The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-27

the completely or difficulty Of the tasks
which has caused a breakdown of the
administration, but the general apathy
and indifference on the part of the cleo
torate. This accounts for the curious
fact that the delicate work of educa-
tional administration has, on the whole,
been successfully performed, while the
comparatively simple work of street
paving and cleaning has been very
badly done. The American has been pre-
eminently an individualist. He has pre-
ferred to look to private enterprise
rather than to communal Cooperation
He has demanded Of the city that it
shall interfere as little as possible
with private initiative Even when CO.
operation has been necessary, he has
preferred voluntary cooperation rath-
err than governmental cooperation.
A second important cause is the fact
that the form of municipal government
have been little adapted to municipal
needs, but have been largely the pro-
duct Of careless imitation of State and
federal governments, or developed on
the theory that government Is most
democratic when most complicated and
involved. 1t has already been shown
that these ideas are being rapidly re-
pudiated and the progressive cities are
reconstruction their governments on a
basis Of simplicity Of form and direct
| ness of responsibility.
It is in the regulation of public utility
corporations that American municipal
tiles have, as a rule, ben most con-
spicuously unsuccessful, The attempt to
control and regulate street railways,
gas, electric light and telephone COM
panies has, on the whole been unsuc-
cessful because Of the powerful special
interests which have either controlled
or strongly Influenced the governing
partisan power in the community. Only
a vigorous and efficient municipal gov
eminent can hope to compete success
fully with the unceasing and resource
ful opposition Of the public utility cor
poration to thorough going publicity, to
adequate regulation Of service, rates
and extension. The battle that wins a
favorable franchise for the city is in
reality only an incident in the long
war, open or covert, for adequate reg
ulation.
On the other hand, it has been de-
lmonstrated by the experience of such
American cities as have undertaken
the ownership and operation of parti-
cular utilities that here, too, success
depends upon honest and efficient gov
eminent and this, in turn, upon intel
ligent and determined public senti
ment.
That public sentiment has become
aroused and is determined to secure
honest and efficient municipal admins
| tration is being demonstrated in many
American cities and in many ways.
Not only are public spirited citizens
everywhere encouraged by what has
been accomplished generally with the
parks, with fire protection and with
public education, but in many cities,
corrupt political bosses and machines
once thought inyincible, have been
overthrown. The spoils system has
yielded to an increasingly effective en-
forcement of civil service laws which
are being rapidly extended over Ameri-
lean cities. CRUDE VI h1ll-ledfIeu eI-
forts characteristic Of the Introduction
of the sytem have given way to more
scientific methods and fixed determ-
nation to perfect and to apply the
merit tests.
The general adoption Of the policy
of public ownership will undoubtedly
bring new difficulties and new dangers.
1T will undoubtedly remove or lessen
some of those which now exist What
must be recognized is that the city
cannot escape its primary obligation
so to develop and control its public
utilities, whether in public or in pri-
Ivate hands, that they shall be effective
instruments for the service of the in
dividual citizen and for the develop
Iment of the organized community