The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-14
SUNDAY, FEB. IA, 1904.
GOOD MEN AND THEIR DUTY.


This city is in a position today to il
Iustrate the essential difficulty Of Sc
curing good government in municipali-
ties. People will answer you with
sheer when you speak to them about
political activities, tell you that poll
tics generally is controlled by the
worst elements in the community and
argue that the good citizen is practi-
cally helpless against the cohorts Of
the machines. The truth of 1t all Is
that it is the good citizen who makes
misgovernment possible, and who In
most cases makes it necessary. 1t is
because he will not do his duty when
men Of lesser weight and value are
called to the front
For weeks past number of gentle
men representing both political parties
in this city have been In consultation
with regard to the nomination of mem
bers of the next council. They realize
the Importance to st. Paul of having
both houses OF our local governing
body composed Of men of business ex-
perience, public spirit and incorrupti-
BILE character. They themselves are
sufficiently interested in the matter to
objections of party, to devote them
selves to the work of securing capa-
BILE representatives and to aid in NOM
mating and electing them at the polls.
1t speaks well for the civic spirit of St
Paul that so many men should be
found willing to give their services to
the public good superior even to party
interest.
Now what is the supreme and uni
versal difficulty that has confronted
these gentlemen in their work, so far
as to impair greatly it's results and in
some cases to bring it utterly to
naught? 1t is their inability to find
any man of the character and standing
they seek who will consent to stand
for Office or who will take a member
ship of either house of the city coun-
ell. even when it is offered to him
with the pledge that he will receive
the substantially united support of
both parties. Men of all occupations
have been approached on this subject,
men who are in all other respects good
citizens, who have high ideals of pub
lie life, whose business interests are
not more engrossing than those OF
others, and whose names would be a
guarantee of an efficient, businesslike
and absolutely honest conduct of pub
lie affairs. Almost every man has
opened his eyes wide at having made
to him such a proposition. Most of
these men declined fatty even to consid-
er it, and seemed to think themselves
somewhat aggrieved at having such
request preferred.
Now this is not good citizenship. It
is, moreover, the key to every difficulty
of government that we need to unlock.
1t is the prevailing American fault. It
is essentially treason to our institu-
lions. 1t is the vital weakness among
our people, which must be cured I'M
less our system of government itself
is to eventuate in failure. No form of
government is great machine that
will keep on moving of its own voI!-
ton and energy forever. The success
of democratic institutions is contin-
gent absolutely upon a democracy:
that is, upon people intelligent, patri-
otto and willing to do their duty in
peace as well as In war; Unless they
take up cheerfully the work of govern
Ing, then will they themselves be gov
erned by despots OF very inferior
class, though working under another
name.
How dare any business man in ST.
Paul hereafter. who knows the facts