The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-08
AS Others s =e Us.

We have received from a gcnIlenqn
newly acwFred in this city. having come
10 Scran9c! with a view to making 1t
his permanent home, letter contain
ing some fhGughts worthy OF public
rrcsentatinn. The. writer had absc-
mtely no axe tu grind and. as will he
seen. is ilnnc"sonGl, consequently from
mis- letter we may learn how Scranton
Looks to a stranger. With this intro
duction We let our correspondent eN-
press himself:
Coming here. ms I do, an entire
stranger to SCrant on, and with the III
tertion of becoming one of YOU, | have
naturally ,ndeayUed 10 TAX" in the
various situations and particularly IN"
pohtiCal complexion Of the city. | shall
he proud indeed in very many respects
to become a citi2en of this tiourishing
city. It's churches its schools, its
libraries. its public enterprises and its
varied mammoth industrial plants,
make it. indeed, a desirable placa for
lover Of the higher order of things.
But the political aspect of Scranton
seems from what ! can gather, when
compared with that of other similar
cities. simply 6c0iorahle,, The reports
that roach mo from every side concern
ms the corruptior and crookeGness
practired on every hand are disgusting
ard enough TO make a man pcsSimist
for the rest of his ia.,'s. Whether or
rot these reports arc true, | know not
and | would, indeed, that they were
not bur certain il is that with condi-
tiuns as they should be, these reports
would he impossible in q civilized COM
munity such as this.
a citiz,r should he proud of his city.
IF he is not. there is something radi-
rally wrong either in him or his city.
Ordinarily it is in the citizen, because
were he ideal the city must necessarily
be So. ! mean by this that if every
honest. intelligent man We're to use .his
voice, not TO the idle wind. but effect
lively, in matters Of public welfare.
here would he no occasion for lament
ing public msmanag2m 1t seems
only too true that our school boards and
councils are manned by incompetent,
tn say nothing of corrupt, men, of
,oursN with some strong exceptions.
Aud i. is inevitable that the highest
success cannot he reached either in
school nr city management with such
mrn in the seats of power The City
Fathers is phrase that should carry
with it honor and dignity and Oul
councils should not be filed from the
ranks If ignorant men. | mean this tC
he taken literally. Our brainiest
shrewdest, most practical men are alb
polutely essential in these bodies for
our highest municipal Development
we are now in the midst of loca
contests that viii determine the future
complexion of these bodies and that o
the school board and it will be will
the honest, clean governments loving
citizens to say Just what it Will be. 4
government will not be worse thar
the people who are governed; that is
they are really bad, if the goyernmen
is bad, else they are inactive and neg
y ligent so that, the bad element con
\trols. Hence a good citizen who take
second thought will not fail to do hi
duty; he will get out and work AM
vote when the proper time comes, an,
that time is now. No thohGhtfu
Sorantonian will be inactive at thi
time, when important places are 500
10 be filled and possibly by men VIII
to say the least are unsuitable"
While these words contain nothing
which is not already understood b
citizens who think. it is possible tina
their presentation by a newcomer a
the impressions created upon stranger
by the present order of things win en-
title them to earnest consideration. II
see ourselves as others see us is ofte
direct preliminary to vigorous ef
forts at Improvement.
II reports are trueN the domestic In
stability OF ex-Mayoh, Mcgowan o