city.' Yet this act was declared constitutional, the city
was compelled to supply the necessary funds, and 'for nearly twenty
years all the money that could be spared from immediate and pressing
needs' was 'compulsorily expended upon an enormous pile which surpasses
the town halls and cathedrals of the Middle Ages in extent if not in
grandeur.'"[163]

The legislature is strongly tempted to abuse its power when the party
machine in control of the state does not have the political support of
the local authorities. One of the most notorious examples of such
interference in recent years was the so-called "ripper" legislation
enacted in Pennsylvania in 1901, by which the mayors of Pittsburg and
Allegheny were removed from office and the governor given the power to
appoint and remove their successors until the regular municipal election
in the year 1903. The motive for this legislation was the desire to
crush local opposition to the state machine by putting the control of
municipal offices in the hands of a governor friendly to the political
boss of the state. In order to provide an opportunity for the mayor
appointed by the governor to use his office in building up and
perpetuating a local machine that would support the clique in control of
the state government, the appointee of the governor was declared
eligible for re-election, although his locally elected successors were
made ineligible. A more flagrant abuse of legislative authority could
hardly be imagined; yet this act was declared constitutional by the
supreme court of the state.

Many such instances of partisan interference may be found in the recent
legislation of some of the larger and more populous states.

The best example of the misgovernment of cities by the legislature for
private or partisan ends is seen in the franchise legislation by which
privileges of great value have been secured by street railway and other
corporations without any compensation to the cities concerned. The power
which the legislature can exercise in the interest of private
corporations monopolizing for their own profit the very necessities of
life in the modern city--water, light, transportation, communication,
etc.--has been one of the most serious evils resulting from state
domination of municipal affairs. It exposed the legislature to the
temptation which individuals and corporations seeking valuable
concessions readily took advantage of for their own gain. It thus
brought into ac