The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1903-07-03
FRIDAY, JULY ,. 1903.
THE DUTY OF THE PEOPLE.

The mayor of New Orleans, in an
interview in the Times Democrat
urges upon the residents of that
city the necessity for them to CO.
operate with the officers in keeping
the streets clean and improving the
health and appearance of the city.
Speaking Of the peculiar difficulties
which the officials encounter and
the immense amount of work in
volved in keeping a city like New
Orleans clean, the mayor adds:
"At the same time the work of
the Department of Public Works
and the police force could be made
easier if the people themselves
would take proper degree of in
terest and individually assist in the
great work. 1t is not pleasant to
a citizen of New Orleans to hear
strangers complain of the bad con-
dition OF the city'5 streets and gut
tiers. If every man and woman in
the community would say to him
self or herself, i will take an in
terest in keeping the city clean,
and then do it, the result would be
marvellous. 1t would make the
100000 inhabitants of New Orleans
each a member Of the Public
Works Department, each working
to destined end. It>would mean
that filth, garbage and old trash
would not be cast into the cutters,
on the sidewalks or into the streets,
but would be destroyed, or so placed
that the public wagons could easily
cart it away"
In the same article an interview
with another prominent citizen of
New Orleans is included, from
which the following apt remarks
are copied:
Il fully recognize and adequate
" appreciate the difficulties which
must be surmounted in order to
completely cleanse New Orleans
and keep the city clean, yet /
firmly believe that the greatest
obstacle in the way is the indif-
ference manifested by the average
citizen, or rather his apparent I'M
Willingness to contribute bis in
dividual effort to the advancement
OF the general good.
Government is only an organiza-
ton established, maintained and
operated by the people themselves
for their collective and individual
benefit, and it should appear to be
the part of wisdom for each citizen
to aid the government in carrying
out the purposes of its existence
rather than hamper and hinder it
by unfriendly criticism.
Il am not prepared to say that
those whose duty it is to keep the
city clean secure the results CON-
mensurate with the means at their
command, but | am prepared to
say. without fear Of successful con-
tradiction, that if each individual
citizen helped just little, the re-
suits which would be reached would
be surprising.
The common practice of throw
Ing garbage and other trash in the
streets and cutters is reprehensible
and should be stopped. If every in
dividual citizen would constitute
himself committee of one to en-
force the law, and to spread the
propaganda Of cleanliness, | believe
that within a bief period New Or
leaas would become one of the
Ncleanest cities in this country.
As long. however, as the avegare
citizen fails to take proper civic
pride and interest in public affairs,
and in the appearance of the city
generally, just so long will
the much-desired improvement be
delayed.
Here Is food for reflection which
might be assimilated with profit by
the residents of any community. It
Is undoubtedly true that the care
iessacss Of the people themselves in