The San Francisco call., 1905-04-12


without law and order. The reason
the Y. M. c. A. can help is that 1t
makes good citizens" Mr.. Wheelan
spoke in part as follows:
No city is better than its people Some are
a good deal worse l might mention one not
We people of San Francisco are noted for our
modesty.
below the average virtue and intelligence OF
the whole people, there is one cause and that
is that the people are not alive to their civic
duty. This Is a truth of the sort that all
good people should pin In their hats.
CITIES A MODERN GROWTH.
Our cities are a modern growth-the latest
product of civilization, the triumph OF genius
and the work of humanity. We can't get any
a comparison Of the ancient and the modern
cities. In those Of ancient times the streets
sewerage. Even the palaces had no
ventilation. In Berlin. in leland London
sites the streets II they had had boss
in those days he would have rented out the
OF e5 Tbes no ad graft
in the failure to sweep the streets, though. as
there was no cleaning fund then
was not till 1881 that they had an under
ground sewer. In 1855 there not good
pavement nor broad, convenient sidewalk
there.
The modern city is our production and
problem. Every age has it's problem and this
make good be Observation-Disclosures
that unable 10 help in the progress of
US to the zenith and We could not continue
the march: that We have no genius and no ca
pacity to make life better worth the living
The Importance OF the problem is increasing
every day. The population of cities is rising
and threatening ruin to free institutions. This
increase has been the most rapid in the last
ent ratio until 1920 there will be 10, 000, 600
more people in our cities than in the country
Jef m he
effect of the growth Of the large cities. Were
those great minds right in the apprehensions?
You at the danger point now. The steam
is up to the full, and some OF the worst
characters in the nation sitting squat on
the safety valve
Self government is success in the rural
districts and failure in the cities What are
we going 20 do when city politics holds dom
ination2 What kind of administration will that
be for America which is given by the power
that maintains diiapidated schoolhouses and
will We do when the graft king rules over all
the land?
If we are going to make America free. we
Will have to make over our cities. II you
would keep the nation worthy you must make
your cities worthy-make them righteous tenn
day are the citizens of tomorrow. What will
you do with them in cities where there is no
proper place to rear children?
You make the city over but only by
making yourself over Do your civic duty.
is the proper place for you and for your chill
dren. You make over San Francisco re-
deem her and make her a worthy Queen of the
Pacific
Pericles said Men, not walls, make citv. >,
His saying is true to-day. 1t Is always men
make cities and make nations
The speaker compared democracies
and despotism. He said that under
the latter about all the citizen has
to do is to avoid little differences that
bring his head under the ak and let
those vested with government by di-
vine right look after affairs. 1t is
perfect snap for the citizen. Under
a democracy there are many disad-
vantages. That form of government
is not beautifully automatic and does
not provide its own chauffeur. 1t
exists only through and by the active
virtues of its citizens. There is work
to do to keep it perfect.
CONSCIENCE AWAKENING.
Government of democracy is an
institution of battle, not state of
being" said the speaker. Every
citizen must be sentinel on guard"
Continuing, he said:
If such government is to endure it must be
established on the hearthsrones OF the people
and written on their hearts There are bur
dens to bear. and to refuse to assume those
burdens is like farming and depending on vol
unteer crops-the weeds soon choke out the
grain. There is no substitute in democracy
for civic duty.
Under all human progress must lie the
lect your duties, lower the national standard
and nothing will your nation.
Can you expect to have wide OPEN town
and high moral standard at the same time?
There is good deal of growing but the
worthy person who growls puts on his smoking
jacket, dimes and takes up good book, satis-
fed. Go to political meetings? No. He can't
touch elbows with those who are there; 1t
would be vulgar He will let the professional
politicians attend. He says we have no inter
ests Haven't we7 think have. All over
the land is awakening political conscience
The people will not srest upon despotism built
upon graft and frauds at the ballot-box I
believe the American peopfe are brave enough
and strong enough to preserve the nation and
throw the incompetent from ofhce-the inde-
cent from command. They have won too many
victories to be beaten now by crooks and
grafters. The wrath OF decency Is arising as
the sound of storm in the distance.
Mr.. Wheelan called upon the men
before him to help swell an army
that would make the plunderers and
thieves and grafters stand aside. The
young men of the country hold in
their hands the destiny of free gov
ernment and free democracy, he said.