Putnam patriot., 1909-05-14
The Improvement of Cities Socially and
 Materially.


 sion to srread--greatly st the West and gradually at the East. Even New York city Is proposing to place some of it's ] important departments under a com. mission Of experts. k It not absurd to eoniide important duties to the care of incompetent men. and expect them 10 secure. the best adyantagess IL Is this unfitness of public officers, who may be perfectly honest, which has caused 50 much complaint in sll cities about the waste and unwise expendi. tunes Of the funds, and often caused scandals because ot the ignorant otfi- eials not being able to detect swindles in contracts. If contracts are to bc made or money laid out for large pur- chascs, 1t Is folly to expect public otti- cials, unacquainted with such duties, to cope with sharp business men. Be cause of such folly have been such com plaints continuously heard from most of the cities of the country without be- ing able to place the blame on any spes cial individuals, except when cases have been taken to the courts.
 Il k to avoid thts serious money loss andkseandals that expert commissions have been widely adopted In munici. clpai governments and invariably with success and to the great qualification of l all good citizens.
 In Texas, five of the largest cities are now governed by such commission. | The number of student reformers who visit those cities k remarkable. \ joint committee from the Illinois Legisla- ture, for example, consisting of five sc nators and tivc representatives, lately visited Texas, and made their official report. We can only give the following few passages;
 | "In every city we sisited we found l the almost unanimous sentiment ot the citizens favoring the commission form of government. The enthusiasm for lt Ia hardly describablc. Extremists have zone so far as to favor the abolition of the Legislature of Texas and substitute a commission of five to govern the State.
 Without doubt there has been . marked improvement In the conduct of affairs of the cities. Able, fearless progressive and conscientious men are In charge of public affairs. Under the stimulus of great municipal improve. ments, conducted In the same manner as the affairs of great private enterprise es, these cities Are cntesing upon au era of prosperity, with the full c0nti' dcnce of their citizens tn the integrity of their public officials and tn the efti' ciency of the commission form of gov crnment."
 The Springfield Republican says "The spread Of the commission idea 1, further evidenced In the fact that Kan. sas has commission law, which wa amended at the last session of the Le gislature, and there are now Ave citie, in that State that have commission governments.
 "Perhaps 1t may not be generally re alized, that this new form Of municipal control has taken root in Massachu setts. Three of our cIties--Chelsen Haverhill and Gloucester, are experl' menting with government by commits sion. Chelsea is being rcbuilt--since Il was destroyed by flre--under board of control, consisting Of five men,"
 We are not advising that our ,city adopt the municipal commission sys' tenn of government. Some cities have added to their Mayor and Common Council commissions for special ser. vicc--as is evidently being done tn thf cass of the rebuilding of Chelsea. Ev. cry city, at times, has the need Of an expert body of men to handle special important measures.
 Putnam has one In it's sidewalks. The present ones were built with an eye to economy and the city has, nc I doubt, received the full value for what il paid; bull now it's sidewalks nre worn and il as useless to patch them as to patch an old garment with new cloth --it makes them not only look fidicu. lous, but The older part soon breaks mp. Hardly one of the first sidewalks laid we dare say, that has now decent appearance or can be made to look de- cent. They should be allowed to re- main as they are until they can bc sub stituled for something better.
 | Putnam Is getting to be one Of the important cities of Connecticut. It is growing fest in business as well ~ in population, and when full prosperity to the country returns, rapidly as the city is now growing IL will then enter a higher development in every difcc- tion. To anticipate ,ouf future rapid advance and to win the best class of people to our city, we must get rid Of our shabby sidewalks, which give the city .poverty-stSicken appearance, and lay down ian attractive and enduring kind of sidewalk. This could be done gradually, beginning on our main thor ougtfaTes.
 We can almost gnarautee, that If on the ssunny sides' of Main and Elm streets, gfanoiithle pavement were laid, the residents on all of cur best streets would demand instantef si,ni' lar handsome sidewalks
 Mf. F. M. Arnold, who understand that tie best ol ktnd k the cheapest has laId dosn hundred feet on tn east aud on the south side Of one Of hi handsome houses os Plea.ant stisei
 Any one who will take view pf tIia
 bsantilnl sidewalk, viii say, withou