, 1875-09-19
THE WORK OF THE CITIZENS ASSOCIATION,

THE WORK OF THE CITIZENS ASSOCIATION.
The first year Of the Citizens Association
is at an end, and Mr. FRANKLIN MAcVEAoH,
the President, has summed up its work in q
remarkably clear and vivid statement. An
unofficial review Of the situation might dis
cover more errors Of Judgment than Mr. Mac
VEAaH notes, but it would not fail to admit
that the working members OF the Association
have applied themselves to local reform with
an unexampled devotion, and have been &C
tuated throughout by the purest and most
disinterested purposes. It is the penalty Of
unsel6sh application to public interests with
the intention Of ferreting out abuses and e1-
posing ot1iciA: corrtpt1on that it encounters,
not only the opposition Of the oftice-holders
and professional politicians with whom it in
terferes, but likewise the criticism of those
whom tho work is intended to benefit. The
gentlemen who have given their time and
ton have not escaped this penalty, and their
SUCCESSORS may not hope to escape it; but
we still trust that competent gentlemen will
volunteer to keep up the organization and
prosecute the good work for the benefit Of
the taxpayers of Chicago and Cook County.
The Association is the representative Of the
taxpayers. The work of watching the various
departments Of the City and County Govern
ments is too vast and widespread to be done
by any individual, and individuals viii not
undertake it. It is only through on organi-
zation of this kind TINT the taxpayers can
hope to exercise any supervision over the tax
enters The members Of such IN association
are naturally taxpayers themselves, and deep
ly interested in the honest and economical
administration of public affairs. They are
not office-holders, and ought not to bo (and
we believe have not been) ofdce-seekers.
Their interests and sympathies are identical
with those Of the tax-paying community, and
opposed to those who enter public life for
the sake of the plunder. They make mis-
takes,-as who does not,.-but they cannot
fail, with strict watchfu1ness and pure mo-
tives, to expose and defeat many projected
steal and job.
The Citizens Association of Chicago was
called into being by the July fire OF 1874 and
the subsequent withdrawal of the insurance
companies. It was admitted on all sides that
prompt and energetic work wns necessary to
protect Chicago from the frequent recurrence
of disastrous conflagrations and save it's COM
mercial prosperity SO seriously threatened by
these fires. This was the first work under
taken by the Association, and there is no
doubt but its influence has led to many nd
mirable reforms in this particular. The fire.
limits were made co-extenaive with the city
limits, the water-supply was rapidly increas-
ed, $500, 600 were judiciously expended for
new water-pipes Of proper dimensions, and
better discipline was introduced into the De-
.partment- There has been q wide difference
Of opinion concerning the suggestions and
usefulness Of Gen. ShA1ER; but it is proper
to remember TINT the Association paid him
his fee without calling upon the public treas
ury, aud it is probable that the discipline Of
the Fire Department is considerably improved
by reason Of his having come.
Afr. MAoVKAoH very frankly admits that the
Association mnda mistake in first recon-
mending to the people tho adoption Of the
General Law OF 1872. This was done under
the impression that amendments could bo
procured from the last Legislature which
would adapt this Inv to the requir ements OF
o large city hke Chicago. But opposition to
this was encountered in the Legislature be-
cause xuah amendments would necessarily ap-
talY to al the yi1laoea and tovna nr1nniyad