THE COURIER-
MODEL CITY COUNCIL. frS, Si SBS
NOTED MEN
OBJECT-LESSON IN MUNICIPAL
GOVERNMENT.
thoroughly ItrprcNrntatlv Ilmljr of
fleteaty-Tnro AIoiiiIhtm They I lav No
Special rrlvll-K'i or I'iihhi'm L'abllo
Owucrnhlp of All Monopolta.
PRINCE niBMARCK
After nn engraving
Copyright, 1898, by Hahi'er & Drotrkm
J t&fjh
CAfTAIS A. T. MA1MN, U.t.N.
STM'IIKS CIIA.NK
KM
r
rilANK R. STOCKTON,
R. George F. Park
erfurnlshcH a study
of tho city admlnls
tration of Birming
ham to the Century
under tho titlo ot
'An Object Lesson
In Municipal Gov
ern men t. M r.
Parker sayB: The
governing body, ex
eciiflvM nn well as leK alatlvc, Itt tue
city council. Tho eighteen wards aro
each represented by four members, one
having tho title of alderman, and three
that of councilor, all meeting In a sln
Blo body. One is elected annually for
each ward, bo that two-thirds of tho
councilors, and all tho aldermen, have
had experlci ce. They aro chosen by
burgesses, who aro male or female oc
cupiers of any dwelling house, shop, or
manufactory, or of any land or tene
ment of tho annual valuo of 10. Th
difference between burgesses and par
liamentary electors Is that women are
admitted to the former.
Tho parliamentary electors number
81,097, and burgesses and school board
electors 92,709, tho difference represent
ing with fair accuracy women voters.
Members of parliament are elected by
districts, councilors from wards, and
tho school board on a general ticket.
No two classes aro voted for at tho
same eleotlci, though practically the
same machinery is employed. The ex
penditure permitted to municipal can
didates is about 60 each. Vacancies
In the council are filled by special elec
tion. One alderman from each ward
Is elected by the council for six years,
half tho terms ending every threo
years. Ab a rule they aro re-elected in
definitely, party or factional considera
tions having little Influence.
Tho council Ib reorganized on tho 9th
of November of each year, when tho
general purposes committee, comprised
of tho mayor as chairman, and tho
chairman of each of the working com
mittees, nominates tho committees for
tho ensuing year. Outside persons aro
appointed as additional members of tho
Museum and School of Art, Freo Ll
brarles, and Technical SchoolB Commit
tees, who in practice control the techni
cal work, the council members retain
ing financial management.
Each member of a committee pro
posed 1b voted for separately. The
wishes of individuals aro rarely con
sulted until their names are presented,
when they may decline and be excused.
None may serve on more than two com
mittees, nor be chairman of more than
one. Every effort is made to secure
the very best results. No precedents
require tho appointment of old mem
bers even to important committees, and
a new mombor known to bo capablo and
interested in some special work has no
difficulty In obtaining an assignment
that may enable him to do his best.
But in practlco tho experienced men
are reappointed without question. Each
committee selects Its own chairman.
Tho council is a thoroughly repre
sentative body. Of tho seventy-two
members of tho present council, twenty-three
aro manufacturers, six aro
classified as gentlemen (men retired
from business), Blx aro provision mer
chants, five aro brass and Iron found
ers, solicitors, jowelers, and medlc:
men respectively, threo are merchants,
there are two each of auotloneers.chom
Ists, and drapers, while printers, teach
ers, butchers, bakers, glassworkers,
tin-plato workers, and newspaper man
agers each have one. So far as I can
find out, but one publican has ever
been in the council, although thlB claBS
had much Influence prior to 1871.
No member has any privileges on a
railway or public conveyance of any
sort, even on the tramways belonging;
to the city, or admission to a theater
or entertainment, and no one Is per
wi4 vota on Question whop hs
enters Into any contract with tho city,
or sells an artlclo of oven tho smallest
vnluo to tho council, or to any of Its
MibHldlary or associated committees or
departments. So strictly 1b this ob
served that a member of n commlttco,
suspected of a desiro to sell eligible
property '. tho city, waB forced to ro
tlro from public llfo.
When the work of a committee Is to
bo discussed, It presents a report of nil
It has done since its affairs wero last
ueforo the council, sotting out what It
I roposcs. This report or agenda must
bo printed and sent to each councilor
threo full days boforo tho meeting.
In soino cases, especially when a now
scl'emo 1b proposed, each membor Is
requested to make a personal investiga
tion of tho conditions with which It
It proposed to deal.
FIRST OF AERONAUTS.
NUnchnrd Sailed In Air Ueforo lUllomi
Were Mail.
