service corporations consists in the power possessed by the city councils to fix the maximum rates that shall be charged for lighting. Am. Mun. Chap. II. for street railways. 81. Transportation Facilities. - With the development of The transbetter means of urban transportation, the suburbs of Ameri- portation problem. can cities have been brought so near the business centers that congestion of population in the central wards is less Hart, Actual necessary than formerly. This is a distinct advantage from almost every point of view, but it makes the problem Zueblin, of transportation an important if not a serious one. This is especially the case in those cities in which the control of all the street railways has been gained by single corporations. Most of the street railways now in operation have been Franchises built and are being managed under franchises granted by the city councils for periods of from twenty to forty years. The privilege of laying one or two tracks upon specified streets is given for a certain number of years on condition that cars should be run every ten, fifteen, or thirty minutes as the council considers necessary. At the time the privileges were granted, the companies might not have been able to carry out their part of the franchises and make a great profit, but very often in a few years franchises have become worth immense sums, no part of which has found its way to the city treasury. If in addition there has been a union of different companies which has avoided the expenses of competition, the cities may be obliged to suffer the inconveniences of poor services as well as to lose what should properly be theirs. Two ways have been suggested of avoiding these evils. The first is to have the cities own and manage the street railways; the second, to grant, for a short term of years, franchises which give the cities control over the private companies, and which arrange to have a percentage of the profits paid into the city treasuries. The second method seems to be more popular and the one more likely to be universally adopted. Rowe, Problems of City Gov't, 233-240. Shall cities own or simply con trol transportation facilities? Parsons, F., Protection of city interests. 82. Conditions affecting Municipal Ownership. — For three reasons our cities must find the best means of dealing with this question of public utilities. (1) Our streets are public property and should be used solely for the good of the peoRowe, Prob- ple. If permission is given to individuals or corporations lems of City to lay tracks or water pipes, or to erect poles that carry electric wires, the benefits accruing to the citizens should be in proportion to the privilege granted. (2) The cities should receive a net income for the use of the streets for these purposes, whether the business is conducted by the city or by private parties. (3) The citizens should have the benefit of good service at reasonable rates. Gov't, 271-280. Monopoly and municipal ownership. No. Am. Rev., 172 (1901), 445-455. Whether these results can be obtained best by private or municipal ownership depends upon circumstances. If any of these business undertakings are naturally monopolies or become monopolies, the need of adequate municipal control, if Ely, R. T., in not municipal ownership, has been proved by experience. When the original cost of the undertaking is large in proportion to the annual expense of operation, as is a system of waterworks, the advantages of public ownership are especially evident. On the contrary, any business of a semipublic nature, in which the employment of large numbers of men is necessary, has been almost universally left to private parties, unless continued private ownership has been a menace to the welfare of the city. Even then, private management under public ownership has usually been advocated. General References Hart, Actual Government, pp. 180-214. Bryce (and Low), The American Commonwealth (abridged ed.), pp. 417-444. Conkling, City Government in the United States. Wilcox, A Study of City Government. Eaton, The Government of Municipalities, pp. 246-308, 368-460. Fairlie, Municipal Administration, and Essays in Municipal Admin istration. National Municipal League, A Municipal Program. Goodnow, City Government in the United States. Maltbie, Municipal Functions. Bemis (ed.), Municipal Monopolies in the United States. Topics 1. HISTORY OF CITY GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED STATES: Goodnow, Municipal Problems, pp. 1-21; Fairlie, Municipal Administration, pp. 72-102. 2. IS A STRONG COUNCIL OR A POWERFUL MAYOR MORE NECESSARY? Smith, E. B., in Atlantic Monthly, 89 (1902), 391-397; Goodnow, F. J., in Municipal Program, pp. 74–87; Durand, E. D., in Political Science Quarterly, 15 (1900), 426-451, 675-709. 