Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-05
TRUST THE PEOPLE.
No Need to Fence in Public Parks
American Citizens Not Vandals-
From the Toledo Times.

From the Toledo Times.
The immense crowd that filled Mckinley
square on the occasion Of the unwilling Of
the monument taught a lesson to the Gus
todians of public property in the respect it
had for the flowers and shrubbery. Every
body expected after the crowd had gone to
see the sod cut up and Uttered with refuse
and the flower beds trampled and broken
down. There was ample precedent, unfor-
tunately, for just this view.
The way Toledo people conduct themselves
in our parks sometimes and the way private
grounds are broken into and despoiled of
their treasures, of flowers and shrubs and
blossoms and fruits amply justified the be-
lief that the efforts of the courthouse gar
deners would be all undone in the crush
that was inevitable when the ceremonies
took place.
But there was nothing done to protect the
inanimate beauties Their own purity and
sweetness and innocence was their only de-
Tense. and more effectively did this shield
them than a Gordon of blue-coated police
man could have done. The crowd saw the
flowers and respected them.
Perhaps some of that spirit Of tenderness
and sympathy and love for the beautiful
which made the life of Mckinley so re-
splendent with virtues inspired them Per-
haps that dormant public spirit which lies
in the heart of every man was powerfully
appealed to. The flowers were saved. And
those who saved them were all unconscious
of the good they did then. and of the good
that has come to them, and will yet come
to them because of this thoughtfulness of
theirs for others.
The superintendent of public buildings and
grounds at shinSton, d. c., has learned
sonnet thing of the same lesson that the I'M
yelling incident has taught US, that crowds
of people are not wholly vandal. and that
the best way to keep the grounds safe and
in good condition is to appeal to the people
themselves to take care of them.
He has decided to remove all the fences,
ratings and other barriers to the public
grounds and reservations and parks in that
city, and to trust to the honor and public
sense of the people to see that the parks do
not suffer from the liberty.
We believe that people generally Will APP
preciate the trusts that are thus imposed
upon them. Toledo people have for long
time enjoyed with self-control the flowers
and shrubberS on the many breathing spots
that are scattered about beautiful city
These plots are guarded by nothing save
their own appeal to the magnanimity and
appreciation of the people, and while there
are few barbarians among US who do not
always respect the rights OF others, and
who wantonly carry off destroy what
cannot serve them, and whose loss robs
others, these are but few and rapidly
diminishing number
The people will do better when put on
their honor in many things, perhaps all
things. Most of the vandalism is the result
of selfishness that is only an altruism
wrongly directed. Most of the harm that
the world suffers from is thoughtlessness-
a too limited perspective. There is a spark
of the divine in every nature enough to
kindle 1t to all good works, If it only be
blown upon rightly. There are but few
men who cannot be safely trusted If they
are appealed to appropriately. Force and
authority always cut out much work for
themselves by their mere appearance. Let's
take down our fences and trust each other
more. We shall all doubtless be found
more trustworthy. Society will be given
another strong impulse toward the only
kind Of regulation that is perfect. the auto
matte and subjective.