The Irish standard., 1897-03-20
DISGRACE Of DEMOCRACY,
Father Cleary's Able Paper on
Municipal Government
Generally.
He Points Out its GIaring Defects
in q Most Striking
Tanner.
Suggests Reforms that Might be
Accomplished With
Effort.

Effort.
The following able paper, from the pm
Of Father Cleary, of St. Charles church.
this city, is taken from a late humber Of
"Kennedy's:
! No national disgrace is raore gener-
ally deplored by the American peopie
than the failure OF municipal govern
ment. 10 no public question are the
people more anxiously turned than 10
the question Of municipal reform. We
seem to feel most keenly the humiliation
that confronts us in the mockery that is
made OF our rights in the inimltable
farce of pretended enforcement OF law
IN nearly all our large cities. During tho
past decade no problems have been so
earnestly discussed, no vexing ques-
| tions have been SO seriously considered
by honest, unselfish and generous men,
as the questions of municipal reform.
Candor compels us to confess, however,
that but little progress has been made
to a better condition of things Law
! lessness in our cities is still the rule,
and law enforcement the exception. Our
cities, as a rule, are protected by admir-
able legal provisions for their good gov
ernment. Our city officials are required
by law to furnish certain bonds as sure
ties to the people that they will perform
the duties assigned them by the vote OF
the people. They call God and men TO
witness, in their solemn oaths Of office,
tha. they will honestly and faithfully
perform the duties Of tha office to which
they are elected, and enforce the laws
and ordinances OF the city.
Nevertheless, these safeguards; seem to
be worthless and offer no security what
ever to the people that their servants
will be true to their loaths, o. bound by
their surety bonds. The answer given
by city officials to this disgraceiul state
of affairs is that the people will rot sus-
tain or reward the city official who does
his whole duty, and that fidelity to his
oath Of Office on the part OF the public
servant Of the people presages his polit-
ical death.
Indifference to the proper government
Of the city in which he lives, and to
whose support he generously contributes,
is the prevailing defect of the respectable
citizen. He manifests bit little interest
in the good government Of his city until
after he has been aroused frorn his leth-
argy by repeated violations OF funda-
mental and most necessary municipal
regulations. The caucus Is king in our
tends the caucus. He casts his vote on
election day, but his choice OF candi~
dates has been made for him at the prj-
maries. The radical cause OF the gem
eral disregard Of the peoples rights, and
of contempt for popular Indignation
against municipal misrule, must be
traced to our methods OF selecting candi-
dates for positions Of public trust. Tho
successful candidate very naturally man
ifests his gratitude toward the Influences
that have made his election pGssible, and
believes, frequently with good refasorl
that he can afford to- ignore the infiu-
ence OF the protests Of those to wi,om nc
is In no way indebted fer his political
prominence. The most undesirable ele-
ment OF the city's population has given
him power. He will, therefore, admin-
lister the affairs OF the city in such man
ner as to win the approval OF the claas
that has made him what he ia. This js
what Ia commonly understood as ''prtc'
tical politics"
Just so long as the heayiest taxpayers.
the most active men in the life OF Il ci.y.
resign the control Of the city to the jrre'
sponsible, non-taxpaying class, to class
that has nothing 70 lose by municipal ex-
travagance, but everything TO gain, just
so long will our cities be afflicted with
reckless extravaganza iii the expenditure
Of public funds. In the same sense, just
80 long az the law abiding element per-
mits the class that has everything to
gain and nothing TO loee by the failure
of law enforcement, Just so long will the
laws be defied.
Large corporations that contribute Y
much in taxation for the support of city \
government are often the greatest GRIM
inals In their successful efforts at man
aging municipal politics for their own III
selfish and unworthy ends. Individual lSSs M
members Of corporations, who would a HI
scorn any attempt ut municipal e corruY,sss
~, oc ina;u3duolc nvnnrien nre& laaSs 1idasAs
3q,,:.lins Of eaence o7er the met me:lt
us ,,se4 By the to