The morning journal-courier., 1908-01-06
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS.

Naturally that part of the annual message that Governor Guild of Mas sachusetts sent to the General Assem- bly, was of greater interest which treated of the railroad problem. There were nevertheless other parts of the message which possessed more than passing interest. Governor Guild is an original thinker and an expert phrase maker, but it may be questioned whether he always puts those qualities to the best use
 One of the things that impressed the governor unfavorably the longer he | contemplated the personnel of the State commissions in office was that they were filled almost entirely by rep resentatives of the professional. the commercial and the leisure classes The farmer and the wage-earner were unable to serve the State in any such capacity because of the loss of income involved "A merchant called to pub lie service,' says the governor, may
 leave his business for a short period without serious financial loss, but wage-earners, farmers and perhaps others cannot give a day to public ser vice without encroaching upon the
 fund available for feeding and clothing
 their families" The governor then
 recommends that authority be giver
 to governor and council to arrange fol their services are needed by the State. He contends that equality before the
 law demands that no discrimination
 shall be practiced as between citizens willing to serve the commonwealth, though he fails to discuss the kind of
 discrimination which would resul
 from the employment of some citizen
 with pay and others without pay He
 would stand on firmer ground if he should recommend payment for all i'm
 portant service. Tha. would eliminat,
 discrimination automatically.
 Another interesting subject touche
 upon by Governor Guild was that oi municipal government Obviously he
 belongs to that large and growing clas. which believes that municipal govern,
 ment as we have 1t is a delusion ant , a snare, He asks for the appointmen of special commission to inquire in to the whole subject and make a re port This body of men should con
 sider what local functions should b :, average voter in municipalities (noy , ts q matter of fact t not of law free from all direct taXation) may have , brought horne to him wher as a resul
 of his vote eXtravagant sovernmen f increases local burdens; the adoptio of a uniform system of accounts; tn possibility of uniform charter fo f general adoption, including all munici p pal reforms susceptible of general ap g plication.'
 Governor Guild is entirely rish ' when he contends that the State O 1 Massac achtsetts cannot perform
  a more notable service for the nation a 1 large than to work out this probler of municipal government We hop the General Assembly will give hin h the comnnission he asKs for and the
 we hope it will get to work unde
 pay and not repeat the experience ( k former Governor Roberts appointe
 and which never once held fu
 meeting It was possible then fc
 Connecticut to give the nation th service Massachusetts can now give s is high time some such State under :, took the task of solving this probler i, in the spirit the town of Mancheste '. in this State is undertaking it. W :. wish the Massachusetts eXperimer
 success. It will be a success if tn n. right men are appointed.
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