The Winslow mail., 1915-10-08
MUNICIPAL RESEARCH.


Accomplishments by the New York
Bureau of Research. which is con-
Quoted along lines advocated by the
National Municipal League, have Civ
en- a remarkable example OF effective
methods as applied to the manage
ment of municipal finances. For that
reason, the address Of DR.. William
H. Allen, secreary Of the New York
Bureau, was of particular interest to
those who attended the Pittsburg
meeting.
DR.. Allen said in part:
Municipal research is method,
rot an idea. 1t proposes fact tests
for officials and result tests or rene-
dies. It will be needed by municipality
and State, county and city, until men
can see without light and work to-
gether without creating inequality,
sickness, incapacity and injustice.
''The greatest menace to American
institutions is not immigration, lack
of education, private monopoly Of
public utilities, nor the difference Of
best citizens, but a manner Of con-
Quoting public business which fails TO
keep citizens currently informed as
to official acts.
Municipal research says that So
ciety should equip itself to know as it
goes along what its needs are and
where it fails to meet them. A pastor
ignorant of community needs and
official acts can do more harm than
a bartender; continuing ray Of light
can do more good than moral eX-
plosion When facts can not be dis
puted, issues can not be confused.
money enough is being spent by
American cities to obtain efficient
government. Inefficient government
causes more corruption, sickness, de-
tendency and delinquency than any
other anti-social factor. Inefficiency
OF government is primarily due TO
badness of methods rather than to
badness of men, Efforts to correct
mis-government have too frequently
failed, or have had only passing sue
cess, because men, not methods, were
changed or attacked.
Continuing knowledge Of acts is
infinitely more effective than election
excitement Public interest in so-called
good government must be sustained,
not by scandal regarding personali-
ties, but by reiteration Of facts as to
acts committed and community needs
not met City employees and city
funds should work with such methods
that they will themselves reiterate
the truth regarding work done and
money spent, and work not done that
ought to be done.
'In three short years the Bureau
Of Municipal Research has obtained
for New York City budget estimates
that tell clearly for what purposes
money is requested; budget condi-
tions making impossible diyesion Of
funds from purposes mentioned in the
budget to other purposes without
special authority; conditions that
make impossible without public
knowledge and special authority the
exceeding Of any one month one
twelfth of the amount appropriated
in the budget for a year; uniform
systems Of accounting and of service
records, with periodic summaries, for
all departments to describe money
spent and work done when done;
reorganization from top to bottom of
the department of finance so that eX-
penditures, revenues and service rem
dered shall be currently audited, con-
trolled and reported; reorganization
of the Commissioners of Accounts
office, previously whitewashing
body so that now it is equipped to
provide efficient and continuing audit
and examination of departments.
Reorganization has followed i'm
portant reports on the administration
of the Park and Health Departments,
control of water revenues, purchase
of real estate by the city, teneman-
house administration. In spite of the
fact that removal and even criminal
prosecution in several instances has
followed the publication Of facts, the
Bureau has from the outset had the
active cooperation OF city officials,
virtually without exception.
when public transactions are
forced in to the light, good motives
are strengthened and bad motives
are, weakened, thus making the in
formed sentiment of even the minor
ity effe1tiYe in preventing ine1iciency
and corruption. The Bureaus expert
ence justifes the contention that the
best government is one which by
publicity makes possible good govern
ment through the kind of man that
human nature and politics force into
leadership.
philadelphia, Memphis, Atlanta,
Cincinnati, Cleveland, Seattle and
other cities have asked the Bureau
to help them improve their methods
of government by emphasizing meth