New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-30
DIR. ADLER ON POLITICS.
Giues Tiezcs on Municipal Ozonersh1l
and Independent Nominations.

mr. Fe,ix Adler chose the ethics of the present
municipal elections as his there. before the Ethi-
cal Culture Society yesterday morning. at CaTne-
gle Hall He said
Political questions lead contentious discussions
and the object of a religl u Society is to bind in
closer friendship and 70 dissolve. not accentrate.
phrase that parsons should avoid politics. But
this rule has an exception wden tne ponseai lssue
At such time a paTsOn would miss q golden OF
business TO set forth. if he did not refer to the
political questions Of The day
There are number Of political issues before Us
now Is there any moral to them? There IS a
commended on the ground that it VIII reduce the
price Of necessares like illuminating because
DeGusf f II VII 'Drsn iogPGty @ I've a[e .bs
price Of neeessaries for the common people. and so
they all have a moral quality
But is municipal ownership itself moral issue9
MEnic. pal ownership is means 70 an end: and the
means 10 moral ends receive the stamp OF nGrai
the only means that lead 70 that end Mu9iciPIal
ties and the public management Of utilities by the
city or it may mean the ownership ana 1an ti
under public control. Which is the better2 That
is technical question. which earnest people
have hss%Gn in SAYING E thai o o1s wsad
like to the public comfort considered first, be
don't own our government / should be afraid. a
b eneT rn "a aTesdy too great
i hnd 50 do not hold municipal ownership no'a
The indsputable moral issue In TINS cam
paign is that raised by the District ATTORNEY FIRST
there is the personal element involved me otnef
night when the campaign opened heard one man
say his neighbor. Il believe that that man -
really honest" The deep laid skepticfsm OF the
American people about public officials MADE nir1
make reluctant confession that for once ne hao
man to be able 70 bring this out fear the condi-
tons of American life make US ever suspicious
A man rises and makes promises of what he VIII
do after he is elected He will cringe to no one.
will act with a single eye to the public service
We say professions leaves IN these October
days They fall around on every hand without seed
fruit. Promises result in nothing once elected
and intrusted with power. who Will see that tnat
keeps his promises and redeems his pledgesg
Now the politicians must live, and at this time
there is d great extension of public utility corpora
TONS and the politicians begin TO live on them IL
is perfectly natural. Some one must govern that
must live: the offices at their dispesai
reduced in number; the public utility corpora
tions are increased. therefore they must live on
them. So il is the funds of the great corporations
that supply TO large extent the needs OF the pro-
fessfonal politicians.
What the results? In the first place the ma
chine tries to crush rivals unity of action
the part the politicians is essential in these
times of public corporations. Before, in the Old
DAYS of spells ready for the victors. there were
many different machines. but there cannot be now.
In the second place, the broker must be abSo-
lutely trusted having behind him wealth and
every avenue of wealth, and get one man
power within the machine Now we should say.
not ITO the victor belongs the spoilS. but TO the
victor belongs the tribute, the tribute from the
great corporations.