The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-12
PINGREE ON CIVIC REFORM
fHE GOVERNOR TALKS TO II
NINETEENTH CLUB.

He Naiveiy Conrca-es That He Ia . Compare
tive TyrO In the Field OF Municipal Prog
ress Then He Tells His Hearers what
No Has Done for tho City or Detroit.
Tho Hon. Potato Pingrec, Governor OF Michi-
gan, talked about The Results OF Ten Years OF
Municipal Progress" before the Nineteenth
Century Club at Sherry's last night. Notwith-
standing the bad weather, q very large proper
ton OF the clubs members was on hand to hear
the Michigan Governor. Some Of those present
had doubtless gone as much TO see as to hear the
Governor. for Detroit's former Mayor has been
talked about and written about n great doalsinco
he became q public man. Many pen pictures have
given q somewhat erroneous impression OF him.
Last night Gov. Pingreo looked like q finished
product OF the civilization of the efete East.
His dress suit fitted well, his trousers were caro-
fully creased, and his linen was laundered with
the dull finish. instead of tho objectionable
gloss. His gloves and patentleathcr shoes wero
correct in every particular. Whom he had been
presented to the club by Mr.. Taylor. tho clubs
President, Gov. PinRree said:
I'll am ashamed to say II, but It was not until
ZEN years ego that l took any especial interest
In municipal affairs. I was a business man and
! counted myself q GOOD citizen. 1 was like
thousands Of other mon In every municipality
who take no active interest in municipal affairs
and who are considered as composing the better
element Of society. I belonged to that great
army who find fault with things that are and do
nothing to remedy them: who growl at the can
didates nominated and yet refuse to attend tho
caucuses. I would favor a law that would de-
prive Of the ballot on election day those who will
not attend the primaries.
"Before 1 was elected Mayor of Detroit there
wasn't much in the city to be proud OF. Few
ef the streets were paved, and most of them
were cut up by car lines whose management
gave the poorest service possible. The cars
were drawn by horses, and five cents, without
transfer, was what everybody had to pay who
rode on them. In any direction that you might
drive out of tho city you had to pay
toll to the old turnpike companies. Tho city
was supposed to be lighted with gas-there
were no electric lights; but tho lighting was so
streets you had to carry a lantern. Yet the city
paid exorbitant rates to the gas companies for
Wretched sanitary state than il it had no sewers.
Imay be pardoned II i I take some some pride y when mn l
rememb Dor that most of the corrections were made
g Sh BE- ons So Of t MSsy most Tie 5sa slsE IL IN RoT the so Gniasd
ststes. The 6ribiPs Of public officials ais has, in a
erS'i properly @erspf paved essn The Fhbepp Sar lin nss are sTeeG no
longer run Tor the sole benefit Of the
s snn he tns ; Of the &c companies n. nsS,,, They TS. are as
and sell six tickets for a quarter. A new COM
three.cent fare for the benefit Of tho tailoring
IN the day. Tho turnpike tolls have been abol-
tshed. tho telegraph and telephone wires have
S sitR sHs aqats SF Where e S%s Ias Sa.s are Is u iasdpttsse the
light 10 good and the people are not robbed to
'aDuring my experience in municipal govern.
ment / have learned 4 few things. One of them
q that good municipal government is an impos;
money: Another thing i have learned Is
E trust when the Pfs cand s epp sGg r SSPSsE
able men in the business Of buying
SSn nSsl afun Sf se tas ma.s Lest II faith Certain IN 'e ei1c iss.' in
eome of your own clubs. the talk is that repub-
Ice are e failure and that a monarchy like
Ny friends. / have Always noticed that those
VIII do not trust the people are those who are
trying to 90 something which IL against the In
my experiences. has been that those who
prayers. and arc engaged in t5ribins Aidsrnsan
Or In getting up stock;jobbins schemes to de-
dangerous members Of society. Even now the
citizens Of Detroit dare hardly &c. to sleep at
S erfbs t fSs A tHsE snat a ssm extend OF ih tho e'd st ssas rail- wili
road franchises thirty years; ,.. ,uou...,.,
taking office that the railroads. were paying less
than their share Of taxes. SAID 50 and the
covered that the gas companies were charging
exorbitant rates. said so and the owners OF
the stock turned their hacks upon me: found
banks specializing with the city funds. I
denounced the practice and the bankers de-
nounced me as an unsafe man. / attacked the
old turnpike roads and their owners called me an
Anarchist. In short, I found that every time l
attempted to correct an abuse l lost a largo and
influential class of supporters.
ITO New Workers much of what I have said
may be unpleasant. But you have asked me to
address you and must speak my mind. There
can never DO any real municipal progress in ten
years or in ten centuries until the so-caIled best
citizens reform themselves, and in so doing re-
form the cities in which they live"
During the time that Gov. PinRree was speak
ing the audience sometimes laughed heartily,
sometimes 1t merely smiled. At no time was 1t
enthusiastic. When he finished speaking the
applause was generous.