The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-03-16
A Word With The People.


of township officers will have taken
place throughout the county. Al
though the elections may not be of
interest to people generally, yet to
those residing in the county, and
those who have interests here, the
securing of intelligent, honest and
reliable officials is of moro import
anco than general elections, in q
direct sense. 1t is folly to suppose
that our county can prosper and
develop without careful and judi
cious management Of its affairs.
The same may be said Of townships.
If the affairs Of a township are
managed in n reckless, unlawful
manner, bankruptcy and ruin will
inevitably be the result. One great
source of evil in our county to-day
is the mis-apprOpriation OF funds
raised by the taxpayers. Too
little attention is paid in many in
stances, to the intent and meaning
of the law. There are cases where
the township treasures are kept
almost constantly drained; the
school districts are without means
with which to pay teachers and in
cidental expenses, and there is a
general feeling of dissatisfaction
with town affairs. Where does the
fault appear? Who is responsible
for such a state of affairs? Is it
the people, or is it their officers?
1t is plain to our mind that the on
ly remedy for such cases rests in
the hands of the people. They are
alone responsible for the election
| of unfit men to office. There must
be looking to the ability and
honesty of candidates, rather than
their political standing, their wealth
or poverty, or their ability and
willingness to do you favor in re-
turn for votes and influence. Sc
lcct the best men available in your
townships. Put strict rein on all
unfaithfulness, dishonesty and eva
sion of the plain meaning of law,
or those evils will put an cfectual
check rein on your prosperity as a
people. If you have men who arc
evidently too shiftless or incapable
of managing their own private bus
mess affairs, or, who evidently have
no business of their own to attend
to, remember they arc unsafe men
to fill official positions. The rea-
soning is plain. If they cannot
work for themselves, then there is
not the least guarantee that they
will work for the people. On the
other hand, all evidence goes to
show that they will feel even less
interest in public affairs than they
do in their own. The very fact
that such men accept official posi-
tons, where there is lcgitimately
much trouble and work for little
pay, is of itself strong ground for
suspicion of bad intentions.
Every citizen has duty to per-
form in regard to this matter. He
does not need to be politician"
in order to work for tho preserva-
ton of and promoting the wcll-be.
ing of the community in which he
lives. Will we see the people act
ing heartily in unison to secure
good intelligent officials through
out, or, will We sec them utterly
Indifferent to these important mat
tiers; allowing the caucuses ant
elections to be controlled by those
who are seeking for Office, and ther
tamely submitting to period o
misrule and corruption, or, what il
worse still, complaining of the cvi
without so much as taking one stel
towards preventing or remcdyint
the wrong which is being commit
ted against good society and TIT
law. Never will there be an unin
terruptcd course of law and order
until people learn we'll the lessor
of encouraging honesty and abilit.
by placing good men in power ant
forcing those of evil tendencies t.
to keep out of positions they onl.
intend to make use of in furtherin,
selfish aims.
STILL the talk goes on, of fresl