New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-13
HOw TO GET BETTER GOTERNuENT.

In Mr.. Cooks address at Woodstock, after
some speculation as to the increase of popula-
ton in this country, he dwclt ut some length
upon the melancholy prospect for our cities,
doubted the possibility of maintaining the pub
lie welfare in such cities by sclf-government,
and urged that the Church alone could grapplc
with this ugly problem. Mr. Cooks statistical
estimates hardly rest on solid foundation. The
fact that the United States has increased at a
certain ratio TINS far the ratio having been
greatly accelerated by large immigration,
affords little evidence that the increase in
future will be in the same ratio. Ii is quite
possible that changes here may tend to rcpel
immigration, that changes in Europe may tend
to prevent emigration, or that changes else
where may turn the human tide to regions not
now favored by those who seek new homes.
Still less can it be said with confidence that the
growth of civic as distinguished from rural
population will continue as rapid rs it has been
of late. In fact, there are already influences Mt
work which tend strongly TO arrest the growth
of great cities in this country, and il is easy to
imagine that recent developments in science
and the arts may tend powerfully in that direc-
ton.
No intelligent man will question that the in
iiucGcc of the churches in promoting good gov
eminent has been great. But it is a melancholy
fact that sincere religious feeling does not
always enable good men to agree as to their
duty. Now good government is practical re-
suit which can only be attained by the practical
agreement of good men. To-day considerable
proportion Of the sincere and devoted Chris
tianS may be found in either political party and
50 it has been ever since eminent dvlncS
preached cloquently in justification of slavery.
There is now, and has been for thirty years u
very wide difference between The political!
parties a. respects their moral tendencies. Yet
sincerity Of Christian feeling has not enabled all
good men 10 concentrate their influence and
their votes in favor Of the party which offers
wcll-groundcd hope of better government ~
result of its success. More than once We have
seen victory secured for the party which
everywhere Io.ists the cause of Temperance, not
by accident or in ignorance, but by the de
libcrlc action of most sincere and pous men.
who insisted upon throwing away their votes on
impossible candidates We have an illu,tra-
ton to-day. The choice i, necessarily between
the Republican and the Democratic parties.
The Democratic party has prrprlratcd and con
tinucs 10 pcrpctratc wrong n the South, in our
great cities and in Congress, which ought To de
priyc it of the confidence or support of all good
men, and its tcndcncic, are distinctly worse
than those of any Other party in orr history.
Yet we gee men of high character who say they
will not vote for the Republican ticket, and are
doing all they can to bring the Democratic
party into power II must be- confessed that. in
view Of such phenomena those who rely upon
the churches as a means of securing good gov
ernmcnt must sometimes feel discouraged
The force that has been most potent in recent
efforts 10 reform the government of cities Is the
sclf-intcrcst of property When they
find, as they have in more than one instance,
that corrupt city government not only la>tcns
heavy burdens upon them. but drives popula-
ton to seek places of residence outside the city
limits, there is the strongest motive to combine
for municipal reform. And, as means of loco
motion become more pcrtcc', 50 that citizens
can find homes at distance from city, and
can go to it Only during working hours as one
goes to n workshop, local migovcrnmcnt has
greater power to drive people out Of the cities
Another important change is the establish |
ment of great manufacturing works outside of |
the cities, where the workers rs well as the |
managers can find plenty of land and cheap |
living. Modern inventions have wonderfully |
facilitated this change and it would not be |
strange if, in the near future, it should exert a
most important influence over the growth of |
cities.
Meanwhile, the men who give real help are
not the idcali>t,, Who propose to let the Devil |
have his own way until they can bring to pass |
millennium The world is made better, not by !
these, but by the rational and practical people,
who cOnscicntiousy strive at all times to secure
the best results that are attainablc, and vote
for the party which is, on the whole, the better
of the two. There are more Of these people,
possibly, than Mr. Cook realizes
LORD ROSEBERI7S WARNING.