The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-09-16
THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. Issued Thursday. One Dollar a Year.
MUNICIPAL POLITICS.

MUNICIPAL POLITICS.
 One of the happy incidents of the summer season was the interchange of visits between the local statesmen of Hartford and New Haven. Each set visited the other for the purpose of testing it's skill with the ball and bat. The games were well played for men whose duties are not of a char acter to keep ones hand in the varied emotions and demands of the dia- mond, but the real advantage gained by both cities was the exchange of courtesies at the banquet table As one consequence the city of Hartford understands the city of New Haven better and the city of New Haven un- derstands it's old rival better.
 The Journal and Courier is glad that when the New Haven officials ball twirlers went to Hartford last week they took along with them the editor of the New Haven Union, who is affectionately known all over the State among newspaper men as Uncle Aleck" Troup. We are glad that he went along, not that the city of New Haven was better for his being out of 
 it for that short time, but that he took advantage of his visit to preach the gospel of non-partisan municipal pol itics. It may be a dream, as many contend 1t is, but it is nevertheless sound in good morals and philosophy. In the course of his remarks, which the Hartford Courant said at the time, made tho audience sit up and take notice, he said: T favor the broadest kind of charter for our cities, such a charter as will place every city on an equality with every other city in the State. We need the uniform char ter, with the largest measure of home rule compatible with the public good of cities. It is customary in partisan administrations to place the party first, but in the city, the interests of city should be primary and those of the party secondary hope the time wil come when partisan politics will be entirely removed from municipal government, and our officials will be elected just as the best men of any large corporation are appointed. Why should big city be run on a differ ent basis from a big corporation? Men should be elected with an eye to spending the money of the city for the greatest good to the greatest num- Der. What great corporation would stop to inquire whether an official was a Republican or Democrat? It would inquire, what is his ability, not what is his party. What difference is 1t what a mans politics are?"
 There is no question that the average professional politician op- poses the introduction of business principles into the government of municipalities because he fears the disintegrating effect of them upon county and State organizations. They have been bred in a school which teaches that in order to build the pol itical castle strong it must lay the foundation on home organization, but that does not necessarily justify the instruction given there. As MT. Troup says, the well-being of the cities of Connecticut demands the enforce ment of business principles in their political organization. As a means of reaching this end the State of Con- necticut should adopt a uniform city charter which shall grant the largest possible measure of home rule. This of itself would move Connecticut cities nearer a business organization than they dream of, for by imposing upon the shoulders of the citizens a larger responsibility for the kind of govern ment given they would be awakened to an understanding of their duty. The more in fact such gospel as MT. Troup breaches is preached the better 1t will be for the cities of the State.