SOME DEFECTS IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. 



BY EDWIN J, STASON. 



Good municipal government is a problem in econ- 

 omy and efficiency in the administration of municipal 

 affairs. Men of intelligence and experience are wont to 

 look upon the administration of the American city as 

 an utter failure. For this failure various reasons are 

 given. Speaking generally, the reasons assigned may be 

 included in two classes. First, those which have for 

 their foundation the absence of an adequate realization 

 of the responsibilities of citizenship; and, second, the 

 evils resulting from the enactment of laws by our legis- 

 latures without an adequate knowledge of the proper 

 relation which should exist between the public at large, 

 represented by the state, and the local public, repre- 

 sented by the municipality. A lack of civic conscious- 

 ness leading to a want of interest in municipal affairs, 

 and the bane of unnecessary legislative interference, are 

 chargeable with the large majority, if not all, the ills 

 endured on account of the extravagant and inefficient 

 administration of our cities; and Iowa cities are by no 

 means free from the defects and the shortcomings nec- 

 essarily incident to the common causes of failure above 

 referred to. 



I believe that business men would be much less 

 neglectful of municipal affairs if the form of municipal 

 government provided for our cities were different — if 

 some of its glaring defects were removed, and more 

 scientific, practical and businesslike methods w^ere 

 afforded the citizen by which he could, through his local 

 representatives, remedy and improve local conditions. In 

 other words, I believe that the want of a proper realiza- 

 tion of civic duty leading to active participation in 



