The record-union., 1899-04-23
VALUE OF IMPROVEMENT ASSO-
CATIONS.


The respectful memorial of the wheel
men of the city,, presented through the
wheel organization of this city, con-
cerning street sprinkling, has been
needed by the City Trustees wisely, and
hereafter districts are to be contracted
for to be sprinkled according to a far
better than the old system, namely the
drivers of sprinkling wagons are not
to sprinkle block by block, wetting
down both sides of a street in a block
within a few moments. They are now
to go up one side Of street the full
extent of the district, before wetting
down the other side
They are likewise to put less water
on the shaded sections than where the
regulation is rigidly enforced, we will
have greatly better results than in the
past. There will be just as much sprink-
ling, just as much will be done within a
simply from the block by block system,
to the half street full length of district
system For persistenly adhering to the
demand for this betterment as they
have for some years and their final sue
cess, the wheelmen are entitled to cor
dial recognition.
Nearly all municipal reforms in these
later days are accomplished through the
persistence and campaigning of citizen
associations. 1t seems to be the most
effective and speedy way. Thus, in
nearly all progressive cities in these
days We have City Improvement Asso-
caations, Municipal Betterment Socie-
ties, Driving Associations, Cycling Or
gamzations, Committees of One Hun
dred, and so on, which make a spe-
cialty of some particular need for the
common good, and labor to cultivate
public sentiment in right directions
ends desired.
In New England States where the
town meeting system prevails there is
less need for such outside work. Under
that system the people assemble under
the law and discuss the needs of the
community, and order done what the
majority deem essential. Nevertheless
New England has its Town Improvement
Societies. In this State there are a few
Town Improvement Societies, in others
Chambers of Commerce actively inter
est themselves in community good. In
other cases driving, cycling, sanitary,
educational and similar organizations
work for community betterment along
distinct and independent lines That is
the method employed to limited ex-
tent in Sacramento. But the thought
presents itself that in a city of this i'm
lportance, and where our system of local
government seems to necessitate such
delay in these matters, and where the
Municipal Council is chosen from
wards, there is real need for a, general
all-embracing City Improvement Asso-
citation fashioned somewhat after those
of the East, where there are many such
An organization of that kind would
act as a spur to laggard officials. 1t
would cultivate the taste among the
people for municipal cleanliness, and
quicken the desire for needed better
ments. Such an association composed
of reputable earnest citizens, proud of
the city, of their homes and desirous of
making it as nearly ideal as possible,
could accomplish immeasurable good
without material increase of taxation
or adding any burdens to citizenship.
Indeed in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania,
Indiana, Ohio, and other States, the
Town Improvement Societies have
proved to be the means of money saw
ing to taxpayers, because they are
watchful against waste, and generally
succeed in the enforcement of regula-
tions which otherwise would become
under official neglect dead letters
Thus with a wide. awake Improve
ment Association in Sacramento the
ordinance against throwing yard cut
tings, rubbish, etc, into the streets
would be enforced, the anti-expectora-
tion ordinance would be observed, the
ordinance SO recently passed and for a
couple of weeks briskly enforced, re-
garding the use of the streets by
drivers and cyclists would be observed
whereas it is now so flagrantly disre-
garded, that really conditions are worse
than they were before the enactment
of the ordinance of last year.
With wide awake Improvement As
sociation having it's eyes open to public
needs the city dumps would never have
been located within the influence of the
back water of the American River, nor
the water question have been treated in
such a slipshod manner, and so on
through long chapter, a chapter that
editorials and talks on home subjects,
one Of the most interesting and for
which his memory is held in high re-
; gard at the East to this day, aside from
admiration for him as social philoso-
pher, literary light and a courageous
enemy of sloth, uncleanliness and i'm
morality.
; 1t is now clear that we will have all
the force we will need in the Philip
pres. AT the highest Aguineldo's
army never exceeded 10000 men. II
Las suffered heavy losses and by CAP
tlre and desertion has been further
, ! weakened General Otis will have