按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
resident and popular。 Everywhere else the numerical majority； being
sovereign； tends to select its candidates from among the average
people： in the village； he is a man of average rural intelligence；
and； mostly； in the village a municipal council which； as narrow…
minded as its electors； elects a mayor equally as narrow…minded as
itself Such are； from now on； the representatives and directors of
communal interests； except when they themselves are affected by
personal interests to which they are sensitive； their inertia is only
equaled by their incapacity＇25＇
Four times a year a bundle of elaborately drawn papers； prepared by
the prefecture； are submitted to these innately blind paralytics；
large sheets divided into columns from top to bottom； with tabular
headings from right to left； and covered with printed texts and
figures in writing … details of receipts and expenses； general
centimes； special centimes； obligatory centimes； optional centimes；
ordinary centimes； extra centimes； with their sources and employment；
preliminary budget； final budget； corrected budget； along with legal
references； regulations； and decisions bearing on each article。 In
short； a methodical table as specific as possible and highly
instructive to a jurist or accountant； but perfect jargon to peasants；
most of whom can scarcely write their name and who； on Sundays； are
seen standing before the advertisement board＇26＇ trying to spell out
the Journal Officiel； whose abstract phrases； beyond their reach； pass
over their heads in aerial and transient flight； like some confused
rustling of vague and unknown forms。 To guide them in political life；
much more difficult than in private life； they require a similar guide
to the one they take in the difficult matters of their individual
life； a legal or business adviser； one that is qualified and
competent； able to understand the prefecture documents； sitting
alongside of them to explain their budget； rights and limits of their
rights； the financial resources； legal expedients； and consequences of
a law； one who can arrange their debates； make up their accounts；
watch daily files of bills； attend to their business at the county
town； throughout the entire series of legal formalities and attendance
on the bureaus； … in short； some trusty person； familiar with
technicalities； who they might choose to select。 … Such a person was
found in Savoy； before the annexation to France； a notary or lawyer
who； practicing in the neighborhood or at the principal town； and with
five or six communes for clients； visited them in turn； helped them
with his knowledge and intelligence； attended their meetings and；
besides； served them as scribe； like the present secretary of the
mayoralty； for about the same pay； amounting in all to about the same
total of fees or salaries。＇27＇ … At the present time； there is nobody
in the municipal council to advise and give information to its
members； the schoolmaster is their secretary； and he cannot be； and
should not be； other than a scribe。 He reads in a monotonous tone of
voice the long financial enigma which French public book…keeping； too
perfect； offers to their divination； and which nobody； save one who is
educated to it； can clearly comprehend until after weeks of study。
They listen all agog。 Some； adjusting their spectacles； try to pick
out among so many articles the one they want； the amount of taxes they
have to pay。 The sum is too large； the assessments are excessive； it
is important that the number of additional centimes should be reduced；
and therefore that less money should be expended。 Hence； if there is
any special item of expense which can be got rid of by a refusal； they
set it aside by voting No； until some new law or decree from above
obliges them to say Yes。 But； as things go； nearly all the expenses
designated on the paper are obligatory； willingly or not； these must
be met； and there is no way to pay them outside of the additional
centimes； however numerous these are； vote them they must and sanction
the centimes inscribed。 They accordingly affix their signatures； not
with trust but with mistrust； with resignation； and out of pure
necessity。 Abandoned to their natural ignorance； the twenty…seven
thousand petty municipal councilors of the country are no more
passive； more inert； more constrained than ever； deprived of the light
which； formerly； the choice of the prefect or a restricted suffrage
could still throw into the darkness around them； there remains to them
only one safe tutor or conductor； and this final guide is the official
of the bureaus； especially this or that old； permanent chief； or under
clerk； who is perfectly familiar with his files of papers。 With about
four hundred municipal councils to lead； one may imagine what he will
do with them： nothing except to drive them like a flock of sheep into
a pen of printed regulations； or urge them on mechanically； in lots；
according to his instructions； he himself being as automatic and as
much in a rut as they are。
VI。 The larger Communes。
Effects of the law on the urban commune。 … Disproportion between the
administrative capacity of its elected representatives and the work
imposed on them。 … Lack of a special and permanent manager。 … The
municipal council and the mayor。 … The general council and the
intermediary committee。 … The prefect。 … His dominant rule。 … His
obligatory concessions。 … His principal aim。 … Bargains between the
central authority and the local Jacobins。 … Effect on this on local
government； on the officials； and in local finances。
Let us now look at the other side of the scale； on the side of the
large urban communes； of which there are 223； with above 10；000
inhabitants； 90 of these above 20；000 inhabitants； 9 of the latter
above 100；000 inhabitants； and Paris； which has 2；300；000。＇28＇ We see
at the first glance cast upon an average specimen of these human
anthills； a town containing from 40；000 to 50；000 souls； how vast and
complex the collective undertaking becomes； how many principal and
accessory services the communal society must co…ordinate and unite
together in order to secure to its members the advantages of public
roads and insure their protection against spreading calamities：
* Maintenance and repairs of these roads； the straightening； laying…
out； paving； and drainage； the constructions and expense for sewers；
quays； and rivers； and often for a commercial harbor；
* the negotiations and arrangements with departments and with the
state for this or that harbor； canal； dike； or insane asylum； the
contracts with cab； omnibus； and tramway companies and with telephone
and house…lighting companies； the street…lighting； artesian wells and
aqueducts；
* the city police； supervision and rules for using public highways；
and orders and agents for preventing men from injuring each other when
collected together in large assemblies in the streets； in the markets；
at t