New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-18
LONDON GOVERNMENT.
TGmmGHy Cat Tammany-An IN
manageable Problem.
London. March a

I metropolis has emerged from a campaisD -
defamation of unparalleled viruIence In Na,v
l York there is only one Tammany. but here thers
are apparently two sources OF misgovernms,.
and corruption In the halfpenny press Chi.
/ morning there are headlines rivaning one an
other in envenomed partisanship. The success,
/ Of the Municipal RefOrmers in doubling the,-
/ vote and obtaining control Of the London Connie
/ Council with majority of forty is described IA
| ''Tammanys Triumph" The disastrous repuIus
/ Of the PrOgTessives in losing direction o. The
metropolitan administration for the first time in
/ eighteen years is heralded as "Tammany's Ia
/ feat" Journals OF many colors being the Wit
nesses. it has been a case Of Tammany cut Tam.
| many. and if one has been smashed In the onsst
/ Of an exciting local election the other has can't
/ ured the stronghold OF political power These
( judgments are based on the tactics OF a pro-
/ longed canvass conspicuous for rancorous abuss
| and recrimination. For weeks the Progressives
| have been branding Municipal Reformers as
/ corruptiOnists and jObbers bribed by greedy
| trusts. as the allies OF tntemperauce immoral-
| ity and crime and the willing dUpes OF un-
/ sCrupulOus rings with an unlimited command
/ Of money. The Municipal Reformers IN their
turn have held the Progressives responsible for
an enormous increase Of debt, highly oppressive
taxation. wastefuI expenditures. the growth az
J pauperfsm and reckless projects for a metropoI-
I
as 'wastrels." spendthrifts. jobbers pIundersrs
| and socialists. When the votes have been
J counted and the Progressives have been over
wheImed with defeat their leaders proclaim that
/ "a conspiracy OF all the unelean interests has
/ driven them from power" The Municipal Re-
| formers in their triumph with partsanship
| equally blatant. boast that they have crushed
and destroyed London's Tammany with social
\ ism behind II.
These vagaries OF political fnvectIvs may Be
| dismissed as details OF eIectioneering. Nobody
/ in his sober senses believes that London 10
ground between the upper and lower stones Of
| corruption. or that the rate payers have been
bribed by jobbing monOpolists or unscrupulous
syndicates Of capitalists One party has been
| in power for long period. and there has been
popular uprising against It because rates have
risen and fresh liabilities involving another
/ f2OO0OOOO 70 be added to the debt were not
considered safe and prudent. Ftfty-fve per
cent OF the registered voters have taken the
trouble TO go 10 the polling places. whereas
40 per cent have ordinarily taken part IN cleo
tions. These reserves Of citizenship have been
massed heavily against the Progressives. Ths
reaction has been widespread. and there is a
complete reversal Of the strength OF parties in
the new London County Council The ruinous
experiment OF the Thames steamboat service
has been condemned from every Municipal Re-
form platform; much has been made OF the
West Ham and Poplar scandals: voters have
( been frightened by forecasts OF the Immense
/ investment required by the projected electrical
enterprise, and also OF the cost OF the paIatial
council house across the water from Westnlin-
ster, and loud warnings have been sounded
against crude schemes or municipal socialism.
The dissatisfaction OF rate payers With high
taxation and expenditures OF unprecedented
magnitude has been expressed Enthusiastically.
and the Municipal Reformers have been car
RED into Office 10 introduce cheaper, less adj
venturous and more efficient administration.
That is a succinct summary OF the remarkabls
revolution suddenly wrought in the government
Of London The rate payers have been thor
oughly frightened by their tax bills. They have
vetoed the electricity project and other schemes
OF public ownership. They have insisted upon
having safeguards against increased taxation.
when the number Of empty houses has been
doubled and there are 100000 defaulting rate
payers. They want a reversiou from eItrava.
gance 10 economy.
Municipal reformeTs are already sobered by a
sense OF responsibility. They know how difficult
II will be 70 effect the smallest fraction OF say
Ing IN the current expenditures OF London The
salary lists Of the tramways, education and other
branches of municipal service can be overhaued.
and there can be a considerable reduction IN
qured. but the taxpayers will be fortunate If they
get a penny of their rates by these economics.
Continuity of administration must be main
tanned and contracts and commitments carried
out. The new Council viii have 10 HIuidats a
considerable mass Of floating indebtedness and
this viii involve fresh loan. with Increase
OF funded debt Obligations incurred for schemes
already adopted cannot be repudiated. and these
Will involve fresh expenditures. Improvement
projects must be completed. housing enterprises
carried on tramways operated the steamboat
investment saved. the works department con-
Quoted with direct labor and the requirements
Of hives OF population. which are ever warming
and reswarming in the metropolis. faced and
provided for. No more arduOus and perpleXing
work has ever been undertaken by economists
As soon as the victory is won the Municipal Re-
formers are alarmed by the obligations OF ihsr
own stewardship, Expecting failure in mate
rial reductions of taxation during the next three
years. they consider il necessary 20 start with
general stock taking. an impartial audit OF Coun-
ell accounts and a critical investigation Of every
form OF public ownership by which earnings may
be tested depreciation funds analysed and ths
soIvcncy and remunerative character OF tram
ways and other services ascertained These
measures may be necessary when the new Couh-
ell takes up complex an administration. WIZ
accounts in confusion and SO many enterprises
In a transition stage. Yet the lack of conHdehSs
among the economists in their own ability 70 re-
duce the burdens Of taxation Is evident Ihsy
know that they will be held accountable 1or
their own failures three years hence and are a.
ready preparing for defensive canvass
An impartial observer who succeeds in risins
above the low levels OF craftsmanship cannot
,t,.