The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-01-03
DEPARTMENT OF MuNlciPALl
TIES

DEPARTMENT OF MuNlciPALl-
TIES.
In the American City for January.
just out, the establishment of a feder-
al department or bureau CT municipal
| tiles is strongly advocated by several
writer's of prominence. The subject is
introduced by Philip Hates, lawyer
and city pianner, of Tulsa, Oklahoma,
who points out the fact that the mod
ern municipality is essentially an in
dustrial and not political problem
Says Mr.. Hates:
The idea that the city problem is
! a national problem, in the same sense
that agriculture is national problem,
may seem strange to those
who regard the city as al
local political unit, and not part of
the great industrial life of the nation
There are great national organizations
whose work is slowly educating the
country to regard the city problem in
tits proper light. but these are non
official organizations, supported by
voluntary contributions of public
Ispirited citizens.
The work is too vast for private
Esupport: it is too important for vol
Iuntary effort If we would solve the
problem for the future, the federal
government must take up the work
Il believe that the first thing We
must have is a comprehensive and
Authoritative study of the municipal
problem in its basic principle its
relation TO our Industrial life, Such
ian Investigation involves an Industrial
lsurvey of national scope. with its at
ltendant investigations into causes of
congestion of population, and the
remedies by improved communication
and transportation and other means;
Into sanitary conditions as they affect,
not only the city proper, but the in
ldustrial district; into housing, disposal
of municipal waste, and above all into
industrial working conditions. And
also into the working of other munich
5 pal systems than ours, and of other
theories and methods of legislation;
into the conflict of pubic and private
rights, and the operation of our con
, lstitutional guarantees
TIE suggestion of a federal depart
Fnent or bureau Of municipalities nat
urslly prompts tie query: Just what
is the federal government now doing,
through its various departments, to
i cooperate with municipal governments
A or to serve the interests of the urban
1 population OF the United States as
such?
In order that an authoritative reply
n might be published to this question, it
was submitted by the editor of the
American City to each of the members
; OF the federal cabinet From the In
formation thus received summary is
published in the January number.
s In brief. it may be stated that such
d work a s is now being done by the
I federal government in behalf of the
urban population of the United States
is merely incidental TO the broade,
II work of the population as a whole
lie The department of state, for example
% collects through the consular service
certain information in relation to mu
inequalities and public utilities in for
Of eign countries which is made available
,e through the consular and trade re
TO ports of the department of commerc,
OF and labor, and in other ways.
lie The department of the interio
I'd through its bureau of mines, has re
ty Gently been making a study of smok,
prevention in cities; and through it
bureau Of education collects statistic
Us and general information regardinj
re city schools as well as the state sys
y. TENS and higher educational institu
I'D tons. IN the department of CON
IL merce and labor certain cooperation
IN is rendered TO municipalities throug
eir the bureau of the census, the burea
ey Of immigration and naturalization an
af- the bureau of manufactures, but SEX
Sc. rotary Charles Maggie states that "at
VI parently not many of the activities G
It's this department are in behalf Of th
to urban population as distinct from tn
ne general population
90 The war department reports that it
services to municipalities are chief
of an emergency character in times {
9. fire, flood, earthquake or other cata
zee trophe. The war department. has ais
Nc the appointing OF the engineer commi
ely sioner of the district of Columbia an
we the army has done much under mil
to tary government and martial law +,
Nc improve the police protection and sal
-os itary conditions of the cities an
est towns in the island possessions of I'll
lad United States
OF In the department of agriculture. Ii
it bureau which cooperates with inuniC
AR palities most directly is the office
the public roads; the department of iu
im- tice has aided cities, among 9th,
the ways, in fighting the white.slave ira
18th fic; and the treasury department
ler, through the public health report
his disseminstes much information I
health subjects of value to municipa