The morning journal-courier., 1907-12-20
OUR GROWING CITIES
And Their Growing Demand for More Representation in
 Legislatures.
BAL LTIM0RE cLAMoRING TOO
Its People Widcawake and Insistcnt on More Recogni-
 tion.


 Among the most important duties of the Maryland legislature will be the enlargement of the city's representa- ton in that body. The question is en- tirely apart from ordinarp politics. If statesmanship prevails in it's consider ation, there will be little discussion of the influence which it is likely to exert upon either the fortunes of political leaders or the political complexion of the city or State. It is a matter which should be decided in the light of the highest political philosophy. The ten- dency to drift toward the city, to live in great aggregations to labor in CO., operation, is almost universal in all civilized countries. Cities everywhere are growing at the expense of the eountry-that is, the surplus popula- ton of the country is constantly drift ing to the city. There is no reason to suppose that the tide will cease to flow in our day and generation. It is nat ural outgrowth and the development of human feelings and instincts. It may be harmful as some distinguish edsscientists seem to imagine, but they have suggested no means of checking it.
 The tendency in other States has been to unloose these nanacles and give the cities more and more repre- sentation and authority over their own affairs, for so long as the city is at the mercy of an overwhelming majority in the legislature it cannot be said to have authority over it's own interests The enlargement of repre- sentation in several of the biggest [ cities in the country has not worked harm, but good It has enabled these cities to express their needs with such numbers as would command attention and insure action An imposing repre- sentation gathers strength and influ- enee like ta snowball It impresses the other members of the legislature and diverts their minds occasionally from their own local interests. They realize that there are other matters of some importance besides those they are ad- vocating, and sometimes it occurs to them to help in getting those other matters out of the way, so that they can promote their own interests.
 The notion which has sometimes been urged-that cities when enfran- chised, or given their rightful power lin State, are apt to become politically corrupt, and that it is very difficult when this happens to relieve the com munity--is negatived by the actual experience. of American cities It has rarely been difficult, when the people have made up their minds, to throw off political corruption in great cities; but it has sometimes to keep them within bounds they are manacled to the rest of the State by representa- ton in the General Assembly which is hopelessly crippled by it's paucity of numbers
 It stands to reason that. the weak and inefficient who drift to the city will go down in tie struggle, but they probably would have gone down in the struggle had they remained in the country At any rate, economical prob lems must be dealt with as they are, and not as they may be. We have the great aggregations, and the question for the legislature to decide is whether the spirit of our government is to be observed in dealing with them or a to- tally different principle Is to be ap- piled in the rest of the State, The pop ular will is the foundation of all gov ernment in the country, but the trend of the legislature in Maryland hither- to (and in other States besides) has been to deprive the people who live in 1 cities of popular government of the right to manage their own affairs and | to exercise over them guardianship They are allowed to do this, but not 1 allowed to do that which is as i'm portant to their welfare as the former, and been very difficult to put an end to 1t in the country City after city can be pointed out which has thrown off corrupt politics like an old coat, while that kind of political rule still lived and flourished in the country. The peo- pie of Baltimore are entitled to repre- sentation commensurate with the size and dignity of the city; but, at least the city is entitled to all that can be given to it consistent with the provis- ions of the present Constitution Bal | tiInore American.