The San Francisco call., 1896-10-12
Says Something More Is Needed
Than Regular Habits and
Church Membership.
MUST VOTE Gun cIENTIOU5LY.
Dec ares That High 7 xes Are Dug
to Citiz rs Failing 10 Perform
Their Full DuY.

The Good Citizenship meeting at Metro
politan Temple yesterday afternoon was
not the success the management antici-
pated. DR.. Derrick, who was down on the
programme as the Oakland Orator." was
to have discoursed on Good Citizenship"
but failed to put in an appearance. 1t was
given out that he had been called to the
bedside of sick friend.
This was not the only discouraging fea-
ture of the day, however. The pro-
gram failed to arrive on time, and the
audience was equally slow in putting in an
appearance. This was probably advan-
tageous to the management, for it had
agents at the head of the stairs soliciting
every voter to sign the application OF the
Independent candidates who are now
seeking to have their names placed on the
re ular ticket.
In spite of these drawbacks, however,
the meeting was lar from being failure.
There were songs and recitations, and
speech by Chairman Outflow. He, too,
| selected the subject of "Good Citizenship"
but his remarks were directed largely to
the political issues of the day. Among
other things be said:
I have but one lamp by which my feet are
! guided, and that is the lamp of experience
and. judging the future by the past, what has
been our experience gained from the want OF
| good cit zenship?
| There seems to be q very vague idea OF What
| constitutes good citizen.
| 1t is generally supposed that man is good
| citizen who attends to his business, has regu-
lar habits, is industrious, frugal, temperate,
saving, and who goes to church regularly, is q
! kind and good husband and father.
| At first glance hardly any one would hesi-
tate TO say surely one with all these virtues
must be a good citizen; but will risk II to
say yes. be is good man, but will deny that
he is good citizen.
| man to be good citizen should have all
The good qualities heretofore enumerated, but
he must also do something Tor the community
| the county and State that secure to him the
privileges ne enjoys and enable him 10 enjoy
| the protection OF coed government and
thereby the fruits of his many virtues.
What lie should do Tor himself, his family,
| his business, his neighbor and the community
| is TO acquaint himself with the politics of his
| country. The whole American fabric OF self
| government depends upon the intelligence of
It's people, and how can a man-an Ameri-
| can-know where the immense drainage upon
his resources, made in the shape of excessive
taxation, comes from If he does not acquaint
| deus?
| The primary cause of the excessive taxes of
the City and County of San Francisco, for iu-
| stance, is neglect of the so-calied good citi-
zen TO attend TO his duties as citizen.
l. What does he do when 1t comes to trusting
| the management of the affairs of the City or
| the State into the hand of the office-seeker, or
| better named, tax eater? Does he try TO in
! form himself of the qualifications, the honesty
and capability OF the man who asks him to
| trust him with eXpending of moneys de-
rived from taxation? No, he votes for him
because he is Democrat. Republican or
what not What should he do TO perform his
duty good citizen? He should take an
active part in primary politics.