The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-01
HAUSSL.ING
HITS ST ATE
MACHINERY
Mayor Defends Cities
Against Its Blight
ing Hand"
IN MESSAGE TO THE
MUNICIPALITIES LEAGUE
"Fetters Our Every Good AS
piration and Checks Our
Every Effort"
"EXCISE SOLUTION SHOULD
BE LEFT TO THE CITES
Newark City Clerk Urges
Bureaus for Exchange Of City
Government Ideas.
EXCISE SOLUTION SHOULD
BE LEFT TO THE ClTlES'


OMAHA. Neb.. Oct. 1.-Mayor Jacob
Haussiing and City Clerk James F..
Connolly. of Newark. N. j.. were heard
from today in strong papers written by
them and read by Aldermen Sinnott
and Froelich. of that city, respectively.
before the convention of the League Of
American Municipalities. Mayor Hauss-
ling's reference to the ''blighting hand
of the State government laid heavy
upon municipalities, lettering our every
good aspiration. checking our every ef-
fort and delaying our every hope for
improvement" provoked prolonged ap-
plause.
The prevailing surveillance Of the
State government and Its machinery
over municipal affairs. declared to be
the knell OF hope for home rule. was
bitterly assailed In the Newark execu-
tive's paper. which follows. In part;
Amerfca's Most scriou. pfobl<A,-
The problem of municipal govern
ment in America is the most serious
which confronts its people. Upon this
point the closest students and the great
est authorities, both native and foreign,
agree. The distinguished mayor of
Toledo. in paper published In a maga-
zine of large circulation. some time go
set forth the striking fact that 20 per
cent. of the population of this country
is today an urban population. II the
present ratio of urban growth he main
tained for only few years more then
one1half of the people Of the United
States will be dwelling In cities. The
conclusion is. therefore. inevita BILE that
upon the success OF failure of city gov
ernment rests the success or failure OF
the republic. Our cities must solve the
problem CT democracy. If they fail the
republic must perish.
sBifshting Hand of state"
I'VE who live in cities know that our
people are just as moral as those in
the country districts; that vice, IL vice
exists with US, is on a large scale
simply because everything else is on q
large scale; that its impulses are as
strong and standards of citizenship as
high as they can be found elsewhere.
We confess to some fraiities; we
acknowledge some shortcomings. but
VIC protest that II is not reasonable 10
expect great things of when the
blfghting hand OF the Stare govern
ment is laid so heavy upon MS, lettering
our every good aspiration. checking our
every EFFORT and deaying our every
hope for Improvement.
THE State has the right to demand
certain things of the city. 1t should
require the execution of the laws which
are general in scope and affect all the
Inhabitants of the State equally; 1t
~ <tx,r, ~
der and protection of life and property:
it should require proper hygienic con-
ditions; 1t should require proper stand
ards of education for the young;
it should require the payment of
a Just proportion of the general ex-
penses and safeguarding of the f1nan-
cial resources of each municipality. To
this latter end it may enact laws limit
ing the bonded Indebtedness of municl-
palities with relation to their tax rata
bles. But there are few points beyond
these just noted in which the State
should interfere.
"Cfty should Decide on Excise"
"The city should be left free 10 work
cut its own destiny 1t should have alb
solute control of its own finances with
in the limits which have been Indicated.
that It may lay out parks, erect BALD
ings and construct piers as the welfare
of it's people demand. 1t should pc
able to devise regulations that reflect
the habits and desires Of its people IN
regard to. social customs and pubic
amusements. It should have the power
to 6eal absolutely with the excise ques-
tion SO that the will Of the majority
shall be law and that law be en-
forced by majority will. It should be
able to alter its governmental struc-
tllrc without consulting views CT ler-
sons who have neither synirathy with
its desires nor knowledge Of It's needs
1T is my profound conviction that
this is the one remedy to apply TO rlu-
nicipal disease. Let there be no fear
that having achieved such measure
of independence the city will be less
loyal TO the State. On the contrary,
Its sense Of loyalty will be qiickenea
and strengthened, and with the reall-
cation OF the responsibility and the
sense of the trust that is reposed IN
It, the city will grow and prosper etnl-
cally as well as materially until its
government. instead of being the de-
spair of thinkers will become the fnodeI
for the emulation of State and nation
Alderman Froehlich. Of Newark, n ia
3