The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-16
AN EVIL AND A REMEDY.


at tho annual meeting Of the National
Municipal League in New York the Hon.
Clinton r. Woodbury.. of Pennsylvania, in
his review Of the years progress. said
that the chief obstacle to civic reform
WAS the stay-at-iiome voter.
There can be no two opinions on this
proposition. It IS nonsense to say that
the power Of this Government rests with
the politicians and the oflice-holders. All
powers in this Government are reserved
to the people. The voters are the con-
trolling forco. It lies entirely with the
nent ana the manner OF carrying on pub
lilo affairs. The of7ice-holders are not
tho masters. but the servants Of the peo-
pie. The creature cannot be greater than
: tho creator. unless tbs creator permits
1t.
Eovernmen no man holds office by In
heritance. Every now and then all Of
fees are vacated and tho people have the
opportunity OF making such changes as
they may deem necessary or expedient.
If there Is corrupt administration 1t
is wholly within the power of the people
TO make clean sweep and put new
!! men in. This is true Of tho National
Government, Of State government and of
!; local government. II those who are in
1 charge Of the affairs Of government are
J unfaithful or incompetent, when cleo
! Hon-day comes around there may be
reckoning and a complete change may
be made.
But il the people become Indifferent, If
voters stay at home on election-day and
leave elections in the hands of the poll
ticians they need not be surprised if the
politicians manage things to suit them
selves.
But, above all this, our voters need TO
be educated UP to a keener sense Of what
is public trust, to a keener appreciation
of the sacred duties of oflice-holdcr.
It is a distressing fact that some voters
seem to think that public office IS a pri-
vate job and that an office-holder has the.
right TO use his Office in such n way as
to promote his own private interests. re-
CARELESS Of the interests of the public.
In New York city, for example, the Tam
many men were bold and unlolushinG in
their claim that the public fund was a
spoils fund and that those who We're
in power and who had the disbursement
of the funds We're entitled to help them
selves. And so the ''shake-down'' and
the ..ralle-off' system became estab-
lished feature of the New York form of
government But, worse than all this.
as we have said many voters in that
community seemed to take 1t as a mat
ter of course that this sort of robbery
was perfectly legitimate and proper.
They did not even blame the Tammany
officials for getting much as they
could out of the public fund!
= In such a sentiment as that we cannot
hope for an honest administration of
public affairs. If we are to have an hon
est administrator we mslst have an hon
est sentiment in the community among
the people 1t must be established
principle with us, recognized by all men,
that the public official who sells out or
who is i'll any way false to his trust is
civic traitor. as surely SO as the soldier
who betrays his country TO the enemy in
time of war 1t must also be an estab
1ishcd and recognized principle with us
that the man who attempts to purchase
legislation for a price. who attempts to
bride otfice-holders, is an outlaw and
should be dealt with accordingly. There
should be no room in our society for of
flce-holders who accept brides. or for out
sders who attempt to bride office-hoders.
The place for all such is in the State
prison.