Mr. Chamberlain on Wednesday also spoke on municipal progress at
a dinner given to celebrate the conferring of the title of Lord Mayor on the Chief Magistrate of Birmingham. Municipal success depended, he said, on three things,—(1) the .character and ability of the elected Councillors ; (2) the ability and integrity of the permanent officials ; (3) the interest taken in municipal work by the bulk of the citizens. That is a clear and most useful analysis. The great danger of municipalities was the readiness of some of the ratepayers to accept second-rate services in order to avoid paying first- -class salaries. For example, millions had been invested by the community at Birmingham, and the safety of these millions depended 'almost entirely" upon the permanent officials. That is excellent sense, and should be preached in season and -out of season by all who care to keep our public life pure and efficient.
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