Brief for the Affirmative:

J. S. BROWN and J. C. BRECKENRIDGE.

Question: "Resolved, That it is for the interests of good government for the citizen to act with his party in municipal elections."

Best general references: Seth Low in Problem of City Government; H. H. Darling in Harvard Monthly for March, 1889, pp. 21-34; Bryce's Amer. Commonwealth, II, Chap. 62-68; Nation, vol. 43, pp. 280, 362; John Fiske, Civil Government, p. 124, 139; T. Roosevelt, Essays in Practical Politics, pp. 72, 73.

I. Party Government is best for State and Nation; party municipal action tends to strengthen national party. - a) Good State and national appointments of officers in cities. - (b) A city may turn a State or national election. - (c) Political organization in cities assists State and national organizations.

II. Party adlesion tends to purify politics; under a strict party vote. - (a) Deals would be eliminated. - (b) Bribery would be less frequent. - (c) Factional strife would be less common. - (d) Conscientious men more influential when in than when out of a party; H. H. Darling, Harvard Monthly, Mar., 1889, pp. 25-26.

III. Party Government in cities is favorable to a sense of responsibility. - (a) Minority party a party of criticism. - (b) Officers more likely to work in harmony; dead-locks avoided. - (c) Responsibility thrown on the party as well as on the leaders. - (d) Abuses more often due to division of responsibility than to party protection; Seth Low, City Government, pp. 5-7.

IV. Consistent policy and permanent reform the result of party rather than of independent action. - (a) Individual action is spasmodic and not sustained; T. Roosevelt, pp. 72, 73. - (b) Independent action is seldom thorough.

Brief for the Negative:

S. ADAMS and W. P. ANDERSON.

Best general references: Bryce's American Commonwealth, Chap. L-LXVIII, Fiske; Civil Government, pp. 120-136. Lalor's Enc. I, 460, Pol. Sci. Quart II, 291.

I. A city, since it is a business corporation, is entirely outside of politics; Johns Hopkins Univ. Studies, IV, No. 10. - (a) It is concerned with (1) Protection of its citizens from fire, riots, unsanitary conditions, etc. (2) Carrying on public works; e.g., street-paving, water-works, parks, etc; Lalor I, 463, Bryce I, 589, 598, 610, II, 60. - (b) It requires officers of great executive ability. - (c) Good local government is of the first importance to the citizens.

II. The best governed cities are those conducted on a non-partisan plan: e.g., Berlin; Prof. Gueist in Contemporary Rev., vol. 46; Glasgow: Century XXXIX, 721.

III. Parties are concerned with general principles of national policy, and are therefore unfitted for city government, and their participation in it subordinates municipal affairs to national issues.

IV. The effects of party rule in cities are bad. - (a) The election of inferior men to office, (1) Mediocre or "available" men: J. H. Univ. Studies IV, p. 95; (2) Political bosses; Von Holst; Const. Law, p. 331. - (b) Deals. - (c) Treatment of municipal offices as party spoils; J. H. Univ. Studies V. p. 61. - (d) The State Legislature is apt to interfere in city affairs: Ency. Brit. XVII, 463; Lalor I, 464; Bryce I, 630.