The morning journal-courier., 1908-11-27

CITY HOME RULE.
 It may be confidently stated that Charles Evans Hughes, the recently reelected governor oE New York state, enjoys to-day as wide conh- dence with the American people as any man in the public eye with the sole possible exception of Mir, Taft Governor Hughes is man who reach es the best ideals of his countrymen They appreciate in him, first, his un- sWerving confidence in the cause of right politics and, second, his oft determined ability to make good" at the ballot box For these reasons Governor Hughes is being eagerly watched these days the country wide for his next reform effort. He has fought a good fight with the corrupt insurance companies, and won; ne has met the gambling and sporting clements with all their underground intrigues, and has come off the field of battle victor in every sense; what will be his next fight and his next victory?
 Governor Hughes delivered a sig nihcant speech in New York city be- fore the Republican club this week. a speech in which the bosses and near bosses could have found little conso- lation. He bespoke for the people of his state another two years of the same sort of upright government which they have already enjoyed un- der his leadership. An intimaton of the work he next intends to take up as governor came when he elaborat- ed his views on the question of home rule as applied to American cities in general and New York city in partlc- ular, a vital problem in every state
 
 the governor: "I hope the time will come, and I believe some day 1t will come wnen We shall not attempt to prescribe the petty details of govern ment for our different communities. I hope the time will come when We shall give them charter the general rules uf which will assure tho main tenance of proper general system of administration, and leave them to work out their own salvation, and to develop their local citizenship in deal ing with their own governmental problems"
 The problem of home rule in our American municipalities is no new one. lt seems certain, however, that such reform will be given great impetus not only in New York but in every state, if Governor Hughes takes 1t up as his special mission. During all his public life Governor Hughes has been q consistent and an insistent believer in the nome ruc principle, As his states chief execu. tive, he has repeatedly vetoed such bills as have made for special legisla. ton. He mas seen the folly of such law making realizing that 1t only means that legislatures must make and unmake, do and undo, continual ly going around in circle. As has been said, special legislation is a vice Ut looks neither ahead nor behind It provides no general rule for tn, conduct of government, and wher new conditions arise a new special ac is necessary to meet them, and thu, there is no end to 1t, to the detrimen of local f-government and the in jury of the states general leglsla ton"
 It is needless and useless to recal the vast amount of special legis lation which is applicable only t' one restricted community which | presented before the legislature of thu state of Connecticut every session. l Is not to the best interests of tn state as q whole that our legislat )r at Hartford give most of their time but rather to the preparation and pre- sentation of innumerable local bills in which their special community ha special interest, The general tenden cy of American government s an, should be- always towards home rule Sometimes that principle falls int desuetude, but 1t is never forgotten It may bo believed that unde the capable leadership of Govsrno