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The Commoner.
6
Volume b, number
MANY YEARS AGO Elihu Root, as a member
of the New York Constitutional convention
urged the adoption of an anti-corrupt practice
amendment to tho stato constitution. Referring
to this amendment a writer in the Chicago Record-Herald
says that it went far beyond any
statute since enacted. This writer adds: "It pro
hibited the direct or indirect use by any corpora
tion of its money or property In aid of any po
litical organization or any candidal e for public
office. The amendment was not adopted, solely
because it was the consensus of opinion in the
convention that the legislature already possessed
tho necessary power to deal with the problem.
The argument, however, which Mr. Root made on
that occasion hascertalnly lost none of its force
and impresslveness with tho flight of time."
IN HIS ARGUMENT before Now York's Con
stitutional convention Elihu Root, referring
to his proposed amendment, said: "The idea is
to prevent the great railroad companies, the
great insurance companies, the great telephone
companies, the great aggregations of wealth
from using their corporate funds directly or in
directly to send members of the, legislature to
these halls in order to vote for the protection
and advancement of their Interests as against
those of the public. It strikes at a constantly
growing evil which has done more to shake the
confidence of the plain people of small means
of this country in our political institutions than
any other practice which has ever obtained since
t,ho foundation of our government."
REFERRING TO Mr. Root's remarks the Record-Herald
says: "The inquiry into the
political-contribution phase of the insurance in
vestigation has not been concluded, but enough
has been disclosed to demonstrate the imperative
necessity of state and national corrupt practice
legislation of the most genuine and effective de
scription. Publicity for all contributions and
transactions of political committees and candi
dates is absolutely essential. Mr. Roosevelt will
do well to read the remarks of his present secret
tary of state, as made before New York's Con
stitutional convention before the president con
cludes the paagraph in his annual message to
congress referring to campaign contributions by
corporation- chiefs."
ONE OP THE MOST radical changes in the
civil service regulations in recent years
was promulgated by President Roosevelt Octo
ber 17. The text of the'order follows: "When
the president or head of an executive department
Is t satisfied that an officer or employe in the
classified service is inefficient or incapable and
that the public service will be materially improved
by his removal, such removal will' be made with
out hearing, but the cause of removal shall be
stated in writing and filed. "When misconduct is
committed in the view and presence of the presi
dent or head of an executive department, removal
may be made similarly and without notice."
REFERRING TO Mr. RooseveK's latest civil
service order, the Washington correspond
ent for the St. Louis Globe Democrat says: "Al
though two or three specific cases in the federal
sorvice were the immediate cause of tho presi
dent's order, it Is certain that the new rule will
1)0 rather broadly applied and the effect in sev
eral branches of the government promises to be
f a sweeping character. It will be possible under
Oio amended regulations for the president or mem
ber of his cabinet to remove a superannuated
under-official or clerk at his pleasure, so long as
the person concerned is, in the opinion of the
executive officer inefficient in the performance of
his duties. There will be no opportunity for the
removed clerk or employe to matce a defense.
Summary action may also be taken in a multitude
of other cases, the broad term "inefficiency" only
having to be shown to the satisfaction of the
president or a member of his cabinet, who is at
the head of the department in which the clerk
.la employed. In cases of misconduct the remov
ing office is not required even to file a. statement
,with the civil service commission. Tho new rule
-. will .make it -a simple matter to get rid of clerks
...jrrho,, either from inefficiency or. misconduct, are
deemed a detriment to the federal service. It is
pretty well understood that Mr. Root, secretary
of state, had a good deal to do with the promul
gation of the amended rule, and it is expected
that this is the first step toward tho reorganiza
tion of the stato department service, both at home
and abroad. It will be possible for Mr. Root, by
means of this rule, to bring about a tnorough re
organization of the, consular service, and it is
probable that some changes in the personnel of
the service will be made in the near future."
UNITED STATES CONSUL LIEFELD, of Frei
burg, Germany, has made an interesting
report describing municipal ownership in a Ger
man city. Freiburg has a population of 70,000.
