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THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF POLITICS.

JULY, 1894.

THE BOSTON MUNICIPAL LEAGUE.

CAPEN

BY SAMUEL B. CAPEN.

T HAS been said that the movement in favor of Municipal

Reform, which is extending from one end of this country to the other, is the most important of any which has come before the American people since the overthrow of slavery. This at first sight seems like an extreme statement; and yet, when we realize that at the present rate of increase very early in the next century our large cities will control the nation, we begin to have some conception of the necessity of having our city governments everywhere of the highest character. The national safety really depends upon the proper government of our large cities. De Tocqueville has said that "municipal institutions are to liberty what the primary school is to science." Our best citizens everywhere have begun to believe that Mr. Bryce was right when he said that the "government of great cities is the conspicuous failure in the American Republic."

In the organization of our Municipal League, we have, for the present, at least, limited our membership to two hundred; believing that a comparatively small body has more individual responsibility, and is less likely to be turned aside from its legitimate purpose, than if its membership were greater. With a limited membership, organizations are more likely to be represented by their best men, who can consider problems, discuss questions, and reach results better in a small body than in a mass meeting. //

There are some things that must be conceded at the outset. First. The city is not a little state, but a corporation, and the