Eighty-five years ago there died In
Pnris, Dlanchard, tho first man to gain
celebrity as a balloonist, says tho New
York Mall and Express. Ho was horn
in 1738 and boforo tho balloon was in
vented ho had navigated tho air in an
atmospheric machlno of his own inven
tion, which was propelled with oars
and which attained a height above
ground of about eighty feet. Blanch
ard mado his first ascent In a balloon
at Paris, March 2, 1784. On January 7
1785, ho crossed the English channel
in a balloon, accompanied by Dr. Jet
fries. Under tho circumstances it was
feat of great daring. Tho aeronauts
tho trip ended cast away everything
but tho basket under tho balloon, and
wero about to cut It away when they
wero carried over tho town of Calais
and finally dropped in u forest. Tho
officials ot Calais gave Blanchard a
dinner, presented to him papers of citi
zenship in a gold box, gavo him 91,200
for his balloon and a pension of 12B
yearly. Tho king of France also pen
sioned him. Blanchard boasted that
he had risen 13,000 feet higher than
any aeronaut of his time. He mado
sixty ascensions, tho last one causing
his death. His wlfo continued tho
business after Mm and was killed by a
fall from a balloon in 1819. Albert of
Saxony, a Dominican monk, 3 credited
with having formed tho first correct
Idea of building balloons early in tho
fourteenth century, but his ideas never
took practical snape. While the scien
tists were working on tho question in
1783 the brothers Montgolfigr, paper
makers, near Lyons, mado an sent up
the first balloon on June 5. This bal
loon waB made of linen, was 315 feet In
circumference and roBo 1,600 feet. It
was filled with heated air. About three
months later Prof. Charles sent up his
balloon, called a "Charllore." It trav
eled some miles from tho starting anfl
fell in a village. The peasants re
garded it as a living aionster, and fall
upon it with pitchforks and flails and
toro it to pieces, to the loss and disgust
of its owner.
The first living things to leavo the
earth in a balloon wero a shcbp, a hen
and a duck. They landed safely ana
he sheep was found grazing. The first
ascent in a hydrogen balloon was mad
by Prof. Charles in Paris, Dec. 1, 1783.
inimi
Recent Sermons. I
WAR.--The world la coming to un
derstand more and mora tho absurdity
of maintaining a warlike attitude and
supporting in times of peaco great
armies. Tho sontlmont against war la
steadily gaining. Rev. A. Z. Conrad.
Congregatlonallst, Worcester, Mbbs.
CHEERFULNESS. Thoro Ib no use
to be down in tho dark, damp cellar
when there aro light, and warmth, and
comfort in tho parlor. Consistency is
a great essential of a Christian life.
There Is too little ot it in tho lives of
Christian people Rev. J. I. Paxton,
Presbyterian, Philadelphia.
WOMAN. I am aflhamod to say that
for 6,000 years man has been a petty
tyrant and lordllng ns far aB woman
has been concerned. Every Intelligent
student of history knows thin to bo
true. Rov. E. F. Wright, Congroga
tlonallBt, Gardner, 111.
CITIZENSHIP.--Good citizenship do
mandB first tho recognition of Qod as
supremo governor. As citizens men
have no more right to ignore Qod than
as Individuals. If our bodies and souls
belong to Him bo doeB our Btftto. Rov.
C. A. Van Anda, Chicago.
GOVERNMENT. Qod doalB wWh
governments as with Individuals.
Where righteousness reigns there Is
blessing. Where it is ignored there
comoth destruction. Rev. J. L.
Weaver, Presbyterian, Philadelphia.
SOCIAL ETHICS. As ColumbUBdl
covered a neglected hemisphere, so wo.
are Just discovering a neglected hemis
phere of church work the hemisphere
of social ethics. Kov. W. F. Craft,
Presbyterian, Washington.
PATRIOTISM. True American pa
triotism lies in fulfillment of American
Ideas rather than in calculating upon
American interests. It is tho sound,
patriotic American spirit to hold duty
higher than Interest, to hold the citi
zen's obligations at least as sacred as
hi. icht. Rev. J. F. Boodle, Congre
gat list, Salem, Mass.
THE STATE. Tho state Is a moral
organism. One mun !u not altogether
man. Human nature cannot manifest
Itself wholly in the individual. It does
not develop ic isolation. Hence emerge
ot very necessity out of the soul of hu
manity itself family Ihe, social life, re
ligious life, political life. Rev. N. Luc
cock, Methodist, Pittsburg.
POLITICS AND RELIGION. Just so
long aB good men 'walk one way la
their religion and another in their pol
itics and Join in the foolish cry. that
politics has nothing to do with religion,
so long will bad men with selfish
schemes and unscrupulous methods
control affairs. Religion must be mlxsd
with politics, business, industrial, and
social life. Rev. F. B. Cherlngton,
Congregatlonallst, Spokane, Wash.
J1 AboMfl
Married Daughter Ob, dear, suae.
time as I do bavo with that husband of
mine! I don't have a minete's peace
when he's in the bouse. He is always
calling mo to hi'lp do something' or
othor.
Mother What docs ho want now?
Daughter He wants me to traipso
way up stairs just- to thread a needle
for him, so he can mend his clothes.
Out of Observation.
MUs De Fashion I've been having a
perfectly lovely time; teas and parties,
and music and dancing, and privato
theatricals, and everything you can
think of. Haven't had so much fun for
a year.
Friend (shocked) What? During
Lent?
Miss De Fashion Oh, it's all right,
lea. Wo were in the country.
SWIFTEST RACING EAST AND
WEST
If you would travel rapidly, and with
comfort and ease, please note that the
North Western line and its connection,
provide the fastest service to eastern
cities, and many hours the fastest to
western points named below: To Buf
falo 33 hours, New York 45, Boston 48,
Ogdon 31, Salt Lake 33, San Francisco
G2, Portland GO, Why not save your
self weary hours of traveling by getting
tickets via the North Western?
A.S. Fielding, O. T. A.,
117 South 10th street.
Frlvata Acccm.
What a blessing no man can hinder
eur private access to God. Every man
en build a chapel In bis breast, him
self the priest, hie heart the sacrifice
Md the earth he treads en one altar.
firemy Taylor.