The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-11-08
NON CITIZEN MUSICiPAL OFF,
CIAL.

We quote from the Municipal Jour
nal and Engineer, the following
Some months ago interest was
aroused by an advertisement which
appeared in the papers Of Germany
for a mayor for large city Of that
country, this apparently showing thai
the aim was to obtain the man best
fitted for the position, regardless not
only OF personal popularity or political
pull, but even of citizenship. In
other words, the city wished to Oh
tain the man who conld best manage
it's business, not TO confer an honor or
a benefit. 1t will probably be some
time before any American city will
select non-citizen for mayor; but a
number have filed some of the techni-
cal positions in this way.
a city. will place in charge of its
streets or sewers a practical man or
at best an engineer whose sole expert
ence has been ON railroad work, be-
cause its citizens include no engineer
who has had paving or sewerage ex-
perience or will place in charge of it's
complicated accounting system one
with lit6le or no experience in even
ordinary bookkeeping. This prae
tice aud the sh rt and Uncertain
tenure of Office are two Of the most
important causes Of inefficiency in the
conduct of public work and neflicien-
cy IS vastly more common in the con
duct tx municipal affairs than is dis
honesty.
in a city near New York the street
commissioner, non-citizen appointed
because of special fitness for the posi-
tion, has served in this capacity for
three years, in spite OF constant oppo-
Siti0n and unjust criticism from The
friends Of local candidates for the
position, but has concluded that it is
no Logger worth while to undergo the
annoyance and has resigned.
Eyety city of any size nowadays
needs the best of technical talent for
carrying on its engineering and finan-
cial fractions. AS in the case of other
classes of work, The various branches
of municipal work are being special
lied ;and it no longer holds true, as it
might have done some years back,
that any civil engineer is perfectly
competent TO take charge Of a city s
water works. sewerage or paving. AS
a department. develops it will general
~ be possible, of course, to bring up
In that department assistants who
can, from time TO time, be promoted
TO the higher positions; and such pro-
motion is desirable if based upon
merit, as it encourages the younger
mento deserve such promotion through j
efficient service to the city. There
VIII, however, come a time in most
cities when new enterprise is started |
calling for new class of technical
employees, or when some unusually |
important demand calls for special
ISL 9lOng certain lines, When III may be !
advisable to obtain the services Of one
having considerable experience along
these lines and who has necessarily OBJ
tanned this experience in other cities
and then knowledge o. the chances
taken viii mako it diilisult for cities
to obtain such experts When they are
n led.
Net only municipal ownership.
blt mBnicipal government in its most
elementary forms, will never outgrow
tEsstema which Is now placed upon
it nth il chooses its officials and ser
watts for efficiency and not matter
OF fayDr 10 them or their friends. y
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