The Advocate and news., 1899-01-04
IF WE WERE ALI. LIKE JONES.
From the New York Journal

is a Republican, Democrat, or be-twixt-
and-betWeener.
But we do know that Mr.. Jones has
brains, for we have read with care his
annual message, and we congratulate
the citizens who knew enough to select
such man for Mayor.
If Mr.. Jones feels, understands and
really means what he writes in this
message, there Is in him the making Of
such magistrates as this country needs
in all offices from police judge to Pres
ident
He says that his city, which owns
natural gas line should do its own light
ing. That it should do practically every
thing that Is in the line Of public service.
He does not theOrize in the air, but talks
facts that cannot be evaded
When the gas people learned that the
city was to have its own pipe line they
offered gas at 20 cents, with contract
for ten years. They would never have
made such an offer had not the city
line scared them into honesty.
Some say that private parties can do
the citys work cheaper than the city
can do 1t.
First, Mr.. Jones says that it is not
true, and second, why not let private cor
porations educate your children, put out
your fires, police and clean your streets,
If that's your view?
They are willing to undertake all these
things for less than the city pays
Mr.. Jones does not act as though he
owned the city's money, and felt that he
was paying city expenses out of his own
pocket. He tells the citizens that they
ought to have what they want and ought
to spend their money for it,
He demands better and more schools,
as does every man Of sense or decency
And he thinks the school rooms should
belong to the people and be at their SER
vice at night as we'll as day for meetings
or other purposes,
He advises citizens to spend their
money for music in their parks.
He tells them that their policemen are
to be public servants instead Of public
bosses.
He sends his policemen among the cit
izens armed with canes and not with
bludgeons. In modern lunatic asylums
even in the violent wards-the keep
ers no longer carry bludgeOns But the |
keepers Of New York carry bludgeOns. |
They use them freely and gayly every
day, and this mildly insane town says
nothing about it.
Toledo's Mayor has had room set |
apart in the public library for children.
The young can get promptly the books
they want. Is that not sign of mar
vellous sanity for an American city?
Onn nP hiu Il t.
'Give the babies a chance" Is not that
a fairly good motto for Mayor?
He advocates kindergartens and plenty
of them. In New York we have feeble
attempt at kindergartening. But we
want better system. The kindergarten
starts children on the right path, re-
lieves tired mothers of their young ones,
and in good way teaches children sense
at an age when they ordinarily learn
ghost stories.
And, as Mr.. Jones points out, kinder
gartens, as they spread, diminish the
number Of felOns and of young boys and
girls in Juvenile prisons.
Mr.. Jones demands a city lighting
plant. No theorizing about him there.
He shows that the city pays private In
800 per year per arc light. The
city needs one thousand lights. 1t can
run them itself for $50 per light. 1t can
save $4,000 per year and pay for the
plant, interest, principal and all, in six :
Or seven years.
OF course, this is stupidity from the
American politicians point of view. Why :
et the city make electric light for $50
)er light when you can farm it out to t
political heeler at $50 and make the COM G
Dany pay we'll for the chance to steal?
But what does the average citizen I
hink of the idea? Is it or is it not sem =
iible to spend public money for good
chools and good music instead of taxing
he people merely to pile up dividends =
or sharks who know how to work cor G
upt politicians?
Mr.. Jones thinks the city should sup n
'ly decent and reliable city directory, {
'rOught uD to date each month. and Drn- e