Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 23.pdf/455

 Reviews of Books

421

identiﬁed by purely physical character

anxieties, insults, and triumphs; with

istics capable of observation and measure ment is so contrary to general ideas

out whose help I might, perhaps, never

have witnessed the completion of that

that it needs considerable argument

mental ediﬁce, nor principles." the application of its funda~

and many examples to be very convinc ing, and to prevent our feeling that the

generalizations are based on insufficient observations or are the conclusions of an over enthusiastic advocate. And again we would like some further in formation or deﬁnition of terms before agreeing with the ‘author that so many phenomena of criminality and genius are due merely to different forms and de

grees of epilepsy. We will, of course, dis agree with certain of the theories, but that is not for lack of a clear state ment of what they are, and if the controverted theories were more fully argued and demonstrated the book would no doubt have to be so long that

MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT The Government of American Cities. By Horace E. Deming. G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York and London. Pp. 304 + indar 19. ($1.50 net.) The Government of European Cities. By Wil liam Bennett Munro, Ph.D.. LL.B.. Assistant Professor of Government in Harvard University. Macmillan Company, New York. Pp. 409. includ ing index. ($2.60 net.)

R.

DEMING’S book on muni

cipal government was evidently written with a propagandic purpose, to assist in popularizing the program of the National Municipal League, and offers

it could not be very widely used by the

a strong argument for a higher type of city government governed by a few responsible officials. Emphasis is laid on the fact that the administrative

general readers. No matter how full the statement or complete the argument,

functions of the city government occupy nine-tenths of its attention, as compared

we would still no doubt have to conclude _ with the one-tenth concerned with legis that Lombroso exaggerated the impor lative or policy-determining functions.

tance of merely physical defects as a Consequently the administrative system cause of crime and that he applied this must be taken entirely out of politics, explanation of criminal acts altogether and appointments must be made solely too widely. But the service that he for merit. The failures of municipal rendered and the truths that he eluci government in the United States, in the dated give Lombroso a high place among opinion of the author, have largely been criminologists and it would probably due to ignoring the fact that only a very be impossible to make a better or more small part of the problems of the city are usable summary of the results of his political. The writer also thinks home rule is long studies and many writings than the essential, and contends that the inter present volume. The authoritative character of the ference of state legislatures has done summary is well shown by Professor much to weaken and to oppress the cities. Lombroso himself in the preface, where He is not wholly successful in proving he says: "I welcome with pleasure this this contention, nor in stating cogent summary, in which the principal points

reasons for the view that a sufficiently

are explained with precision and loving care by my daughter Gina, who has

ample measure of home rule is impossible under a system of liberal legislative

worked with me from childhood, has

supervision of charters and electoral

seen the ediﬁce of my science rise stone upon stone, and has shared in my

consequently a little out of perspective,

methods.

This portion of the book is