3. NEW YORK SUBWAY: Century Magazine, 64 (1902), 894-911; Cunniff, N. G., in World's Work, 8 (1904), 5346–5364; Warner, J. D., in Independent, 58 (1905), 525–537 ; Baker, R. S., in McClure's Magazine, 24 (1905), 451-469. 4. THE ABUSE OF FRANCHISES: Richardson, C., in Municipal Program, pp. 120-128; Bemis, A. W., in Forum, 21 (1896), 56-62; Meriweather, L., in Outlook, 58 (1898), 920–924; Gladden, W., in Outlook, 66 (1900), 502–508; Bowker, R. R., in Atlantic Monthly, 88 (1901), 463-482, and in Municipal Affairs, 1 (1897), 605–630, 5 (1901), 886–904; Municipal Affairs, 5 (1901), 419–426, 6 (1902), 68–86. 5. MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS: Maltbie, Municipal Functions, pp. 147-154; Fairlie, Municipal Administration, pp. 272-280; Baker, in Municipal Monopolies, pp. 3–52. 6. MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP OF PUBLIC UTILITIES: Ely, R. T., in North American Review, 172 (1901), 445-455; Shaw, A., and others in Independent, 49 (1897), 569-570; Francisco, N. J., in Engineering Magazine, V, 725 et seq., and IX, 44 et seq.; Municipal Affairs, 1 (1897), 421–490; 6 (1902), 87–108, 636–647; Robbins, H., in American Journal of Sociology, 10 (1905), 787-813; Annals of American Academy of Political Science, 30 (1907), 557–592. Studies 1. The relation of the city to the State. Goodnow, Municipal Problems, pp. 63-89. Why ought the city and the legislature to have something to do with the making of its charter? 2. Municipal government now and 100 years ago. Woodruff, C. R., in Popular Science Monthly, 58 (1900), 60–68. 3. San Francisco Charter. Shaw, A., in Review of Reviews, 19 (1899), 569-575. 4. Should councilmen be elected by wards or from the whole city? 5. Separate municipal courts. Wilcox, City Government, 214–225. 6. Home rule in Missouri cities. Peters, J. W. S., in Annals of American Academy of Political Science, 27 (1906), 155–167. 7. Municipal referendum. Commons, J. R., in Political Science Quarterly, 17 (1902), 609-630. 8. City government by taxpayers. Brooks, R. C., in Municipal Affairs, 3 (1899), 396-433. 9. Good government in Cleveland. Howe, F. C., in World's Work, 3 (1902), 1723-1728. 10. Reform in Chicago. King, H., in Annals of American Academy of Political Science, 25 (1905), 235–247. 11. Awakening of Philadelphia. Work, 10 (1905), 6639-6651. Marcosson, I. F., in World's 12. A $25,000,000 Western water system. river supply. Outwest, 23 (1905), 417–453. 13. New method of purifying water. Magazine, 69 (1904), 207-215. Los Angeles-Owen's Grosvenor G. H., in Century 14. New York's new water system. Reeve, A. B., in World Today, 12 (1907), 394-400. 15. The wastes of a great city. Woodbury, J. McG., in Scribner's Magazine, 34 (1903), 387-400. 16. Transportation problem in Boston. Robbins, H., in Reader, 4 (1904), 624-632. 17. Rapid transit in New York. Wheatly, W. W., in World's Work, 6 (1903), 3422-3436. 18. How Boston solved the gas problem. Brandeis, L. D., in Review of Reviews, 36 (1907), 594–598. 19. Wisconsin's public utility law. Commons, J. R., in Review of Reviews, 36 (1907), 221–224. 20. Look up recent material on this city in the periodical indexes under name of city. Questions 1. What was the population of this city, according to the last census? What was the percentage of growth during the previous decade ? What is the area of the city? 2. What date does the present charter bear? Was it given to the city by the state legislature? How may it be amended? 3. Is our council composed of one or two chambers? How many members are there? What is their term of office? Are they elected by wards? What are the chief powers of the council? With what body does the control of the city finances rest? 4. Has our mayor extraordinary or only ordinary power? What is his term? his salary? What officials does he appoint? 5. What other officials and what boards are elected by the voters ? How is the police board chosen? the board of health? Have we a board of public works? Is there a civil service commission in this city to examine applicants for positions ? 6. What are quasi-public corporations? Does this city own a system of waterworks? If so, when was it constructed or purchased? 7. By whom are street railway franchises granted? for how long, usually? Do the railways pay the city a percentage of their earnings? Are all under a single company, or are there competing lines? Municipal Government After completing Chapter XII, the student should review the subject of city government - its organization and its activities. I. ORGANIZATION. 1. Charter, § 67: (1) When obtained, (3) How changed. 2. Council, §§ 68, 69: (1) Number of houses and members, (2) Method of election, (3) Term of office, (4) Powers, § 69: a. regular, b. financial, c. others. 3. Executive officials: (1) Mayor: a. Election and term, b. Powers: (a) centralized, § 70; (b) decentralized, § 71. (2) Auditor, (3) Treasurer, (4) Attorney, (5) Clerk, (6) Others (give method of selection and powers for (2) to (6)). |