The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-03-06
THAT THE PEOPLE MAY KNOW

One OF the curses OF growing business
community like Houston is the costly In
difference manifested by the conservative
business intelligence OF the city to muni-
clpal politics The brain and the nom
partisan progressive sentiment OF the
population can control public affairs IL
only they will do so. 1t is mistake
to suppose that the politicians and the
floating vote, the ward heelers and under
strikers. arc In the majority in any old
and intelligent community. The trouble
Is that the better classes, the people who
are householders. who have permanent
business or positions. who are heads Of
families and most deeply concerned in
every respect in a non-factional, pro-
gressive business administration OF affairs
remain away In too large numbers from
the primaries when the question OF good
or bad government is chiefly settled.
These stay-at-homes although neglecting
their own best interests are themselves
entitled 10 no sympathy under a bad
| administration but unfortunately they
/ ieopardize also the interests OF those
good people who discharge their whole
civic duty in tho effort to purify NUM-
cpal politics The time has come when
this fatal indifference to gard municipal
affairs by large numbers OF the business,
the professional and the laboring people
must cease in Houston or we shall con-
tlnue to go from bad to worse on tho
road to bitter personal and factional city
government.
The present city administration TO a
greater extent than it's predecessors for
years past has developed the baneful idea
or practice of personal, one man, factional
government. Every intelligent citizen
knows that this is not tho best kind OF
| government for a commercial center Such
| practices politically are condemned by
| the best sentiment everywhere. VIII
! this enlightened sentiment here bring all
who feel IL to the primaries the latter
part OF this month in order to rebuke
purely personal ambition and fractional
management OF public affairs? II Hou.-
! ton wants good city government, an hon
est business administration of the police
| educational, health, financial and public
works departments Of the city govern
ment 1t must say so not alone at tho
polls on election day but in the primaries.
Let all good citizens remember this.
Hon. John 4. Browne is a self-mads
business man who has come up by his
own merits from the ranks of honest
toll, His conservatism in politics as
well as his LIFE work and business TRAN
ing is guaranty of his non -partisanship
and his sympathy with every movement
for the up-buiding of Houston. He is
not consumed with political ambition.
nor would he be shaping every public and
political move he might make with a
Wow to strengthening his political grip
upon the future He is more deeply
interested financially in the growth Of
Houston than in keeping his political
, fences" repaired.
/ II no other consideration should move
the citizens OF Houston to Indignation
against the present city administration,
I the action OF "the powers that be" in the
} matter Of dragging our once splendid
school system into the mire of politics
ought TO be sufficient to call for the most
! practical rebuke This whole scholastic
year has been one of comparative stag
nation in school matters because of the
Introduction OF politics bringing in its
wake uncertainty and costly litigation to
/
. ~
/ When municipal administration makes
it the object of first Importance TO in
augurate clean sweep of petty officials
t down to janitors in order to punish the
exercise of the freedom Of the ballot, or
r allows ordinances or petitions OF great
utility 10 the commercial interests tc
/ sleep while passing ordinances and reso-
buttons to catch IA certain vote Ordinances
Z and resolutions. too, that would not hold
water" for n moment in the courts) it
: is OF too small oaliber as municipal
: government TO fit large commercial
. community.
= 1t is not theory but a condition
li''ANANAAAf NhiNA NtNAlbutS TINS CITY now,
The question is whether we shall indorse
faetionalism and one-man power and be
come as community merely the prey
= and the playing of politicians and tho
hotbed Of hurttul antagonlsms and prcju-
4 dices between different classes of the cltl-
: zens. or whether factionalism and alb
Il normal personal ambitions and spoils
cliques shall be rehuked and tho city put
in municipal as in private AFFAIRS mo.
the higher level of strict business, unan-
unity OF patriotic sentiment and assn ed
Il resulting prosperity for all classes.
:. business rather than partisan poll.
$ teal administration OF public affairs N
> Houston would encourage the incoming
a OF new capital and population and direct
z ly work TO the advantage Of the laborer
e the merchant the professional man anc
In fact every citizen within our gates
!. This is proposition that is simply self
= evident TO every intelligent mind.
u MRS. w. ID. CLEvELANp's FUSER.,