Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-29

o'clock in the morning. a marked con-
trast to the methods prevailing with us
in Boston and Washington. Where we fire.
quently see street-sweeping machine
operating at midday, filing the air with
filthy dust. to the annoyance of multi
tudes."
Unsalaried Service.
AS stated by Chapman Coleman. sec
ond secretary of our legation. the school
board consists of 1876 citizens. and $40.
of whom "a are ladies' constitute the
supervising school boards. and the
schools are among the best known. In
1880 there were 5000 citizens serving as
unsalaried officials, and among them
were professors In the colleges and other
educated and wealthy business men. who
consider it such an honor that they will
ingly give their services.
In 1897 the population of Berlin was
y, 4O6.O 900, of whom al $50 resided in the
suburbs. The total expense OF the mu-
nicipality was $40. 179.957. far less in pro-
portion to population that in any city
in the United States. That is what
nearest approach to it in the United
States is the city of Galveston. which is
governed by a commission of five citi-
zens. one of whom acts as mayor, all
elected by the citizens. They are all
prominent business men and property
year. and that of the other four is
81 300. each Of the four being the head
of department and having control of
those under him. though all five consult
and agree on what is to be done. The
mayor has no veto, all subjects being
decided by a majority vote.
1t is strange that Mr.. Reynolds. with
these examples before him. should recon-
mend plan which not only deprives the
tax paying citizens Of practically any
in he 81 at
local affairs. but largely increases the
expense-his carpetbag governor and the
five commissioners to receive 100000 in
stead of the $4,000 paid our three Com
miSSioners.
Taxpayers Control in Europe.
In nearly. if not all, the capitals of
European nations, even under monarchical
governments, the taxpaying citizens have
control of municipal affairs. Greater
London has Il council of us A board of
nineteen aldermen and half as many
members in parliament as it has council
men-flfty -nine-all elected by the tax
paying citizens. as is the case in every
city of Great Britain. In Berlin and in
the majority of the cities of Great Brit
ain the municipality exercises ownership
of the public utilities. from which it de-
rives large profits. The profits are added
to the public fund and enables the city
authorities to make more and better i'm
provements In those cities where the
municipality does not own the utilities it
has entire control of them and of their
mana cement. whereby the citizens are
protected from abuse by corpora tons,
both to the price and character of the
service rendered by them.
Under the system OF municipal govern
ment that exists generally throughout
the United States, in which universal SUI
frage exists without reference to the
qualifica ton of the voters, and the cleo
tions are conducted on political or party
lines. municipal ownership is not practi-
cable because it results in graft, bribery
and corruption, as illustrated In San Fran
cisco, Pittsburg, Grand Rapids, Chicago
and nearly every city of size in the coun-
try
The absolute necessities for successful
municipal government are intelligence,
scrupulous honesty, divorce from politics,
conducting of affairs on purely business
basis by the best and interested citizens.
When our local government is changed.
as it is bound to be sooner or later it is
to be hoped that 1T will be for the better,
and not for the worse. as this Reynolds
plan certainly would be.
w. C. DODGE.