the origins of contemporary france-5-第83章

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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　the　theater；　in　any　public　place；　whether　coffee…houses　or　taverns；



*　the　firemen　and　machinery　for　conflagrations；　the　sanitary　measures

against　contagion；　and　precautions；　long　beforehand　to　insure　hygiene

during　epidemics；



*　and；　as　extra　burdens　and　abuses；　the　establishment；　direction　and

support　of　primary　schools；　colleges；　public　lectures；　libraries；

theaters；　hospitals；　and　other　institutions　which　should　be　supported

and　governed　by　different　associations；　at　the　very　least；　the

appropriations　to　these　establishments　and　therefore　a　more　or　less

legitimate　and　more　or　less　imperative　intervention　in　their　internal

management。



Such　are　the　great　undertakings　which　form　a　whole；　which　bear　alike

on　the　present；　past；　and　future　budget　of　the　commune；　and　which；　as

so　many　distinct　branches　of　every　considerable　enterprise；　require；

for　proper　execution；　to　have　their　continuity　and　connection　always

present　in　the　thoughtful　and　directing　mind　which　has　them　in

charge。＇29＇　Experience　shows　that；　in　the　great　industrial　or

financial　companies；　in　the　Bank　of　France；　in　the　Crédit　Lyonnais；

and　in　the　insurance；　navigation；　and　railroad　companies；　the　best　way

to　accomplish　this　end　is　a　permanent　manager　or　director；　always

present；　engaged　or　accepted　by　the　administrative　board　on　understood

conditions；　a　special；　tried　man　who；　sure　of　his　place　for　a　long

period；　and　with　a　reputation　to　maintain；　gives　his　whole　time；

faculties；　and　zeal　to　the　work；　and　who；　alone；　possessing　at　every

moment　a　coherent　and　detailed　conception　of　the　entire　undertaking；

can　alone　give　it　the　proper　stimulus；　and　bring　to　bear　the　most

economical　and　the　most　perfect　practical　improvements。　Such　is　also

the　municipal　administration　in　the　Prussian　towns　on　the　Rhine。　Then；

in　Bonn；　for　instance；＇30＇　the　municipal　council；　elected　by　the

inhabitants　〃goes　in　quest〃　of　some　eminent　specialist　whose　ability

is　well　known。　It　must　be　noted　that　he　is　taken　wherever　he　can　be

found；　outside　the　city；　in　some　remote　province；　they　bargain　with

him；　the　same　as　with　some　famous　musician；　for　the　management　of　a

series　of　concerts。　Under　the　title　of　burgomaster；　with　a　salary　of

10；000　francs　per　annum；　he　becomes　for　twelve　years　the　director　of

all　municipal　services；　leader　of　the　civic　orchestra；　solely

entrusted　with　executive　power；　wielding　the　magisterial　baton　which

the　various　instruments　obey；　many　of　these　being　salaried

functionaries　and　others　benevolent　amateurs；＇31＇　all　in　harmony　and

through　him；　because　they　know　that　he　is　watchful；　competent；　and　top

quality；　constantly　occupied　with　am　overall　view；　responsible；　and　in

his　own　interest；　as　a　point　of　honor；　wholly　devoted　to　his　work

which　is　likewise　their　work；　that　is　to　say；　to　the　complete　success

of　the　concert。



Nothing　in　a　French　town　corresponds　to　this　admirable　type　of　a

municipal　institution。　Here；　also；　and　to　a　much　greater　extent　in　the

village；　the　effect　of　universal　suffrage　has　been　to　discredit　the

true　notables　and　to　incite　the　abdication　or　insure　the　exclusion　of

men　who；　by　their　education；　the　large　proportion　of　the　taxes　they

pay；　and　still　greater　influence　or　production　on　labor　and　on

business；　are　social　authorities；　and　who　should　become　legal

authorities。　In　every　country　where　conditions　are　unequal；　the

preponderance　of　a　numerical　majority　necessarily　ends　in　the　nearly

general　abstention　or　almost　certain　defeat　of　the　candidates　most

deserving　of　election。　But　here　the　case　is　different；　the　elected；

being　towns…people　（citadins）　and　not　rural；　are　not　of　the　species　as

in　the　village。　They　read　a　daily　newspaper；　and　believe　that　they

understand　not　only　local　matters　but　all　subjects　of　national　and

general　importance；　that　is　to　say；　high　level　economy；　philosophy　and

law；　somewhat　resembling　the　schoolmaster　who；　being　familiar　with　the

rules　of　arithmetic；　thinks　that　he　can　teach　the　differential

calculus；　and　the　theory　of　functions。　At　any　rate；　they　talk　loud　and

argue　on　every　subject　with　confidence；　according　to　Jacobin

traditions；　being；　indeed；　so　many　budding　Jacobins。　They　are　the

heirs　and　successors　of　the　old　sectarians；　issuing　from　the　same

stock　and　of　the　same　stamp；　a　few　in　good　faith；　but　mainly　narrow…

minded；　excited；　and　bewildered　by　the　smoke　of　the　glittering

generalities　they　utter。　Most　of　them　are　mere　politicians；

charlatans；　and　intriguers；　third…class　lawyers　and　doctors；　literary

failures；　semi…educated　stump…speakers；　bar…room；　club；　or　clique

orators；　and　vulgar　climbers。　Left　behind　in　private　careers；　in　which

one　is　closely　watched　and　accepted　for　what　he　is　worth；　they　launch

out　on　a　public　career　because；　in　this　business；　popular　suffrage　at

