The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-02-12

y. NJ Alloru, preached on Municipal
Reform" to largo and Interested con.
grcgation. Tho address was Cloqucntly
delivered and made deep impression
on tho speakers hearers. Tho text
taken was from Ezekiel 1913: make 4
chain; for the land Ia iull Of bloody
crime, and tho city is full Of violence"
Mr.. Afford said:
'"Tho city is tho storm ContrC 0! our
civilization. That IL IL growing much
faatcr than tho whole population Of our
country Is very significant 1t Is u com.
mon saying in Europe, and acknowl.
cdgcd by tho best people here, that the
government OF large cities in America is
failure. City government in our
country has 80 dcgcnuratGd that il
might be called government by boss
or ring Herbert Spencer suys that
VIC have retained tho form OF freedom,
but have lost tho substance. That
the trainers OF our constitution never
dreamed that tho day would come when
10000 citizens would 20 to tho polls led
by n boss. Tho fundamental idea Of
popular government is the distribution
OF power. For ages tho struggle has
been 10 wrCst tho power from the few
and lodge 1t in the hands OF tho many.
But in our large cities the power 10 CEN
ttalIzing. 1t matters not what wG call
tho man who wicIds the power, whether
king, car, pope, president, capitalist. or
boss, his power is dangerous. Now
York has been ruled by political So
ciety for years. Those in control have
rapidly become millionaircs! Several
times the outraged people have risen
against it, and hurled Tweed
into prison, driven Connolly
to tho ends Of tho earth, and
reformed their city government,
but good men grow weary and declare
politics Il dirty business and these
evil forces Of vice and crime soon walk
the deck again, MS though nothing had
happened.
Some months ngo an Italian in New
York, seeking TO BIO nnturalised, told
tho judge that the President Of the
United States ia "Fanana IIalla'-a
most natural mistake in New York. All
tho pcsils OF our country, with the ex-
coption OF Mormonism. focalize in the
largo cities. Tho perils of immigra-
lion, Romaniam, intompcrance, wealth
-anu poverty, and socialism are greatly
augmented III the OvGrCrowded CITY.
The vast immigration which brings 10
our cities the very scnm aud poisonous
ot-scourinr OF the seething civ
il@nti0ns Of the Old World as paurers.
criminals, nCnostics. nihilists and an
archists together with the unblushing
corluption OF our municipal govern
ment, is now agltatlnS the best element
oil society. We cannot expect that loaf
ers, swindlers, whisky-drinkcrs and
public thieves should mako or execute
Just laws! What We need to-day above
all other things is municipal reform.
The frat thing toward accomplishing
this needed reform is to
DIVORCE MUNICIPAL AND PARTY POLITICS.
There is not city in America in
which the respectable and intelligent
citizens are not in an overwhelming
majority. Our corrupt city governments
arc duo 10 the fact that these bottor
c!0sses OF citizens refuse to take control
oil their own Affairs. They divide them
selves in two party factions, which gives
the politicians, who get their living
out oil bad municipal government,
their point OF vantage thcy
have their cnemy-tho good people
surely and permanently divided. With
this great advantage these dcmagogues
are certain OF success. Wha, has ma
tional politics to do with CITY govern
ment? What has tariff or free trade to
do with munich pal affairs? Ii We could
once break down the foolish superali-
ton that national politics has some
thing to do with city affairs, it would
DO very easy to unto all citizens who
want clean streets. good water, pure air,
good drainage, etc, in municipal
party which would be strong enough to
insure good government. Why should
not the business men OF the citv, irro-
spective OF their political or religious
opinions. form n municipal party for
the simple purpose OF clcCting COM
petent municipal officers, and Keeping
them in office SO long rs thoy do their
work well? Tho more completely city
business can be divorced from national
politics the better will it be for us all.
THE present agitation of this most
needed reform is along this limo of di.
vorcing municipal government and ma.
tIonal politics. The City Club Of New
York and the Municipal Reform League
OF Philadelphia arc composed OF men
who are DESTROYS OF better city govern
ment, These organizations require their
mombcrs to leave national politics ont
OF the problem and also to enroll them
selves as members OF n permanent or
ganizauon, paying small annual dues for
its support and the prosecution OF its re-
lorm work. Thcsetwo organizations held
pubic conference on Municipal reform
in Philadelphia, January Is and %. and
practical questions on city reform wero
discussed. These young men oil Phila.
delphia and New York ought 10 find
imitators in all our largo cities.
Glasgow, tho second city OF Great
Britain, has the model city government
OF tho world. and this is largely due to
tho complete separation of national
politics and city government. We will
mover have pure city government until
we completely and permanently divorce
from them all vestige Of national poll.
tics.
To accomplish city reform We should
also
EDUCATE THE PEOPLE.
"Most people are not in the least
acquainted with city government.
They are completely ignorant OF
how it is conducted, and tho wors.
part about it is that they are per.
fecIly indifferent on the subject. It has