San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-01-03
CONTRIBUTED SCRAPS.
For The Sunday Light.

The beginning of a new year is
made the occasion for good reSOlu-
| Demonstrations of reform and
| amendment.
Few of these resolutions to leave off
| bad habits and TO cultivate good hab-
| its. are kept. The will power of the
parties proves weak when the critical
moment comes.
But it does no harm to make these
good resolutions. The making of them
proves, that men are conscious of the
| debasing effects of their vices, and
aspire TO lead better lives-that they
are ashamed of the vices to which
| they are addicted. Such feeling ev-
en- though it be fieeting, can do no one
| harm.
There are men who adopt every fad
and adore every new theory. They
are emotional and enthusiastic and
fond Of novelty, but deficient in judg-
| ment
This class of men figure largely in
religion and politics by exploiting all
new theories and fads, but they soon
lose their influence and fall into the
rear with a notion that they have been
ill-used and sighted.
The most marked characteristic of
the population of San Antonio seems
to be an inability to act with unity
of purpose on any subject. The uni
ficatiOn of sentiment on any matter,
even of a purely local character, APP
pears to be impossible in San AntO-
| MO.
This want of unity and sentiment
and action has been great hindrance
to the progress and prosperity of San
Antonio. and, therefore, every effort
should be made by each individual
citizen to sacrifice some of his pet no.
tons in order to secure unity of pur-
| pose and concert of action where the
objective point is the improvement of
| the trade and business of San Anto-
Mo.
No citizen should pull back, when
there is scheme on foot to help his
city. 1t is a crOsS-grained and per-
verified ambition, that prompts men to
oppose all enterprises intended to in
crease the population and waltz of
their city.
We have the authority of Holy Writ.
for the saying, that a house divided
| dihSl llSNlI Sldllu. anu IlllS
truth should persuade all our citizens
to strain every nerve to secure unity
of purpose and concert of action
among our population on all local en-
teTpriseS.
Don't cultivate the habit of pulling
back-Of raising captiOus objections
of hunting for mares nests and of
playing the part of marplOts and stop
gaps, where the welfare of your city
is involved.
If you cannot cordially approve of a
local SCHEME, that is free from pOlit-
ical considerations, just keep your
objections TO yourself and give it a
fair chance,a patriotic citizens should
do.
COntrarineSs and dissent can be cul-
tivated and INDUCED in until they
grow into a habit, a second nature"
Such appears to be the case with
some of our citizens, judging from
their uniform opposition to enterpris-
es intended to build up San Antonio.
Disagree to your hearts content
about religious, political, scientific,
literary and social questions, but when
the welfare of San Antonio is the OBJ
ject in view, put your shoulder to the
wheel and push with all your might.
"Short Stops was perfectly correct
in saying in the Light Of December
Both, that there was no necessity anC
occasion for new charter fer Sar
Antonio. and that the city was al
ready clothed with ample power t.
insure good government and to main
tain good order.
We have an abundance of laws, blu
we require a better enforcement o
| them. This is what ais the city
t the imperfect and spasmodic enforce
/ | ment of the ordinances. There !
, | ample law for the collection of cit.
, taxes. but just look at the delinquen
tax list, mad you would conclude n
, law existed for enforcing the paymen
/ of taxes.
r There seems to be a mania wit
some men for new city charters
> whenever the city gets into rough wa
/ ter. The present city charter is am
pie. and it is not to blame for tn
t blunders Of the present administra
] ton.
{ 1t has been bruited about that tn
prime object for seeking to obtain
: new charter, at this time, is to get AT
/ thority to issue more bonds than
permitted under the present charter.
The taxpayers had better wake n
from their nap and enter a protes
| against this bond issuing business