The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-03-08

public duty affects the mind of the
neonle generally. The idea that SO
public Office is a public trust is by
no means universal with us. The city
incnmbent's conception of his duty il
as high as the voters. Both the office
holder and the voter regard the office
as primarily a means OF securing party
power, consequently our idea of the
city and of its officer proper functions
is low. We expect but low order Of
public service from our public ser.
wants. We have been satisfied with
such service so long that we have
grown accustomed to municipal mis-
Government, and we kick only rwher
The evil becomes unbearable. In or
binary business we suit the man to the
position, but in municipal politics we
suit the position to the man. This
apathy with which our urban popula.
tions regard. and even mildly condemn
the fauits and moral shortcomings OF
nnblic servants is the worst feature OIL
American POLITICAL life today. 1t de-
notes a diseased political sentiment, 6
rot which must be sponged off before
we can hope for even the beginning Of
permanent, good city government. We
are a practical people learning fal
more readily by example that by pre-
| cent We listen to all theories but are
slow to act we will trust our senses
and our experience, but. we distrus
our reasoning. This trait which is in
us by right of birth and force of en-
yironment is rational and has charac
terized all our political changes an(
| advances in the past. Now you viii
expect me to suggest a remedy OF
course but this is not an easy thing tt
| do.
The initiative in municipal reform
| for obvious reasons, cannot sprins
from the masses under present condi.
tions. If we had general primary
election law think matters would b.
much improved at least after sufficient
time had elapsed to enable the people
| to become accustomed to 1T, but now
there is between the citizen and the
city an institution-the political party
which holds the allegiance of the votel
and the reins of city control Against
this institution patriots throw them
selves in vain. Even considerable
bodies of respectable citizens find i
impossible to effect more than mere
transient Improvements In municipal
administrations Therefore our only
hope is in educating the people up t.
| a higher standard of citizenship, t.
the end that they will insist upor
having as city officials men who feal
God and try to keep his command,
ments, men who have conscience and
who value the confidence of their fell
lows and their own self respect, more
than high Office or great riches.
The discussion was led by Nelson
Weed, who touched upon various fea-
lures Of municipal life and endorsed
many of the points brought out in the
paper as leading to municipal troubles
in this country.
In the general discussion which fol-
lowed several endorsed quite strongly
what had been said about party follow
ing in municipal government. This
was as strongly objected to by Others
and they pointed out that party organize
tion was necessary in order to carry
into effect any particular point de-
sired in municipal affairs, but all ad-
mitted that there was too little partici
patton in primaries by the voters gen
orally and that all too often a few
ward healers and politicians fixed up
affairs, and those present were unani-
nous in demand for primary cleo
tion law. This they thought woul(
tend much to improve conditions and
give the mass of the voters a direct
voice in the selection of municipal
officers.
The next meeting of the club will
be held on Tuesday evening Marcf
10Th, when J. R. Brandrup will reat
a paper on THE Socia Effect of Secre
Organizations" and w. D. Willard
will lead the discussion.