The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-30
TO BE THE PARAMOUNT 1851 L.

Municipal elections Just now are the theme i'll
many of the principal cities Of the East and Middle
West. In several Of them the officials corresponding
70 our Councimen and Delegates are to he chosen.
In all of them the issue is before the people
good government against corruption
1t is noteworthy that this Issue has entered 10
some into nearly every municipal campaign
of years. Never. however. has 1t been SO
clearly defined generally before the people. The
prevalence of corruption in municipal affairs has
brought it uppermost in the public mind
The sole fact that the cry against corrupt officials
is the dominant III municipal campaigns is a
most encouraging sign. The fact that mafeasanrr
in municipal Offices is made issue al all disproves
TO some extent the charge that apathy prevails in
cities True the issue Is often raised Il hoax Il
cloak for Interior partisan schemes. and the voters
purposes too often miscarry: hut the fact is there
the conditions of misrule evident the public
mind. and have aroused and do arouse concern
Reform. however weak or msdirected. is the
vogue. New York's people exercised over the
oppression and thievery of ring politicians Chicago
troubled general conditions of dishonesty
and Encouragement. Phadelphians grumbling
their treatment al rhe hands of ooters and de-
spoilers. In Cleveland and Cincinnati 10 some de-
gree the is true. Even in Baltimore. though it
presents phiriSacal aspect the rest of the world
anxiety moral iapseS underlies the effort further
to mend affairs.
The citsc relationship of municipal TO State and
national politics brings the subject of reform into
less close relation with national issues. In
most instances where corrupt machine has fastened
its hold upon principal city it will he found to have
extended its grasp to control of the State And when
machine succeeds in dominating its State inevitably
il becomes factor in national affairs.
The country has had its attention forcibly drawn
to the recent broadening out of the Delaware
chine which had its small beginnings in two or three
small towns a few years ago Rapidly extending, it
has forced itself 10 footing which cannot be
ignored, and landed its in the United States
Senate. The National Executive has struck hands
with Deawure's boss and the machine has become
power of Rhode Islands machine equally corrupt
with Delawares is attracting universal notice. 1t.
too must have recognition in national affairs.
Reform in cities strikes mt The deepest root of evils
iE national politics If municipalities cleanse
themselves and maintain their cleansed state, they
may close the gateway against that evil element in
national politics which finds entrance through the
cities
1t is perhaps too much TO expect that the degree
OF interest manifested in municipal conditions
viii have than a remote influence upon the COM
ing national election: but it is wholly reasonable to
predict that within very few years the general
civic awakening will make of reform a first issue be-
fore the nttion which will result in wholesome
Ovcrhauling of entire political system In the
interim the faureS-rather than successesof cities
which will deepen popular concern will react to pro-
mote tile great end.