Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 8.djvu/586

 566 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

The Coming City. By RICHARD T. ELY, PH.D. LL.D., Professor of Political Economy and Director of the School of Eco- nomics and Political Science in the University of Wis- consin. Thomas Y. Crowell & Co. Pp. 110.

THIS little book, the expansion of a lecture, is in Professor Ely's best vein. It gives a bird's-eye view, not of visionary plans, but of a movement that is visible in our urban life. Not all factors in the movement are well represented in every city, but enough is going for- ward to convince Professor Ely that he used a misnomer when he called the original lecture " Neglected Aspects of Municipal Reform." They are observed and calculated upon to such a degree that he believes it is more strictly in accordance with the facts to speak of " The Coming City." He does this in a most hopeful and stimu- lating way. The argument is not that the better urban conditions are coming no matter how indifferent good citizens may be, but that there is a righting chance to make a good rate of progress. The line of argu- ment is suggested by the phrases : "Expert knowledge required for successful municipal administration;" "municipal government a pro- fession rather than a business ;" " the ideal of the city as a well-ordered household ;" " the city as a work of art." Including an appendix containing useful illustrative material, the book provokes interest in nearly every phase of the modern movement for better cities. The closing paragraphs would doubtless strike the typical ward politician as somewhat perfervid. To anyone who feels the seriousness of the subject, their note is none too high :

We have to prepare for the coming domination of the city, and for an extension of urban conditions even to rural communities. We have to adjust ourselves to some extent to a change of ideals. What shall we say to this ? Certainly there is no ground for despair. The spreading out of cities and the extension of urban conditions to country districts may mean, and must be made to mean, a combination of advantages of city and of country. Our ideal in this country has been the domination of the rural community rather than of the city. But if we look back upon past history, and ask ourselves whence the sources of the highest achievements in the way of culture and civilization, we shall find much to give us hope in the prospect of the domination of the city in the twentieth century. As we think about the city during human history, we recall Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, Florence, London, Paris, Berlin sources of religion, learning, and art. Is it without significance that the words " polite " and " urbane " are both derived from words meaning " city "? Is it without significance that Christianity became known in a city, and that