The morning journal-courier., 1908-01-07
A MUNICIPAL CRUSADER.

The city of Boston starts out to-day with new mayor. He was inaugur- ated yesterday and took advantage of the opportunity at the ceremony to give his views upon the weaknesses of the municipal organization and upon the legislation necessary to remedy them. In order that no one may sus- pect him of holding the office for ul- terior purposes. he announces that he will not be candidate for reelection when his term expires. The formal renunciation follows a pledge to the same effect during the local cam paign.
 It will be recalled that Governor Guild in his annual message to the General Assembly warned that body that 1t should give serious attention to the organization of the city of Bos- ton This may have given Mayor Hib- bard courage to make definite reconl- mendations His aim is the establish ment of business. non-partisan ad- ministration, run upon business prin- ciples, "an administration where the needs of the city are viewed as the needs of a great corporation" For one thing, the mayor wants the election laws changed so that the municipal l election may he held in the Spring of the year instead of in the Fall In 1 that way he hopes to escape the em- harrassing influence of State elec- tion The argument he advances is exactly that which finally led New Ha- ven to hold it's local election on an off, year in order to avoid the confusion of having it follow general election. The size of the city debt convinces him that the most rigid economy is neces- sary to restore Boston to its old place of financial security.
 We suspect that Mayor Hubbard will find that he has encountered mare s nest Tn recommending the reorganiza- . ton and consolidation of the top heavy department system now in vogue. There are forty-eight of them. Many of them he charges were estah- lished for no better purpose than tc provide patronage, while others have simply eutlived any usefulness they \ may ever have had 4 new city char. ter would improve matters because the present charter is 'disiointed cumbersome and hard to understand
 He expresses his sympathy with unior labor, but adds: T only ask the mem.
 bers of such bodies te take care tha' they do not present as labor requests
 which they would not make as citi
 zens Being opposed to municipa
 ownership. the mayor favors either
 EtlE IECt Shtsdltbit 'l iit iiullElDd
 printing plant or its elimination. II,
 finds the city in great need of pubic school buildings and urges considera,
 ton of the subject, although the
 present cost of school structure rel
 pupil is in excess Of what the cit,
 can afford, and if continued will mear
 the curtailment of various edueationa
 efforts like the High School of Com
 merce. an institution well endorsed b,
 business men. which will soon neee
 d new building of its ow1,.
 Other recommendation follow, cv
 cry one of which fits into his scheme
 for tho business organization of th' city government He is for organiza tor. ana responsibility This fact 1T
 connection with tho avowed determin. ation of Governor Guild to improv, the political conditions governing Bos
 ton, ought to make the winters worl in the legislature interesting to muni l; cipal reformers everywhere. The onl,
 note we miss in the expressed view of these officials is that Of a large measure of home rule for all Massa | cfusetts cities With the State control E ling in all essential principles of or ! ganization each nunicipality shoult l 5. left to live its life in it's own way No scheme of municipal organization : will be worth the paper it is writer 5 on unless t moves about the souni r principle of home rule in all matter ' affecting local needs and necessities.