The Community Course
Part 3 - Specific Community Interests
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15. Government and Public Relations

Variation in Quality
There is extreme variation in the quality of small community government in the United States. Some communities are examples of all that community government ought to be, while others would qualify as examples of all that it should not be. What is the cause of such differences?

The writer once visited two cities in the same state, each settled at the same time, by common people who came largely without means. In one of these communities the government was so excellently administered as to be a suitable example for the country. In the other case the community and the govern­ment were politically-minded and boss-ridden. The people expected to get all local benefits through political influence.

In each case the present residents are descendants of the original settlers. For the most part the difference seemed to be due to different personal and social traditions. In one case the town was settled largely by people who came by two stages from rural New England. The first move, which was to Kansas, was made part of the free-soil movement, and was made by people of courage and moral conviction, who had the tradition of the New England town meeting and were used to handling their affairs with thrift and social responsibility. The other town was settled by men end women of English descent who came from another direction, who as a matter of habit looked to the political boss, to favoritism and to political influence.

Creating A Political Tradition
One of the chief problems of the community is the creation of a wholesome political tradition. Young people look about them, half consciously wondering what kind of world it is into which they are born. If they see favoritism and political manipulation, with the best people of the community timidly unwilling to expose themselves by vigorous political activity, the young people of the community will have learned their lesson. Their school textbooks may discuss civic righteousness, but they know that is only make believe. The realities are before their eyes. On the other hand, whenever young people see integrity and a businesslike attitude in business management, they are likely to decide that that is the kind of world they live in.

Thus the local management of community affairs is the greatest of all schools of government. The university may teach how to do it more skillfully, but what is to be done will have been learned long before university years.

Organizing Unselfishness
Selfishness nearly always is organized in the community. Unless unselfishness and public interest also can be organized they can have little chance. The Community Council, representing all the civic organizations of the community, and cutting across all partisan lines, can provide such organization. Very generally it will find public officials ready to act in accord with the public interest if they can but be assured of dependable backing. Even where they are reluctant to act for the better good, the influence of a well organized community may turn the balance.

Several committees of the Community Council can advise the Council on various phases of public government. There may well be a committee on public finance, on community recreation, on public health, on education, and on general community administration, with special committees as the need may occur. 

Community Caucus
Where the question arises of choice of suitable public officials, another method may be necessary. An Illinois town of four thousand has very greatly improved the quality of its public officials because of a "community caucus." Each civic organization in the community appoints a representative to act on the community caucus. This "caucus" meets as soon as the candidates for town offices are known, carefully appraises those candidates, and reports to the community. Where there are marked differences of quality the caucus makes definite recommendations. Since the "community caucus" is recognized as nonpolitical and interested in the welfare of the community, its recommendations are nearly always followed by a majority of the voters. 

It can be taken almost as an axiom that without the education in democracy which good local government provides, good regional, state, and national government is impossible, whereas, if good local government becomes general, that quality soon will project itself into national affairs. 

Rural Municipalities
Rural and small community government has made relatively little headway in the United States. Most small communities are made up of residents of a central village or town, and also of a surrounding tributary area, generally extending beyond the town limits for from two to five miles. This surrounding area often is very important to the town because of its trade.

The people of this surrounding area not only trade in the town and do their banking there, but they go to church and send their children to school there, they get much of their recreation in the town, and use it for a shipping point. They have no fire or police protection except that furnished by the town. They need the town, and the town needs them. Yet generally there are political boundaries between the village and this area. Often there are conflicts and feuds between the two. The surrounding region is commonly denied a voice in determining the conditions under which it must do business and under which its young people must grow up.

This division between the town and its environs is an unfortunate accident in American life, and it should be done away with. There are various methods of accomplishing this. Quite commonly the village limits can be legally extended to include these areas, if the people are agreed. Laws should be passed providing for the creation of rural municipalities. If communities become aware of that need, occasions may arise when their wishes can be translated into law. A committee on legislation may be useful in bringing about such changes. 

Town Manager Government
One of the most important developments of American democracy has been the city manager or town manager government. A community which is endeavoring to put its house in order may well study the possibilities of this form of public administration.