The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-01-18
TOlEDO'S MAYOR SAYS NOW
RURAL DISTRICTS DICTATE TO
THEM.
COUNTRY GOVERNS THE CITY
The Way to Correct the Evil, in the
Opinion of Brand Whitlock, Is Not
to Allow Country Legislators to
Make Laws.


lock, the reform mayor" of Toledo,
o., expressed some new views on mu-
nicipal government. For the last
twenty years Mayor Whitlock has
made special study of the problems
that confront the American city and
in the last six years, as mayor Of
Toledo, city of about two hundred
thousand persons, he has had practi-
cal experience in trying to solve
them. Three times Whitlock has
been elected mayor on an independ-
ent ticket.
The greatest problem before the
American city today is to become
free,' he said. mo further progress
in municipal affairs can be made un-
til the cities obtain home rule.
The American city is a creation
of the state legislature. Its laws are
made by the people who live in the
rural districts. The time has come
when this yoke must be thrown off.
The belief that country folks are good
and city people are bad and that the
former should govern the litter has
been shattered.
The recent disclosures in Adams
county, Ohio, a typical rural com
munity, where more than a thousand
persons have been indicted for selling
their votes, show how unfit country
folk are to make laws for cities. How
ever, there is no question:" he con-
tinued, that there is less corruption
and dishonesty in municipal politics
than there used to be. There's still
great room for improvement, how
ever. l believe more citizens of the
better sort are interesting themselves
in municipal affairs.
Many people wonder why there is
so much corruption in our municipal
government-why a mayor cannot run
a city on business principles. A city
cannot be run like a corporation for
the reason that rural Legislators have
restricted its powers to such an ex-
tent that local government is almost
impossible. For instance, city can
not have a gang of PAYERS in its di-
rect employ and pave its own streets.
1t must let out the paving of its
streets by contract, with the result
that it has to pay much more for the
work than a corporation. Then, too,
city cannot always hire the best men
like a corporation can.
The movement to throw off this
yoke already has begun. Constitution
al conventions will be called in sew
eral states before long and active
steps will be taken to free the cities.
When the cities can make their own
laws then they can begin to solve
their problems. Then we shall have
real democracy-real government by
the people and for the people"
Under the Sunday statute of New
York, the court is compelled to seize
all property of any kind offered for
sale on Sunday and to sell it with
in a day to the highest bidder. The
real estate interests insist that it
is absurd to apply such a law to
real estate, and if the prosecution
is continued they threaten to go
before the legislature and ask the
repeal of the entire law regulating
Sunday observance.
1t is alleged by the realty brokers
that the law, if enforced. would
work great hardship upon pros
pective buyers OF homes, as well
as sellers, inasmuch as the average
property hunter would be deprived |
Of the opportunity to spend his Sun
days in looking around" for the !
that best suited his taste
and pocketbook.