The Detroit times., 1913-04-30
With Religion Excluded From
Education, Souls of Children
Are Dying of Moral NAL
nutrition, He Says
FORMER N. Y. CONTROLLER
TALKS TO CHARTER BOARD
Opposes Commission Govern.
ment in Big Cities as Likely
to Produce Corrupt Rings
PUNGENT REMARKS IN

to Produce Corrupt Rings
PuNGENT REMARKS IN
BIRD CoLER ADDRESS
"Our living conditions in New
York arc approaching, with regard
to housing, the condition of the
Pueblo indiana"
"A city Of more than 100000
people would find the commission
form Of government favorable to
the formation Of small. powerful
rings. The Tweed regime was
practically a commission govern
ment."
There 10 an aspect Of NUM-
eipal ownership that has an ugly
look--the mortsagins Of the fu-
ture, tho heaping up Of mountains
Of obligation"
MANY Of our cities are ruin.
Ina their credit. Public debts are
balIooning. Detroit 10 still happy
In that II can conserve its credit"
No form Of graft takes as much
Of the Taxpayers money a. the
employment In the name Of econ
omy and efficiency Of useless ex-
pert accountants, inspectors and
engineers"
1.-THE form Of government you
adopt 10 q small matter compared
with the kind Of citizens you
breed"
more efficient In the cause Of
good government than a thousand
reform committees 10 single
earnest, honest, Instructed teach
err"
I'm our agnostic school system
from which religion has been ex-
cluded. the souls Of our children
are dying Of moral malnutrition."
Bird s. Coler comptroller of the
,ity OF New York from 1898 to 1902.
candidate for governor OF New York
In 1901. and defeated by Benjamin Is.
O'Dell by only 1000 votes, and tor
tour years president OF the borough
OF Brooklyn. addressed the Detroit
charter commission in the council
chamber at l o'clock, Tuesday after
noon.
Mr.. Coler warned against high
bonded debt, raised the objection 10
the commission form OF government
that II might degenerate into the rule
Of clique. called the public school
system agnostic. and declared that
our necessity is higher grade Of citi-
zenship, which we must look TO our
schools to develop. He said, in part
City government has been called
municipal housekeeping and there is
truth In the smile. Some of our cities
are like great big houses. Our city
OF New York for instance, within 20
contemplate 1t will not be any longer
a gathering OF people together on the
surface OF the earth, but we shall
have them TERED 10 high in solid
boxes Of stone extending over an area
Of 3l5 square miles: living an apart
ment house life in this huge house OF
a city. Our living conditions in New
York are approaching. with regard 10
housing at least the condition OF the
Pueblo Indians.
Now this is something new under
the sun. A section Of solid city from
20 to so stories high. and % miles in
diameter, has never been before In all
the worlds history. Conditions OF lie
in such a municipality are radically
different from the conditions OF life
to which We have been accustomed .
Against Commission Plan.
Speaking OF the commission form
OF government, Mr.. Coler said:
I'm the smaller municipalities
where there is neighborly knowledge
Of character. commission government
would probably work well. think n
city of more than 100000 people would
find II favorable TO the formation 81
small. compact, powerful rings. Az
ter all, students OF history in New
York, will recall that the Tweed
regime was practically a commission
government. Probably in even your
own wellgovernAd city YOU can think
Of certain gentlemen. not without po-
litical power, who would work to-
gether in a way quite satisfactory
and profitable TO themselves, in a
most scientific board. just as Com.
missioner Tweed, of the public works
department. and his associate depart
ment heads did in that old commits.
sion government of the city OF New
York
There will come up before you the
question OF transportation. under.
stand that much thought is now being
given by your city 20 the question OF
Ss'sS"i hhhS III TIC
nese. II may be a good thing. it may
not be-the question at issue is not q
political shibboleth, but the getting
OF the best service for the least
money
1T Is not an enemy of public own.
ership OF transportation facilities who
Is now to utter word OF warning.
have been In favor of municipal own
ership. signed the contract for the
construction Of the present subway
IN New York. / was comptroller
then. Later, when the deliberate in
ertia OF the allied traction interests
held up the development OF the city, I
suggested and fought. as member
OF the board OF estimate and appor-
tionment, for the 'tri-borough plan,
so7called. So I am. by no means, an
enemy of municipal ownership.
One Feature Has Ugly Look.
But there is an aspect OF this cues.
ton which has hugely ugly look.
II In acquiring, or building transporta.
ton lines. We paid as we went. this
fact OF the question would be less
significant of evil. But this Is not
our fashion OF municipal flnancierinc.
II is bonds. bonds: the mortgagine
OF the future, the heaping up of noun.
tains of obligation The living world
is fer the living. but IL must pay the