The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-11
JOBBERY IN CITY GOVERNMENT.

~ VIZ Wv AShAN
That eternal vigilance is the price of
honesty in municipal government, as well
as Of liberty, has been freshly illustrated
in the case Of the Ramapo water job in
New York. And the vigilance must
be on the part of the people, with
out any reliance upon the honesty
Of purpose of any opposing political
organization. Indeed, in the case of the
Ramapo business it appears that the rival
political forces, while bitterly opposed to
each other nominally, we're actually work.
ing together in the water deal with a view
to mutual profits. The leaders of the two
parties either procured or permitted the
bin making the contract 10 be passed, and
except for the exposure of the job through
the disinterested newspaper press and the
prompt action of the outraged people. the
grab, involving the expenditure of mil
lions of dollars of the peoples money for
the benefit of the politicians who engin-
eered the deal, would have been fastened
upon the municipality. For it is a fore
gone conclusion that ID was the purpose
of the politicians TO enrich themselves in
contracts and privileges.
Schemes of a similar nature. that is
schemes having for their purpose the ex-
penditure of public money for the benefit
of politicians. have ceased to be a novelty
in New York. They are known also in Chi
eago' Philadelphia and other large Giles
and in most of the smaller ones. The prob
lem Of honest municipal government is one
of the greatest that now confronts this
country. 1t seems that ii is extremely DIFF
fcult to get the right sort of men to enter
city politics or to get them elected to office
when they have consented, from a sense
of public duty. to accept municipal nom.-
nations. The trouble is that the people do
not think much on city affairs, while they
do pay attention 10 the specious speeches
and protestations of dema gogues and heel.
ers who are in politics for personal profit
Occasionally a party of reformers will be
organized and make a successful attack
upon the Office holders; and as soon as the
reformers have captured the Offices they
become about as bad 5 If not worse than
those whom they succeeded in ousting.
In municipal affairs in a majority of in
stances il seems to be the whole purpose
through schemes 10 get their fingers into
the taxpayers pockets and to keep
themselves in power New Offices are be-
ing continually created new public works
are found TO be necessary, and new rea-
sons for piling on the taxes are always
in order. The people are always promised
retrenchment and reform, which never
come TO make real their vague hopes
wise old philosopher eulogized distrust
as a safeguard of democracies Except for
The public distrust of the New York DO
litcal bosses the Ramapo job would have
gone through. certain amount of distrust
is necessary TO public vigiTence and TO the
purity of politics. 1t is the bank emp,ove
or official whose accounts are never check
ed because the directors have implicit con-
tidence in him that raids the Institutions
funds; and the average bank employe "a
of higher moral character than the aver.
age ward politician. We do not mean Ia
say, of course, that all of those who enter
politics are TO be distrusted as individuals
There are good men in politics and il
should be the constant endeavor of those
who love good government to increase
the number of such men But we do mean
to say that in about every munlcipas NO.
liucal organization. or machine. there are
those who would not hesitate to use any
political means available to get public
money into their own pockets: and he
cause OF the presence of that element r.
becomes necessary to distrust and watch
the whole machine.