The record-union., 1897-08-18
THE PHILOSOPHY OF MUNICIPAL
CLEANLINESS.

The spasm that has just been mani
fest in official quarters in Sacramento
regarding the clearing away of weeds
and rank growth along cutters and
walk ways, is to be commended, with
the hope that it will be continuous
quake and ceaseless expenditure of Of
fetal energy.
Communities need to be stirred to
such duty doing, or they sink into the
content of familiarity with untidiness
precisely as do individuals who be-
come negligent of their attire in the
absence of the prodding of pride and
the contrasts of tidiness and cleanli-
ness.
Some one has said that the insect
pests of climes that encourage lassi-
tude. ease and laziness, serve a highly
useful end, by inducing activity among
men necessary to the preservation of
vital energy. In the official spasm,
therefore, of the present we see greater
good than at first appears. The citi-
zen who is compelled by threat of pun
ishment to clean up along the line of
his premises, is to some degree in
fuenced by the result to continue in
such well doing; he is in some degree
made more susceptible to the refining
magnetism of the environment of
cleanliness.
If, now, the municipal prod was con-
stantly applied, or steadily held IN
threat Of application, we would pres
emily find local pride operating in the
majority of cases to the extent that no
official prompting to tidiness would be
necessary. For instance. let us sup
pose that determined resolution were
manifest to keep a given street scru-
pulously clean along all it's border
lines; let us suppose this resolution to
be backed coercively by official COM
pulsion, and that such a street for an
entire year was inapproachable in con-
dition, so far as duty imposes activity
upon those residing along it is concern
ed; is it not probable that the example
would be contagious and that other
street lines would be voluntarily tidied
and kept so?
Thus official persistence in enforcing
the law would soon cease to be neces-
sary, and the people as a rule would
act without suggestion or compulsion.
Let US fancy that an order went
forth with such emphasis and intent
as to enforcement as to impress the
people with the sincerity of the decree,
that cutters must be kept free of litter
and trash: that streets should not be
made dumping places for rubbish; that
those who so misuse the city highways
would surely be punished, and that in
consequence there was general quick
ened activity in the direction of clean
liness. would not the result operate
to make the reform permanent by NOR
al Infection? Would not each house
holder presently be watchful that his
frontage was not misused. and would
not the outcome be enkindled pride and
lively care-taking, until Sacramento
would become noted for the tidy ap-
pearance Of its streets?
We tAlhh So 1SIlCSs Hnlle we are
glad that the official spasm is on, our
prayer is that it may become chronic.
And III this expression we are conf
dent that we reflect the desires and
tastes of thousands of our people.
Were it not so. to say what the Rec
ord-UnFon" has, would insult intelli-
gence and offend the common instinct
to De clean.
What we need in Sacramento mors
than anything else in this direction is
official virility. not Historically and
spasmodioally manifest, but constantly
and firmly asserted. Let not our mu-
nicipal officers fear disfavor On the
contrary. the people viii far more
respect them if they continue in well
doing. They will lind that even those
whom they find it necessary to disci-
pline will more esteem them. and that
instead of inviting curses. they viii
presently be receiving the blessings of
the people. who after all prefer clean
and ever tidy city, and who permit it
20 become dowdy simply because the