El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-05-03
English Municipal Reform
Followed Widespread Abuse
BY
Frederic
J. Haskin
No Cities Earth Better Governed Than English
Towns Under Commission Form.

which has some interesting functions
1t has general and direct supervision
over matters pertaining to municipal
charity. and nothing in this domain
seems too large or too small to en-
gage the attentions Of it's higher Off
Gals An order prescribing how guar
dams of the poor shall be elected comes
next in the record. after one fixing
the allowance Of snuff for aged pau
pers. This board also has supervision
over public health and sanitation. and
in aggravated instances even may
compel a borough to provide an ade-
quate water supply, system of drain
age, or a public cemetery. 1t also
has Jurisdiction in the matter OF fix
ing the limit of city's bonded debt
In the United States this limit is
always fixed by a general statute,
which never can be bent to the pecu-
liar needs of given city In England
the local government board fixes 1T
according to the peculiar needs Of each
municipality When New York ely
wished to increase her water supply
IL became necessary to invoke the
slow, tedious, expensive and uncertain
process of amending the state consti-
tuition before it could be done An
English city would have submitted
such a problem to the local govern
ment board. which would have consid-
cred the matter as a body OF experts,
ard action would have been forthcom-
ing in double-quick time.
Board of Trade Has Jurisdiction.
The board of trade is a second cen
trail body regulating the affairs of the
cities It has general Jurisdiction
over public utilities If an English
city wishes to establish a municipal
railway or a municipal gas plant. 1t
must apply to the board Of trade.
which sanctions it if the proposition
is not an unusual one. but in the con-
trary event. refers 1t to parliament
with recommendations The home Of
flee also has voice in affairs relat-
ing to the exercise of the police pow
er. If city wishes to have part
of it's police expenses borne. it applies
TO the government for subyention
and gets it-on condition that the adj
illustrators Of the subvention have
certain elements of control over the
force. So long as the force is main
tanned by the city up to certain stand
ards Of efficiency the government
keeps hands off But when these
standards are not met il interferes by
announcing that if they are not met
the subvention will be cut off.
Many Surprises.
There are many surprises to the
student Of municipal reform in the
plan Of English municipal government.
For instance, there is no civil service
law for the English city. and yet the
merit system is lived up to voluntarily
with as much care as it is in any
American city having such a law Or
CARRIED labor is powerful in Great
Britain. and the cities are large en-
pIoyers of labor in their municipality
owned trading plants; yet the coun-
ellis of the cities have, with only a
notable exception. been able to main
tain the open shop and prevent the
forcing of wages above reasonable
point-
Summed up. the English city is gov
erred by a body OF representative citi-
zers in whom sole power and undi-
vided responsibility is vested With
the spot light of direct scrutiny upon
their acts at all times they have for
three generations given their cities
beneficent rule They have been able
to give graftless administration in the
face Of the fact that they have, in
naanv instances. control Of large NUM-
cipally owned public utilities. which
employ thousands OF men and spend
millions Of dollars.
Tomorrow-Germany' City Govern
ment.