives salary of $4,000 year,
although he has only 28, 900 constituents;
but he is required to spend nearly all OF
that money for charity and for social and
ceremonial functions. and in maintaining
the mansion house. which is rent free. but
costs a great deal to keep up. An alder
man has the title of "worshipful until he
has been mayor. when he is always adj
dressed as THE Right Worshipful Sir John
Doe" All freemen-that Is, all property
holders in the city OF London-have the
right to vote. There are twenty-five wards
| and twenty-five aldermen, and the elections
are conducted by ballot, although they oc-
| cur very infrequently. Before an alderman
| his future colleagues. Should the electors
| of any ward return a person who Is de-
termined to be unfit to support the dignity
and discharge the duties of the Office the
candidate must be elected. II three candi-
dates are rejected in succession the board
Of aldermen have the right to select a
proper man to fill the office.
In early times aldermen had q sort of
proprietary right over their wards, as the
dukes and the earls had over their counties,
and in the early history of the city of Lon
don we find references to the ward Of Lud-
gate, the ward Of Newgate, the ward of
harrington, the ward of Goodwin. the
ward of Henry De Coventry, the ward Of
| Edward Parole and son on. those being
the names of the aldermen at that date,
and some Of them still are used.
The Alderman's Oath.
quaint and comprehensive, and remains
unchanged from the twelfth century.
Eye shall sweare that We shall well and
lawfully serve our sovereigne lord the
king, in the City Of London. in the Office
of alderman. in the ward of -, whereof
We be chosen alderman and every other
ward whereof We shall be chosen alderman
hereafter. And lawfully he shall entreate
the people Of the same ward of such things
as to them perteyneth to doe. for keeping Of
the City and for maynteyning of the peace
in the same. And the lawes and franchises
of the City he shall keepe and mayntayne,
wit and power And attendant We shalbe
to mayntayne the right of orphans after
the lawes and usages of the same City.
And ready ye shalbe to com at the SOM
mons and warnings of the major and myn-
listers Of the City for the TYNE being to
speede tn assises, plees and judgments Of
the hustings and other needs of the City,
Vt We be not lett by the needs of the king
or by some other reasonable cause and
good and lawful COUNSEL we shall give for
such things as towch the common proffitt
of the City. And We shall sell no manner
victual by retayle. as breade. ale. wyne,
flesh ne fysh, by your apprentices. allowes,
servants ne by any other way. Ne proffitt
shall We none take Of any such manner
victuall so sould suringyour office. The
| secrets of this court ye shall keepe and
| not disclose anything here spoken for the
commonwealth Of the City or that might
hurt any person or brother of this said
court unlesse 1t be spoken to your brother
or to any other which in your conscience
and discretion We shall thinck to be for the
commonwealth of this city. And well and
lawfully we shall behave you in the sayd
| Office and in all other things towching the
said City.
"As God you helpe."
| The election Of lord mayor Is always
| preceded by the holy communion and a SER
! mon Ito the glory and praise Of God and to
| the salvation of the City In the fair church
| of st. Lawrence, called In-the-Jewry, be-