CITY GOVERNMENT DISCUSSED

President Eliot was the principal speaker at the dinner of the Economic Club of Boston at the American House last evening. The subject for discussion was the report of a committee appointed by the Economic Club to study the condition of the city government of Boston and investigate the feasibility of instituting a government by commission. President Eliot has held the position of chairman of this committee, which was appointed last December.

President Lincoln of the Economic Club in his introductory address stated the conditions which have rendered municipal reform so pressing a need. The government of cities has deteriorated and problems now present themselves which had no importance a generation ago. Every community which has suffered from the dishonest administration of its affairs has a keen interest in municipal reform.

President Eliot described the methods by which the most necessary changes can be carried out. In no reform is it wise to perform untried experiments, but we should profit by the teachings of experience. It has been demonstrated beyond the possibility of doubt that a government of one chamber is superior to one of two. In the same way, the experiment of a government administered by one man has always failed. Another defect in our municipal systems is the election of delegates by wards or districts, the small interests of each local division interfering with the general interests of the community. Boston illustrates these three systems which need reform.

Although many changes and alterations of universal suffrage have been suggested, these are not advantageous because this principle lies at the bottom of our system of government. One way to render this plan more efficient is to reduce the number of nominees for whom one man may vote. On every ballot now presented there is a long list of men, many of whom are in all probability entirely unknown to the voter. If there are but five men to be elected, the voter is sure to be able to choose more competently. This system has proved successful wherever it has been tried.

Government by commission is the system used by all great corporations and even by the United States army. In the building up of Harvard University, which has been attributed to the President, the real power has been with the group of men who directed him. The conduct of a city's business is too great a work for one man.

The next question is whether competent and successful business men will accept the positions if elected. President Eliot is of the opinion that the efficient citizen will accept, given conditions under which he may serve his city honestly and well. Another method of increasing municipal efficiency is to lengthen the term of office. In the new charters adopted by Galveston, Houston and Des Moines, this is done, and the chiefs of the city departments hold office for long periods. The three fundamental fea tures, however, of the system under which reform can best be secured are one chamber of delegates, a group of men at the head of the city government, and a plan by which the voter can best be enabled to make an intelligent choice