The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-03-13
IDEAL CITY POSSIBLE.
RET. WASHINGTON GLADDEN., D. D..
 DESCRIBES HIS CONCEPTION,
Final Lyman Beecher Leoture-MoraI Element In Cities so Partisan That Politicians Do Not Figure to Influence It-Dr Gladden. Favors Homo Rule.


 Rev. Washington Gladden.. D. D.
 the eminent preacher and authority or | active social economics, delivered the
 concluding lecture in the Lyman Beech
 CT course yesterday afternoon in Mar
 quand chapel. The audience was even
 larger than on the previous days. pr.
 Gladden's subject was the Redemption of the City" He struck at the evils in l the present day political situation, and attempted the present In outline with out detailed statement a theoretical view of what an ideal city would be like. At the conclusion of the address Rev. Frank K. Sanders. dean of the department, felicitously thanked Dr. Gladden. for his lectures and expressed the appreciation of the faculty and the students of the department. He said that he believed the students who had been privileged to hear the addresses would be better ministers of the gospel, and better and more intelligently fitted to cope with the problems of their min istry in so far as it touched municipal affairs than they would otherwise have been.
 
 in speaking of what an ideal city would be like. He said also that there are signs of its becoming accomplished. The ideal city will have clean and honest government one that insists upon clean and safe streets. plenty of breathing places for the citizens of all degrees of wealth and social position, free concerts, free music, free libraries, and schools of superior grade of excel lence, and withal so healthful in every locality that none will be undesirable for residences It will have a charter that will permit home rule, and it's cit izens will be so public spirited that they will shirk none of the duties of their citizenship. but will frankly criticise and fully cooperate in the good work of civic righteousness. Cooperation will be the principle of it's undertakings in short it will be city working and living upon Christian principles, one whose citizens recognize that the Chris l tian law is a good living and working rule in affairs Of the world as well as i a spiritual rule and guide for conduct. |
 pr. Gladden. said also: "The majori- l ty of moral people are such thorough going partisans in their political affiI- iations that they can be relied upon to vote for Beelzebub If he be the regular party nominee. The demagogue there fore holds the balance of power in our elections and the vote of the decent element need hardly be consid- cred by the politicians. The great prob- lem with them seems to be to put up candidates that will be acceptable to their moral elements. The trouble is hat decent men have permitted the ! ,ity to fall into the slough of despond, md when it is become unbearable they 'un to the legislature for some sort of ,harter revision The result is thatJ, even other devils are let loose fromI he state house into the city hall, and he last state of that city is worse than ll he first It would be well if our cities ould frame their own charters and ubmit them to thespeople for ratifca- ion, measure of home government. The state legislature should have a minimum of power over municipal gov r l It seems to me wise that suburban esidents who are doing daily business n the large city adjacent to their omes should be permitted to vote in ts municipal elections Why should not yomen as well as men have that right, 1asmuch as they pay taxes, pay rents, nd are vitally interested in clean treets, safe streets and good govern 1ent The mere fact that they would hus have the right to vote in two com l lunities does not seem unfair any lore than that man who is a stock older in more than one company has le right to vote in all companies meet s lgs in which he is interested The r of power of appointment r nd removal into the hands of the may ' seems wise. Would any one doubt :. lat New York would be worse situated !, Mayor Low were deprived of that |, ght and the several heads of depart < ents and commissions did the appoint T g. But no city will have an ideal l a ,vernment, such as I will describe, ltil the people of it's east side are of u e same idea upon that subject as the :. ,ople of its Murray Hill district"