The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-11

The first regular meeting Of the Current
Topics Club held in the basement OF 81
Marks church last night was attended
with a degree of enthusiasm beyond tnas
connected with any similar ofganizataoh
In the recent history OF Seattle More
than forty men were present, and OF these
nearly one-han took an active part IN
the discussion. The chief feature OF the
evening was a paper by Rev. J. p d.
LIwyd. on THE Ideal City" He named
three essentials Of good government-viz:
Officers who are experts in their depart
ments. officers who are men or integrity
and honor and an organization winch
can be run with the slightest friction ano
the least corruption He addressed him.
self especially to the latter, maintaining
by way of preliminary that in most In
stances the founders of cities had no con-
ception of their future growth. He also
emphasized the indifference Of intelligent
citizens and the existence of class of ig-
norant foreign voters. He asserted that
the national parties are in control Tor
Doodle only.
In the ideal city. he said, there must
be, first Of all. Capitalization of RESPONSE
biiity. Bipartisan boards will not do. The
only strong and safe plan Is that whicn
lodges the sole responsibility in single
executive head, giving him power TO APP
ments, the mayor standing in the place
of president and the heads OF departments
being his cabinet.
He boldly and strongly advocated the
municipal ownership of the water. gas,
electric and street railway plants, citing
various cities. such as Berlin and To-
ronto, where the NATURALIZATION OF such
interests had been tried with satisfactory
results. He thought the possibility of
ton I'D n Itch in hsa ma
ment of these interests could be averted
by the plan OF centralized responsibility
and the introduction of civil service into
every municipal department, His paper
concluded with these stirring words:
Behind this reformed municipality.
however, and most important Of all, is the
need of a sensitive and determined civic
conscience. a body of citizens too broad to
allow personal or party interests 10 domi-
nate their minds In the consideration of
municipal problems; sincere in their search
for truth about city conditions: infexihle
in their determination that righteousness
shall come in city life to terminate the
reign of sharks. pirates and hypocrites
who now prey upon the peoples money:
citizens who will give more than thought
or good advice. who will give hard work
and personal service for the amendment Of
civic wrongs and biunders. The time cries
out for men. II demands the knights of
the new crusade; and none of US can wise
~ initiate the example of Plate. who
washed his hands clear from the guilt of
innocent blood. but forgot that he could
never wash his SOUL
Among the gentlemen taking promi-
nent part In the discussion which followed
were Messrs. Howard. Charles Prosch.
Charles E. Shepard. Parkinson. James
kiefer. Frank Pierce. l.. Gilbert, Percy
Levin c.. b. Hills Blake, Anderson and
Fred Rice Rowell On motion of Robert
Wright a unanimous vote of thanks was
rendered Mr.. Llwyd for his able and inter-
esting paper.
The topic for discussion on the evening
of November q viii be rs Cuba Capable
of Self-Government?'
Mr.. Llwyd received many congratula-
tons on the suspicious inauguration Of the
clubs work for which he Is planning still
better things.
Winfield r. Smith is president of the
club. and Fred Rice Rowell is secretary.
Nine tickets TO the rich gold fields are
being given away by the Post-fntelli-
gencer. which allows you TO earn grub
stake at the same time. Are you in the
race? If not. send TO the manager today
for blanks.