Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/693

 MUNICIPAL ART 679

Someone thinks it "a most stinging criticism of free institutions that civic action should have failed, and individual action per- force be appealed to." The cause is surely not hard to find : political bossism and the greed of corporations are the dominant powers in our large cities, and the political machinery is so constructed as to leave without representation, almost without influence, what might otherwise be a "saving remnant" of American society, and, indeed such is the power of good leadership might soon become the ruling majority. If these best citizens would study the municipal problem, instead of in the main giving up hopelessly to the present condition of things, or occasionally making an excited dash at some reform legisla- tion in a blind sort of way, and feeling that it is all so bad it cannot be made much worse anyway; if they would work out the municipal problem in the light of the experience and the evolved wisdom of countries older in large municipalities than our own the countries of Europe, particularly Great Britain, which has institutions much like ours, and which was a little time back where we are now, but in which the prob- lem is now "practically solved" and then would join forces understandingly, might we not presently have a civic beauty in our public works, and, as well, in far more than our public works !*

That we are almost at the beginning here has the compensat- ing feature of great possibilities ahead ! If we will take hold in time to prevent great expenditures in undoing mistakes, already too late in some instances, that will be an advantage. Almost all of our cities have some preliminary steps to take before they can come, or should come, to art proper : clearing away the filth and smoke, making good streets, disposing of the bill-board nuisance or securing artistic posters, providing playgrounds and small parks, and improving tenement-houses and small lodging- houses in congested districts. This work is fundamentally important. Beyond this there are many inviting possibilities : trees everywhere, streets free from railroads and telegraph and

1 So says DORMAN B. EATON in his masterly work, The Government of Munici- palities.