Ignorance Of Public Officers

Fot the seeond time this year the Ladies' Uuiou departed from their ss=ur1 routine und listeued to an adtfress by n man Wednesday afternoon. Dr. Fairlie, assistant professor in administra tive law, gave a very interFtine talk ou ■'Municipal. Government." His talk was very general in nature and gave the club women a good and ctear idea of the government of cities. Trof. Falrlle told of the develqment jf eities md outllned thi ftmctions of govenunent, and dlscussed the de■ and failures of cities. He said ■UU'S aiv nut ntv, we find that there ■ cities in ancieut liistory, many of tiiein as large as those of tht present dajr. Municipal actívltíes declined aftex the decline of the Western Empire. At the end of the eighteenth century cities began ) revive and )egan to grow both in size and number in Bngland and other European ïtïes and iu onr own country. This growth has nevèr stopped. It continúes to gvo until on m ïuiost fears wliat it will come to in the éndL At the beginning of the eighteenth centaiy there were only eighteen cities of 19,000 population and ;it the preseni Uiero are over 20) cities of 200,000 i.itants and the smaller cities have iacreaeed In proportions whlch are Ungly gigniflcant. Our own country lias had its own share of growth. The large population of cities forcea npoij the authoritiea matters which tcud to increase the comfort and safety of the eitizens and to reader city Ufe more like the Ufe !ed by those living In smaller ünvns. ïi forcea them to keep In (i nitii the latesi scientifle secreta in apply them for the public "-n efit. Prof. Falrlie told of the improveaictic iu city officials. Tlie imiforiued, well disciplined .pólice forcé lias taken üic place of the old nightwatchmas ■Lo cried the hour and the state of the weather. The well equipped fire lepertment has taken the place of the old bucket brigade, the health orticer is ably assisted by a corps of competent men, these are the protecting buces of i city, besidea those wbo do aiuch more for the comfort both Eetial and aesthetic by the layilig tud paving and cleanlng the urnishing a pure waiei1 suj)ply, stivet railway system and llghting. These matters are being taken nore I more 1. municipal auities. The authoritles are carryQn a greal host of charitable initions, public schools, which are, ilemented by high schools, jmlilic museums of art and sciences, In all of these thinga the cittwiis sliould show the greatest interest The opinión abroa'd is that the govrntuont of American cities is an abso. te failure. This idea is eironeons. - Howevw, in.-m.v mistakes and Cailures made. The cause of ih si frequent failüre is the eorrup'tion of public- officials. Many times the officials nttorly dishonest, but it Is a misto l::y all the emphasia on that li is iisu.-ill.v the outcropping of lamenta) faults. Unless some Bueb flal is to come to Itght as bas withir in st. Louis and Min■iis. most eiües are laelined to llihik tl;. 'ir ■ perfect Anotlier l'auli is tha1 of Igiiorance the publi Not leral educi on the polnta pe ernmeni of the -ii uit of the eiti ctint ueü officers and this is the ultímate pal degeuerati mducting ilclpal elections on national party !. In Europe this condltion never ts, lmi the èlecüons are the results paigns. Cambridge, .. is an example of this sort of govemment and the resul) is S satisfactory. The Municipal agüe oí' Chicago Uave done pr pure municipal politics in and the resuli is one of the eouncila in the country. Sueh rrganization is only a success when lorted by a large Dumber of Intel11 fili.cns. Trut. Falrlie in closing geverely i the maner of nol announc!Mt;)tcs for oflice longer before lection. "An election is to be held in about six weeks, yet I heard do tvhisper as to who are to be the eandldatea for office.." talk throughout was Lnteresting the iininis were clear. At the e of tli meeting the president an that at the next mei ravel talk by the old of the society, .lrs.