The Topeka state journal., 1902-03-24
HOW To RUN NACITY
Rev. Charles M. Sheldon Pub
fishes a Handbook.
Plans to Teach the Details of
City Government.
HIS UNIQUE CATECHISM
Shows Church People How They
HIS UNIQUE CATECHISM
Shows Church People How They
Can Control.
Urges Organization and United
Action of Religious Societies.


completed the compilation of a small
handbook concerning the city govern
| ment, embOdying a catechiSm on good
| citizenship, after the style of the old
| church catechisms. Mr.. Sheldon de-
signed the work primarily for use
among his young people and in the
| Sunday school work in his church. 1t
is published by Crane & Co.
Mr.. Sheldon believes that the Sunday
school and young peoples societies in
the churches are good places to train
| good citizens. He thinks that good cit
| izenship should be taught in the sun
| day schools as well as the regular Bible
| lessons, and this suggested to him the
| idea of a good citizenship catech1sni.
| He proposes to use it to great de-
gree in his church work.
The pamphlet is largely a handbook
| on municipal government, prepared
| after the manner of the work on civil
government used in schools. 1t ex-
| plains the machinery of holding cleo
| tionS, the powers and duties of the va
| riouS city officials, and how the buS1-
ness of the city is conducted. The fol-
lowing stands in the place of a preface
to the work:
This little compilation of the facts
about the municipal life of Topeka has
been undertaken in the interest of good
citizenship among the young people,
and especially the young people in the
churches.
for the most part, by one of the mem
bers of my Endeavor society, from the
records kept by the city. To the ofh-
GERS who gave their assistance to the
compiler we express our appreciation,
with many thanks for their courtesy"
There is also this introductory quo
tation from President Roosevelt:
1.-The good citizen must in the first
place recognize what he owes his fell
low citizens. If he is worthy to live in
a free republic, he must keep before
his eyes his duty to the nation Of
which he forms part He must keep
himself Informed, and must think for
himself on the great questions of his
day, and he must know how to express
his thoughts"
Patriotism should be to each man
more than mere feeling. He must not
merely think and talk; he must act; he
must work He is bound in honor to
act disinterestedly and uprightly; he is
bound to do his full share of the civic
work of his community"
1.-The young American, now entering
upon his duties of citizenship holds i'll
his hands the fate of the coming years.
With him it rests to decide the failure
or success of the tremendous expert
ment begun by Washington
The last six pages of the pamphlet
are taken up with the catechism pre-
pared by Mr.. Sheldon. 1t is as follows:
Q.-What is one of the first marks
of a good citizen?
"A profound faith in the principles
of good government by the people.
Q.-Are there more bad people than
good people in most of our cities.
A.-Probably not.
Q.-What is the reason. then. that
so many of our cities are SO badly gov
erned?
A.-Because the bad element organ
ICES systema tically, and takes an ac-
tive interest in city politics for the sake
of the spoils.
Q-Why don't the good people organ
ize, if they are in the majority, and
A.-BecauSe in many cases the good
people are ignorant of organized meth
ods; because they are afraid to act out
side their regular party lines; because
they don't want the trouble of bearing
the cross in taking up municipal obli-
cations.
Q.-Are party organizations in mu-
nicipal affairs necessarily evil?
A.-Not necessarily. But they are |
very apt to be; organization of some |
kind is necessary, but the evil of party |
organization in city matters is the dan |
ger of partisan support of bad men |
and measures. Blind obedience to the |
party is the curse of many cities Nom |
partiSanShip in municipal affairs is a |
better method than partisanship.
Q.-1s there a growing tendency |
towards -partisanship in city af- |
fairs
A.lThere is.
ON what ways will this principle |
be finally established
A.-By good men who are connected |
WITH ORGANIZATIONS refusing TO |
vote for bad men or measures indorsed |
by the machine; by educating all the |
people to the idea that national politics |
has nothing to do with municipal af- |
fairs; by breaking away from party |
management whenever that manage |
ment indorses men of questionable |
character or unfitness for office: by a |
Willingness on the part of public men /
of ability and honesty to serve the city |
as officials: by a union of all good |
forces against all evil forces, regardless |
of partisan faiths.
Q-Is it the duty of Christian men
and women to take an active part in
city politics?
At is AS much a sacred duty as
to go to church or engage in an honest |
business or perform any other duty that |
belongs to civilized life.
OFF Christian people do not take an /
active part in politics, who will?
A-The professional politicians and |
office seekers. Somebody must manage |
the municipal affairs of a city. If the |
Christian people will not do their share |
to make that management right. the |
probabilities are that it will be m-gely !
wrong.
C.-How many church members are
there in Topeka?
A.-About 1900.
Q-What would be the result if all |
these members were a political unit in |
municipal affairs wherever principle |
was at stake?
A.-The result would be the balance |
of power with the Christian people
Q--Are all the good people in the |
church?
A.-No.
Q.-How many people in this city |
probably want to see the politics of the |
city managed honestly, decently, and !
for the good of al?
A.-Probably an overwhelming ma
jority-
Q.-What is the reason then. that our |
city politics is not practically ideal in all |
particulars?
A.-Some of the reasons have already |
been given. Intense partisanship. which /
has not regarded the character of men and |
measures is one of the largest rea sons for |
evil politics. To that must be added the |
failure of the Christian citizens to bear /
their just share of the obligations con-