once　ignorant；　indifferent；　is　a　badly　informed；　prejudiced　and

passionate　judge　and　prefers　a　moralist　of　easy　conscience；　instead　of

demanding　unsullied　integrity　and　proven　competency。　Nothing　more　is

demanded　from　candidates　but　witty　speech…making；　assertiveness　and

showing　off　in　public；　gross　flattery；　a　display　of　enthusiasm　and

promises　to　place　the　power　about　to　be　conferred　on　them　by　the

people　in　the　hands　of　those　who　will　serve　its　antipathies　and

prejudices。　Thus　introduced　into　the　municipal　council；　they

constitute　its　majority　and　appoint　a　mayor　who　is　their　figurehead　or

creature；　now　the　bold　leader　and　again　the　docile　instrument　of　their

spite；　their　favors；　and　their　headlong　action；　of　their　blunders　and

presumption；　and　of　their　meddlesome　disposition　and　encroachments。　…

In　the　department；　the　council　general；　also　elected　by　universal

suffrage；　also　bears　the　marks　of　its　origin；　its　quality；　without

falling　so　low；　still　descends　in　a　certain　degree；　and　through

changes　which　keep　on　increasing：　politicians　install　themselves　there

and　make　use　of　their　place　as　a　stepping…stone　to　mount　higher；　it

also；　with　larger　powers　and　prolonged　during　its　vacations　by　its

committee；　is　tempted　to　regard　itself　as　the　legitimate　sovereign　of

the　extensive　and　scattered　community　which　it　represents。　…　Thus

recruited　and　composed；　enlarged　and　deteriorated；　the　local

authorities　become　difficult　to　manage；　and　from　now　on；　to　carry　on

the　administration；　the　prefect　must　come　to　some　understanding　with

them。





VII。　Local　society　in　1880。



Present　state　of　local　society。　…　Considered　as　an　organism；　it　is

stillborn。　…　Considered　as　a　mechanism；　it　gets　out　of　order。　…　Two

successive　and　false　conceptions　of　local　government。　…　In　theory；　one

excludes　the　other。　…　Practically；　their　union　ends　in　the　actual

system。　…　Powers　of　the　prefect。　…　Restrictions　on　these　through

subsequent　changes。　…　Give　and　take。　…　Bargaining。　…　Supported　by　the

government　and　cost　to　the　State。



Before　1870；　when　he　appointed　the　mayors　and　when　the　council　general

held　its　sessions　only　fifteen　days　in　the　year；　the　prefect　was

almost　omnipotent；　still；　at　the　present　day；　（1889）；　〃his　powers　are

immense；〃＇32＇　and　his　power　remains　preponderant。　He　has　the　right　to

suspend　the　municipal　council　and　the　mayor；　and　to　propose　their

dismissal　to　the　head　of　the　state。　Without　resorting　to　this

extremity；　he　holds　them　with　a　strong　hand；　and　always　uplifted　over

the　commune；　for　he　can　veto　the　acts　of　the　municipal　police　and　of

the　road　committee；　annul　the　regulations　of　the　mayor；　and；　through　a

skillful　use　of　his　prerogative；　impose　his　own。　He　holds　in　hand；

removes；　appoints　or　helps　appoint；　not　alone　the　clerks　in　his

office；　but　likewise　every　kind　and　degree　of　clerk　who；　outside　his

office；　serves　the　commune　or　department；＇33＇　from　the　archivist；

keeper　of　the　museum；　architect；　director；　and　teachers　of　the

municipal　drawing…schools；　from　the　directors　and　collectors　of

charity　establishments；　directors　and　accountants　of　almshouses；

doctors　of　the　mineral　springs；　doctors　and　accountants　of　the　insane

asylums　and　for　epidemics；　head…overseers　of　octrois；　wolf…bounty

guards；　commissioners　of　the　urban　police；　inspectors　of　weights　and

measures；　town　collectors；　whose　receipts　do　not　exceed　thirty

thousand　francs；　down　to　and　comprising　the　lowest　employees；　such　as

forest　guards　of　the　department　and　commune；　lock…keepers　and

navigation　guards；　overseers　of　the　quays　and　of　commercial　ports；

toll…gatherers　on　bridges　and　highways；　field…guards　of　the　smallest

village；　policemen　posted　on　the　corner　of　a　street；　and　stone…

breakers　on　the　public　highway。　When　things　and　not　persons　are

concerned；　it　is　he；　again；　who；　in　every　project；　enterprise；　or

proceeding；　is　charged　with　the　preliminary　examination　and　final

execution　of　it；　who　proposes　the　department　budget　and　presents　it；

regularly　drawn　up；　to　the　council　general；　who　draws　up　the　communal

budget　and　presents　that　to　the　municipal　council；　and　who；　after　the

council　general　or　municipal　council　have　voted　on　it；　remains　on　the

spot　the　sole　executor；　director；　and　master　of　the　operation　to　which

they　have　assented。　Their　total；　effective　part　in　this　operation　is

very　insignificant；　it　being　reduced　to　a　bare　act　of　the　will；　in

reaching　a　vote　they　have　had　in　their　hands　scarcely　any　other

documents　than　those　furnished　and　arranged　by　him；　in　gradually

reaching　their　decision　step　by　step；　they　have　had　no　help　but　his；

that　of　an　independent　collaborator　who；　governed　by　his　own　views　and

interests；　never　becomes　the　mere　instrument。　They　lack　for　their

decision　direct；　personal；　and　full　information；　and；　beyond　this；

complete；　efficient　power；　it　is　simply　a　dry　Yes；　interposed　between

insufficient　resources；　or　else　cut　off；　and　the　fruit　of　which　is

abortive　or　only　half　ripens。　The　persist