The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-06-09
HOUSTON CITY FATHERS.
Judge Them Not Too IlarshIy, Nor
Envy Them al All, Whatever.
THAT MY SOUL is MY OWN, | DOUBT, ("
A Sunday Discourse Upon the Ever
Thankless Task OF Serving
the Dear Public"

Tue alderman, elected to serve the people
OF Houston In the year a D. 1902, is OF
Two years--if he lives it out, and his W PES
are IKE unto those OF the late lam.ntr.
JOB when the boil crop was Al its be It
or worst
Tossed into the anxious seat at the coup.
Gil beard, OH the crest of reform wave
ne hndeth himself ON an exceeding high ana
iofty platform, in full view OF the "vox
popull.' That the danger Is imminent OF
MS suddenly doing some grand and oflv
tumblng from this Twentieth century
aerie-in the estimation Of his Constituent
he knoweth we'll "'''
His toga htteth MIN loosely as doth the
pS SJahu erect costume of the Celestial
cHlDk' ana yet he pelSpireth great rivtiets
VI uPohy when he attIXtth Ms name to 4
scroll authorizing the expenditure Of a
Single aucat trom the public treasure.
Lacn noble Roman HCustonian who cast
Ior ann his Heayen-shen franchise-and
many Of those who did not thus-is fain
70 remind him that it was by his influence
alone that ne now occupieth the proud -
though portionless positiou-of a wei nurse
Tor an infantile and puny treasury found
ing 9hd taose same are prone to mention
a lutte matter which resteth close unso
their vest pockets-mayhap hearts, In which
~ Is his bounden duty to provide pap for
their orphans. from the clty's penitudc OF
untitled warrants on vacuum
One citizen, having no little Job on hand,
would rain have the city safe locked and
the now OF treasure damned UP eternally
10 the end that the pages OF the tax regis.
ter be left ever undchled by ink. He quo
teth that patriotic and time-honored maxim
to the effect that Houston was good enough
Tor HIS ancestors without "aIl these hifala
tlbs ana therefore, he being no better than
mis- patcr, 1t is good enough for him
Those be they who would cut down the
number OF those brave ones who battle on
occasion with the devouring element yclept
the lire tiend, for, 10, they have nothing to
burn-not even money or matches.
those be they who would favor the cur
tallment OF those watches over the peace
OF the city In the still, black and lurksome
hours of the night; for did not they IN We
goode olde dayes' tote shooters for the pro.
lection of their personal cpidarmic cover.
lngs, and generally so arranged matters
tnat THERE wuz nuthin' much at hcme
wuth stealln', 'ceptin' the old woman AN
tn Kids, an nobody won't touch them, 40.
1t is conceded to be the bouuden duty of
every resident to criticisc each act that
they hear has been perfo:mc ll that
august body, the civic rulers, for In their
divers private pursuits they have no leisure
to attend these open councils Of s,Grr ia
order that they might know" whereof
they speak.
What boots it that the alderman negi>cts
his private business for hours each uny,
doing his little darndest 10 steer the lnu
nicipal craft Into smooth waters; IL he fail
eth III so much as by hairs breadth Of
pleasing the entire chorus OF fenCe-.ail.
critics he Is Immediately characterized IS
foolish or worse. Yet, strange as II an.
pearcth, not one OF these selr-ap pointed cen.
sors would accept the aforesaid office, pro-
Vided he be of such caliber as to make his
yaporinss or mouthinss of weight among
his fellows, and as for the remainder OF
the 'ha, has" the public would none of
them
He that hath most, sayeth the least and
! pdyeth the most; and he that hath nothing
at all, being therefore empty doth ev0ly3
huge volumes OF hot air,
There be those wild adyenturers' who
much desire to see Houston great city, AZ
belt the kicker and the balky animal in the
taxpayers harness would also profit there.
by if they be possessed of lands and es-
tates; and many such there are.
The cry of the taxpayer is now head on
the air. He continually doth cry In favor
Of taxing the other fellow more IN order
that he less may needs pay. So when 4
happened that the city father proceeie.h
10 elevate the assessment of Jim Blank
lands and goods to the proportlonate eve
with others gone before, straightway dItn
the foreSaid Blank rear up on his dignity
and hind legs and declare political enm:ty
forever more and useth adjectives proA,ni:-
ed In telephone conversations.
There be a class who wish to CIeate a
mighty ana Worthly equipped city, Pnd
murmur not at the cost thtreof hut there
are yet many more who desire such benefits
only al the cost Of others.
There be those who would tic n double
/ ana twisted knot In the city purse strings
| or employ nm automatic paying teller, the
( only. There are those. again, who coltinu
| ally do urge that each smoleon that com
| eth into the treasure house should he
promptly circulated for the public (poitlcan
veal, and TO whom the creation of nu an
nual deficit is a study and lifework.
II is between such mighty battledores
| that the lone alderman Is so tiny shuttle
| cock.
If he boundeth too much and setteth be
| yond the reach of both players he Is forth
| with sent to political coventry and branded
IN. c." for future utility among those who
play upon the keys OF the typewriter, which
| prlnteth machine edicts and erstwhile lists
| OF candidates.
| The perturbed spirit who is 80 oft re
| ferred to as dwelling between the chief
! stoker Of Hades and the deep DluH sea had
a cinch compared to the reform alder
man
The case Is alone covered by thnt beau.
tiful Greek classic which, Translated, "eads
"He can. and he can't: