New-York tribune., 1902-07-04
DO PEOPLE CARE!

Are people-in this city, for example-at heart
law-abiding and public spirited? The question
may seem startling, perhaps foolish. possibly
insulting TO a great community. Yet ii has
| been raised many times by disinterested OBJ
servers, and 1t now and then irresstiby forces
itself into the mind. In some respects. no
doubt, 1t is unhesitatingly to be answered in the
affirmative with all possible emphasis This is
not community of murderers and thieves The
people do take an interest in certain public af-
fairs, and they take a degree of pride In some
things which concern the city. To w.t. they
exult in its being the biggest city in the world
save onel But in those multitudinous details
which, petty though they may often seem, real
ly count most for our comfort or discomfort for
our credit or discredt, do people take an inter-
terest? Do they care how things GO?
In many streets you will find shade trees dis
figured, MANNED, perhaps being killed. by the
i'll treatment of advertising concerns or concerns
with overhead electric wires. 1t is against the
law, and it is an injury TO the city. But does
any one care? There are streets where the
shade trees. instead of having open ground
around them through which to get moisture.
have actually been trimmed square at the butt
so that flagstOnes will fit snugly around them.
Presently they will die and the street become
shadeless. But who cares? During the last
month there has been pretty incessant fusil-
lade OF frecrackers and bombs and toy pistols
1t is violation OF law but nobody seems to be
sufficiently interested in ii to enforce the law
Trucks laden with loose and changing iron rails
and beams go laundering through the streets
Carts laden with dirt 60 by, uncovered and
spillng their contents Business wagons trav-
erse park roads at will. Vehicles are driven
after dark without lights These and innumer-
able other daily doings are in defiance of the
law, and they are an offence to the public and
discredit to the community But who cares?
At least, who cares enough to do something
about it? All the caring in the world Will do no
good If those who care content themselves with
passively caring and then go by on the other
side, leaving the offence unchecked. We all re-
member the story of the who, amid his
neighbors' professions of sympathy with one
who had met with misfortune, said "well. I
'sympathize with him, too a hundred dollars
WORTH! The question IS, Who cares about
these abuses enough to make their caring prac-
teal and effectual? 1t might consume a little
time and require little exertion TO make a
formal complaint to the police and then 70
| press the complaint until the wrong was rigbted
But if one does not care enough about il to do
SO much, can he truly be said TO care at all :?
Ihere is no use in trying to put the RESPONSE
oiilty for evils upon the government The
most active and efficient government In the
| world could not administer these details suc-
cessfully without the cooperation of the people
! we snail find that wherever there is the hest
administration. wherever the laws. minor as
| well as major. are best enforced and observed
anu respected, wherever the city is cleanest