According to Consul Liefeld's report, the city
railroads, the gas, electric light, water, theatre,
slaughter house, pawnshop, savings bank, ceme
tery, etc, even building lots, forests and vine
yards, and a daily newspaper, are all controlled
by the city. The garbage is disposed of by the
city. The receipts in this department for 1004
amounted to $12,744. The expenses for manage
ment were $9,400. There were other expenses
for new purchases, repairs, extra horses and help,
but this department turned over to the city
treasury $517. The receipts for the poor amounted
to $58,008, .including charity funds. The dis
bursement amounted to $57,004, leaving a surplus
of $964. The total receipts from electricity were
$85,451; disbursements, $82,000; surplus. $3,478;
For illuminating gas the total receipts were $302,
009 and the disbursements $298,428. The ceme
tery is owned by the city. Funeral processions
take place only at the cemetery. Receipts, $33,
849, of which $13,440 was turned over to the city
treasury in 1904.
CI ONSUL LIEFELD reports that Freiburg's
J receipts from city invalid insurance are
mainly derived from the tax of $11.52 per year
for every servant in a family. This amounted for
the year in Freiburg alone to $14,932. The tax
is collected by imperial law in the whole Ger
man empire. In case of sickness the help are
attended free; in case of necessity they are treated
free at the hospitals.
THE CONSUL FURTHER SHOWS that re
ceipts of the, municipal pawnshop were
$30,516; expenditures, $30,295; surplus, $221.
Buildings owned by the city are rented by the
military administration. The payment into the
city treasury . from these buildings amounted to
$65,892. The city orchestra plays at operas and
plays four or five times each week for seven
months of the year. From May to September
concerts are given at the city park. At the
opera house the regular price of admission varies
from 9 cents to 83 cents, with a reduction for
season tickets. At the summer concerts admis
sion varies from 7 to 14 cents (Sunday after
noon free.) The orchestra in winter gives six
symphonic concerts. The surplus amounted to
$288, the expenditures having been $23,480 (sal
ary for first conductor, $1,190; second conductor,
$714; one concert master, $500; one harpist, $452;
and forty other musicians, $15,227, etc.)
THE PENSION FUND for Freiburg officials,
teachers, widows and orphans showed re
ceipts and expenditures each amounting to $11,
552, but the city contributed $2,288. The sew
age of Freiburg Is conducted to "Rieselfelder,"
a few miles away, which are under cultivation.
Among the receipts were $12,666 from ai?ricul
tural products; milk, $11,829; manure, $1,973;
sale of cattle, $11,300, etc. Among the expendi
tures were; Fodder, $15,084; purchase of cattle,
$12,518; wages, $5,469. The value of these fields
was estimated on December 31, 1904, at $214,432.
According to law all larger animals can be
slaughtered only at the slaughter house and spe
? ofoSLare collected wnch in 1904 amounted
loo' m ' The total rece,Pts amounted to $44,
798. The net receipts were: To the city treas-'
ury, $4,211; to the reserve fund, $2,550. The
total receipts of the theatre amounted to $89,837,
of which the treasury paid $32,606. The theatre
is not made self-supporting, but is .considered . a
necessary element for oducating the -people. The
city would as soon think of managing its school
at a profit as to manage a theatre at a profit
FREIBURG COLLECTS duties on food articles
The net amount from the "Octroi" in 1904
being $71,000. The consul further shows that
there is a "Volkskueche," or people's kitchen, tho
receipts of which during 1904 amounted to $27
816. A large share of the amount was for little
things, viz.: Buns, at .007 cent each; soup, at 1.4
cents a bowl; coffee, at 1.7 cents per cup; sup.
per, at 4.8 and 5.9 cents; dinner, at 5.9 and 7.1
cents. The water department paid to the env
ployes $5,366 and into the city treasury $71,315.
The schools of Freiburg are not wholly free, but
the moneys paid by the pupils are not sufficient
to pay expenses. The- city savings bank had in
the year 1890 13,802 deositors, with deposits
amounting at the close of that year to $2,838,022;
at the close of 1900 there were 19,781 depositors
and deposits amounting to $4,546,473. On Decem
ber 31, 1904, there were 23,826 depositors, with
deposits amounting to $6,319,851.
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