The Helena independent., 1894-05-27
rnE MIsnrLr or cIlIEs.

THE MIsRULE on CIIIEs.
The problem Of better city govern
ment is perfectly simple and entirely
practicable. Any city in this countr,
can have il right away. All that il
necessary is that the people of the city
the intelligent aud fairly reputable
people-should desire il more than they
desire money, or party success, or a com
Portable time; and should make up their
minds to have II, even though they may
have n little less money, and lose some
prestige for their party and put them
selves 10 some Inconvenience and dis
comfort That is the whole question in
nutshell. The reason why we have
bad government now in most OF our
cities, is simply because the governors
don't and won't govern. The people
with whom the responsibility rests shirl
IL; therefore it falls into the hands OF
those who are not fit for the duty.
The problem is Just as simple as that
OF individual integrity. Any man who
wants character more than he wants
riches, or ease or popularity or pleasure,
will have character; "They that hunger
and thirst after righteousness shall be
filed" And the people OF any city who
desire good government strongly and
continuously will get it. The fact that
they haven't got it proves that they do
not want it 30 much as they want Other
and greatly inferior things.
"But sthere are the great masses oI
ignorant foreigners, and the large classes
that get their living by pandering e
vice." will be said. "is it not these ele
ments which complicate the problem
and make good government impossi
ble?" No, l answer; there is not th,
chief cause. Doubtless these elementl
increase the difficulty; but the difficult,
which they raise is not insurmour table
At any rate We have no reason for think
ing 30. We have never seen the peopl,
fail in any serious and sustained elfor
10 govern themselves. We have no ex
perience 10 justify the belief that they
would fail il they should try. As to th,
people who get their living by vice, they
are really small, even an insignifcan
minority. They do not amount in am
city to one-tenth Of the voting popula
As TO the ignorant foreigners, they ar,
not, as a rule, evil disposed persons
they are apt to be misled; they requir
o great deal Of instruction and guidance
as rule we leave that work TO the pee
pie who are interested in binding an,
misleading them. and suffer the conse
quences. President Low had no diln
Guilty, when he was mayor OF Brooklyn
in winning the confidence and supper
OF the people OF some Of the worst ward
for some Of his wisest measures; he wen
down among them, hired hall ant
talked the matter out with them in
manly and rational way. Ia these YER,
wards his vote was considerably largel
at his second election than at his first
A great many Of these people are amen.
able TO good influence. Mr.. Merwin, il
that admirable article on Tammauy Hal
in the February Atlantic, tells us tina
"the rank aud file OF Tammany Hall, in
cluding most Of the oiuceholders, ar
sound honest men," They are unde
vicious leadership, but they are not IN
corrigibly bud.
1t is pretty hard TO draw the lin
which separates the good people" Of Tn
community from the rest My ow
opinion is that there 10 quite a numbe
Of pretty good people in tho tenement
Intelligent, conscientious, patrioti
uitizons. But let us take a wholly con
ventlonal standard Lot US includ
among tho good people Ire mercanti
aud the professional classcp, and all th
members OF our Protestant churches
most OF whom belong to the ono or tn
other OF these clusEoa. Now I say tina
the fault OF our bud city govsrnmon
lies al the doors OF these good people
there and nowhere else. say thes
people can have good government when
ever they want il and are willing 10 pa
for IL the price which such a preeiou
commodity will always command.
IL may bo said that those classes y
In q hopeless minority do not kuo,
about that. am rather inclined 10 be
iIoye with Mr.. Franklin McVeagb. tina
the good people ore in "hopelcss ma
jority." But without stopping 10 ooun
noses II is perfectly safe to say thacit tth
classes l have mentioned will put int
their municipal problem the element
u power which they possess and arc re
aponsible for welding, the munioipl
problem viii be quickly solyed. The
may not be in o numerical majority, bu
they have. In their Intelligence, exper
once and moral power an equipmen
which, II they would uso it, would ena
able them to be maslcrs Of tho situutior
II they would descend from their loft
perch and tAlso OF ttoir gloves, the
could control, TO largo extent, tho u,
tlon of the "lgnorant massea" This in