The Indianapolis journal., 1898-12-01

is the lack of the conserva tive and restrain-
ing force which exists in society where men
largely own their own homes. The major-
ity now in our cities have little or nothing
at stake. and hence lack this motive to in
terest themselves In civic matters. And IL
is well to keep ever in mind that the ten
dency TO live In the great cities where these
perils are the greatest is probably to con-
In answering the question. What are the
things to be done TO help complete this final
work OF the purifying of our municipal gov
ernment?' Mr. Capen said: Teach every
where, in the home and in the school, and
from the pulpit and the platform and the
press, that citizenship in republic is a sa-
cred trust. With the proper conception OF
citizenship as trust we shall speedily rec
ognize the duties incumbent upon US = ul-
hlhng this trust. We snail ask ourselves
constantly. What IS best for the community
as whole? Such a conception of our duty
will lead US to an intelligent interest in all
public matters We wifi not confine our
thought 10 just a few things which affect
US, but will broaden our horizon to include
every phase of municipal life and activity.
1t VIII lead our young men to self-sacrifce
for the community. The sad neglect which
we see now. especially among those who
could give leisure, viii be gone Too many
stand off and talk about dirty politics.
Sacrltce and patriotism call upon US to
take hold and make them cleaner. This
spirit OF sacrifice must lead man to the
caucus. 1t may be very distasteful TO him,
but it is treason almost to the state to fail
here. The primary, it need hardly be said.
Is more important than the election, for IL
good men are not nominated at the caucus
for on election morning. The caucus is the
place of greatest power, and 1t is possible
for every man to make his influence felt
Tor good here, And 1t is no excuse to say
that the caucuses are cut and dried by the
selfish. What is to prevent the unseltsh
from cutting and drying something too?
If the selfish men have got together a
bad list, what is TO prevent others from get
ting out good one? If they are Using ev-
cry effort to get men out to vote their
ticket is there any law TO prevent US doing
the same? 1t is worth all the sacrifice, for
government in America is shaped in the
caucus.
WHAT CITIZENSHIP is.
"A proper conception of citizenship as a
sacred trust will lead us straight to the
ballot box. This is not privilege. it is a
trust The neglect of this duty by vast
numbers of our citizens is fraught with the
most serious peril. There would not be so
much fear Of the vicious and the ignorant
who are comparatively few, If only those
who want things that are best were not so
Indifferent and careless. The sacrament OF
our political liberty is the casting of our
ballot. 1t is religious as we'll as a secular
duty. This spirit of the higher citizenship
will lead us all straight into what may be
called politics. Young men are continually
warned to keep out of them because they
are dirty, | bid you go in Just for that
reason and help clean them. The religious
classes have too largely given over to the
devil and his intimate followers public con-
CCAl w uHe we SlIlS lHS OWScL Bye ana
Bye the devil sings and works along the
nasty now and now
1T is no answer to speak of the compara-
tive purity of our national and state gov
ernments. That is not the point of peril.
1t is the municipal units which make up
the State and Nation, which are full of
corruption, and which will, if unchecked,
undermine and ruin our country. 1t is no
answer that We are busy and have other
interests, and that others can better do
this service Responsibility cannot thus be
shifted. The duty is a personal one for all.
In order to make our influence most fully
felt, the forces for good must organize
against the forces of evil. Bad men care
nothing about resolutions fired at them.
What they dread, and all they dread is
votes. We have influence only as we thus
strike together where they feel it. And
these organizations must include citizens OF
every race, and creed, and party, who wish
to preserve the purity of the state for them
selves and their children. And it is in these
organizations all over the country, in al
most every city of considerable size, under
the name of municipal leagues, which is the
hope of the Nation 1t is this movement,
open alike to Protestant, and Catholic, and
Hebrew, which should have our hearty and
personal support"
w. d. FOULKES REMARKS.
William Dudley Foulke, of Richmond dis
cussed at length provisions of the model
city charter reported by the committee at
the afternoon meeting, first speaking of the
spirit of reform that is abroad in this State.
I'VE have been suffering from abuses in
county and township government" said he.
Contracts for courthouses, jails and bridges
have nearly always been extravagant,
sometimes unnecessary and often corrupt.
1t is believed that reform is necessary from
the ground up, and a commission is now at
work. This meeting will come as a stimu-
liant to US and will be great aid by giving
US inspiration. The Indanapolitan has
charter of which he is proud and he thinks
he can give you points in the formation
or a system of government. If NOT in OprfacE
administration! Indianapolis has not been
cursed with some of the evils that obtain
In the great cities; it has not yet been
cursed with the yellow newspaper. It's pa
pers are cle1n and honest, and / believe the
editors in the main believe what they write
for their editorial columns" Laughter)
This absence of yellow journalism, Mr..
Foulke suggested, reflected the spirit of the
people. If there We're a demand for the
yellow journal it would appear. Hence he
believed the heart Of the city life was sound,
that the city wanted to do the best, TO be
dominated by that which is good. But the
trouble is to tell how to be good, how to
create public virtue Not long since a man
had told him he believed temptation was
good thing to develop character. Whether
this was true depended on the relative
strength OF the temptation and the ability
to resist it,
ship trustee is enhanced If you allow him,
first, to make the tax levy; second, coli
lect the money and, third disburse it, es-
pecially on the eve of an election in which
said Mr.. Foulke
In discussing the character of machinery
that should constitute a model city charter
he touched briefly on the ided of city gov
ernment in its political bearing. He took
issues with the idea that municipal govern
ment is nothing more than q. business propo-
Sition. He thought 1t approached state and
national Importance in its political aspects.
For instance there might be a city expan-
SioniSt, one who believed in the annexation
of nearby townships buy gas plants or
things of that sort. At the same time he
would argue that city political questions
should be kept separate from all others.
IN CHOOSING A MAYOR.
1t does not seem to be logical basis of
city politics, the speaker declared, to choose
man for mayor because he believes in the
annexation of the Philippines or to take into
consideration his ideas concerning a pro-
tective tariff rather than his knowledge of
building sewer. Mr.. Foulke agreed with
the committee that drafted the model char
ter when it proposed to keep the duties Of
the executive branches of the government
separate from the legislative, and when it
proposed that the people should vote for the
chief executive, leaving the subordinate
positions to be filled by appointment. He
commended this idea as locating responsible
ity. Legislation should be left to the coun-
Gil and administration as far as possible to
idea OF one legislative body was wise one,
even If II were at variance with the national
form of government. The modern tendency
is to concentrate legislative functions in one
body Likewise he commended the idea OF
having the council selected by a vote of the
the latter plan is defective. Men
elected by the entire body of the