Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/448

This page needs to be proofread.

434 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

infection ; (10) food inspection; (i i) municipal abattoirs; (12) municipal markets ; (13) fire-fighting ; (14) police ; (15) cemeteries and crematories.

F. Education: (i) school equipment; (2) school instruction ; (3) school hygiene ; (4) school buildings ; (5) libraries and reading-rooms ; (6) the expo- sition as an educational institution.

G. Public art : (i) street decoration ; (2) city decoration ; (3) public architecture ; (4) cleanliness ; (5) the exposition from an art standpoint.

H. Public finance : (i ) bookkeeping ; (2) taxes; (3) municipal operations ; (4) municipal savings banks ; (5) municipal pawnshops. I. Statistics.

Municipal undertakings such as have been represented the past summer in Dresden are, doubtless, made possible by the fact that the German municipality is a business corporation, run on business principles, by competent and efficient men who aim to serve their city and who honor the positions which they hold. Albert Shaw, in his Municipal Government in Continental Europe, has doubtless already made this familiar.

A. TRAFFIC.

Commerce and industry to a large extent make the modern city what it is ; hence the great need for thoroughfares. In view of the increase in amount and rapidity of transportation, these great business thoroughfares must be broad, numerous and straight. Diagonal or radial streets are necessary for expedition and convenience. The old street was the left-over space between buildings. The modern street is the unit of the city an organic unit. Not only is the modern street a thoroughfare, but it also takes the place of the market-place of olden days for the dis- play of goods for sale. As the street is thus seen to be of such prime importance for the very existence and continuance of the modern city, we are not surprised at the great expense allowed for streets building, repairing, lighting, cleaning, etc. There is no haphazard laying out of streets. The board of public works plans all new streets so that they shall accord with the rest of the streets of the city, and so that they shall promote commu- nication, health, and beauty. This supervision extends to all expansions of the city, for the benefit of the future, and also to correction of the errors of the past. Many cities find that their busiest quarters are in what was formerly the old walled city