The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-12-05

LDlS privilege or the AileflcdH CltlAe
 is increasing. It seems to be considere
 the proper thing by many persons C
 wealth, by many of education and re
 flnement to say, "Oh, I never medal
 with politics, have not voted in years.
 This is a shameful confession whic
 should make him who uttess 1t blush
 Politics foul? Why, then, his duty i
 the greater to help clean it
 Not vote? Why that is to cas
 away the crown of citizenship an'
 scorn a sacred trust. Politics is tn
 soil whence the plant governmen
 springs, and that plant is fair or hid eous as is the character of the men wht
 control politics.
 Again, the indifference of the average
 voter is shown by his acquiescence il
 the enforcement of law. This is
 perhaps the most discouraging feature
 of American civilization. Laws arc
 generally adopted by representative
 assemblies and spread in due form upor
 the statute books. And that Is the last
 of it so far as many laws and many | towns are concerned. The acts pro- 1 hibited are done as before, and consti-
 ute plague spots in the body polite. Everybody knows that these things
 are going on. Everybody knows
 that public servants appointed
 to prevent them neglect to or fail to do. And yet. in such cases, what serene acquiescence in this state of things Is usually seen! Now and then a finger Is waggled in feeble pro- test, now and again preacher faintly me ha mi huIf q "still as the breast when the spirit has departed
 Saloons may sell in an illegal man. ner, gambling hells may flourish In the busiest streets. houses of infamy may ply their damnable trade, yet business men, professors in learned institutions, sustainers and members of the church. es will but squint through field glasses at the shameful spectacle, and murmur, "Too bad such things should be-" and Isn't is discouraging?" and go their way.
 And if ever brave man rises to do something to check the tide of vice, many of those good people will say he Is half-baked crank, and deplore that he is bringing reproach upon the fair name of the city"
 When the Law and Order League is called on to assist in relieving a sltua- tion obnoxious to decent people, then some men and some papers from whom we should expect more sensible utter ances, protest the "interference' and proclaim that it had been better to leave the town alone until it became so cor rupt that the people would rise en masse and force a reform. But history shows us that reforms do not start in any such way Not by a spontaneous movement of the multitude, but by the toilsome, painful efforts of individuals, daily but never vanquished.
 The city of Florence descended lower and lower in immortality and corruption. The corruption bore no promise of it's own healing. As the valley of wicked ness grew darker and the people became welded to their licentiousness, Savona- rola came forth with the unction of God upon his preaching and single-handed brought Florence to it's senses and re- formed the crookedest city of the land
 If a city needs to be left to learn the full consequence of it's corruption and hu6 be startled into moral revolution, why has not New York become a mod al city long ago? She has been plunder- ed of millions her streets have become sewers of vice, her servants have per- nitted crime and kept tariff on crimi- 1als, she has been the preserve of boss IS who have cynically demanded. What 1 Ire you going to do about it?" or un- affirmed, 'I am working for At oil ,t,t after investigation has borne the malodorous emanations of | hese shameful facts to the nostrils of | Ill her people. Have the people risen in | moral indignation and accomplished a eform? Not a bit of 1t. At times | 'paemodic upheavals have taken place, | ut even these were not spontaneous, ut the result of the labor of indivldu- | reformers who have turned on the Ight and appealed nightly for action.
 And now what is wanted in New York | nd In every place where like conditions xist is leaders, reformers, fighters, martyrs.
 Were I to mention cases of towns in which officials are negligent. law dis egarded and illegal nuisances suffered 9 exist, I should not know where to top.
 In town A the officials, a part of hose duty is to enforce the liquor laws, compound the offenses violators with money payments. In town B pool-selling was carried on ublicly as ever gambling was at Monte arlo. Everybody knew it, policemen NV it, no local authority interfered, 1 nd when the Law and Order League as called in to do what it could it got lore blame than praise
 In town c city sheriff spent every fternoon in gambling,-breakin the wand his official standing did not lffer.
 In towns D, E, F, G, gambling ma lines are demoralizing the young. athers know it, citizens generally now it. yet the law is not invoked In towns H, I. J. liquor is being sold Sunday in nearly every saloon, liq- IF is sold to minors liquor is sold af- r hours, everybody knows It. yet no ove is made to check the nuisance and whole community sits back and con- sses itself powerless.
 Tn towns K, l., M, and down to the d of the alphabet licenses are held men and women who have no legal yht to them bonds of convicted rum Hers are not called and justices of the