Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 5.djvu/761

 THE CITY IN HISTORY 745

of Paris furnish a striking illustration of this principle. In the life of the French capital the outdoor pleasures play a most important part, pleasures which to a very large degree are depend- ent upon the degree of care given to the streets. As a result, the failure to maintain high standards is immediately felt by the population and arouses violent opposition. In our American cities the streets are regarded as means of communication and nothing more, and the mass of the population remains satisfied so long as such communication is made easy and rapid. Not that the mass of the population does not desire clean streets. But the fact that dirty streets do not arouse resentment suffi- ciently strong to give rise to positive action makes such opinion as does exist ineffectual. Standards of efficiency in govern- ment are determined by the dislikes rather than the desires of the population.

From this analysis it is evident that the problem of city government is one which involves more than the question of governmental organization or reorganization. Its successful solution requires, not merely the most efficient administrative machinery, but such a change in the life and thought of the people as will bring an increasing number of city services into organic, vital relation with the daily life, the pleasures and recreations of the population.

L. S. RowE.

University of Pennsylvania.