Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-06-02
uNFAITHFuL CITIZENSHIP.

Wn6n Inc growing ulSOTueF luClueuL
to the ST. Louis street car strike de-
veloped the fact that the regular po-
lice force of the city was unable or
unwilling to preserve the peace, the
authorities determined to summon
two thousand five hundred special Of
ficers The first thousand were large
ly called from the ranks of leading
citizens-business and professional
men, probably upon the theory that
they had larger interest in the main
tenance of peace and order. The tele-
AnR reports that although many were
csllsd few presented themselves. A
sudden wave Of serious indisposition
is said to have swept through the we'll
TODD element OF the city, and physi-
Clans certificates setting forth that
the holders were incapacitated for duty
were very much in evidence.
The incident recalls a declaration of
Wendell Phillips, quoted in recent
issue of the Boston Herald under the
caption of ''Unfaithful Citizenship"
The great orator said:
There is nothing more cowardly than
million dollars except two million dol
lars
And the Herald adds:
IN every fight against injustice and OPP
preston, the men who are most afraid 10
enlist are the Mammon Worshipers those
VINO care more for money and the cOndt-
tons that permit acquisition of money
than for freedom or justice, or public Vr-
tue, or human rights. They are the ones
y no block the path of reform and hinder
the progress OF righteousness. Let their
investments or their business be threaten
ed, and they discover a capacity of shirk-
ing confessed duty and petraying good
causes that is amazing to honest minds ~
These observations are strong, but
they appear to fit the st. Louis
situation very we'll. They also
apply to certain administrative
and political phases of modern city
life. If American cities are not what
they should be-and that they are not
2 beyond questionable chief fault lies
with those who, choosing the mere
making of money as the chief end of
life. are content to allow things to
drift whittier they may The newt
able result of Discrimination or fear
OF pecuniary loss to take part in the
shaping of public affairs, to see to the
proper administration of the public
business, to insist upon peace and or
der and the enforcement of the law,
and IN assist in npforofpc, +I,o 1o,,- 1D,-
physical means, if necessary, leads by
short cut to administration, ring
rule, high taxes, extravagances, the
calm refusal of sworn and paid public
officers to do even the plainest duty,
and occasionally to riot and loss of
life. There is a too great tendency to
let things go, and take it out in growl-
ing and complaint. And neither the
growing or the complaints do any
good, except upon rare occasions and
for short time, The policeman does
not do what the law requires-he does
exactly what his Chief tells him. and
no more. He may know of, or have
ANstSOl " DtllCN6 ludI twenty laws
have been violated or that twenty men
have violated one law, but he does
nothing because he is under instruc-
tons, and the good citizen wonders at
the state of affairs. And SO it goes
through the entire municipal machin-
cry, and the people pay.
Often, too, in the largest of our
cities, the servants of the people do
not hesitate to threaten or even punish
those who, with an awakened con-
science, attempt some spasmodic eff
fort at reformation. Job Hedges, secA
rotary of Mayor Strong, of New York.
has thrown some light upon this phase
of the situation in a recent publication.
He says:
"Excellent and prosperous citizens hire