Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-30
Clean the Walks.

Neutrality-suspicious. enjoy an unusual oppor-
tunity this winter to demonstrate their
public spiritedness and their qualities as
good citizens. The frequent snow falls have
put them to an unusual test, with the
statute requiring them to clean their side
walks declared invalid by the courts and
with no substitute in force to replace it.
Thus far Congress has failed to provide APP
preparations to enable the municipal gov
eminent to- undertake the costly task of
cleaning the walks, assuming, it is said,
the attitude that it will be cheaper to pay
damage suits in court than to defray the
expense of this general public cleaning.
Despite these conditions SO favorable to
a complete abandonment of the sidewalks
to the elements, large numbers of citizens
have for their own protection and for the
sake of the public cleaned the spaces in
front of their houses after each fall Of
snow, thus setting a praiseworthy example
to all others. But certain percentage of
the people have remained inert, taking full
advantage of the immunity granted by the
courts and the failure of the authorities to
devise means to compel them to put the
walks in proper condition.
Although the courts have held that the
sidewalks belong exclusively to the govern
Ilelil anu are lHtItlOie lOt proper SUP
ject of compulsory legislation affecting the
householders, it is obviously the duty of all
good citizens to undertake this slight task.
To take advantage of technicality and al
low the walks to remain covered with snow
or ice is to contribute to a demoralizing
and dangerous condition, which will inevi-
tably lower the tone of the community and
make 1t unpleasantly conspicuous among
America cities in Iah or
of cleaning each walk is very slight. Ten
minutes work with good shovel or broom,
or twenty-five cents paid to one of the hun
dreds of men and boys seeking work, will
put each householder in the front rank of
thoughtful and considerable citizens.
The government owns the pa-kings in
side of the sidewalk line but no resident
thinks of taking advantage Of that fact to
refuse to clean for himself a path through
the snow from his front door to the pave
ment. And when he makes this path if he
stops at the sidewalk line he displays
selfishnesS which reacts upon all his neigh
bors.
There is a higher law than that framed
by legislators and enforced by adminstra-
tors, the law of mutual help, the law of
good citizenship. Every man should do that
which is right, whatever the state of the
statutes or the rulings of the courts, and
the right course after a snow storm is for
every man to clean his walk just as care
fully as though he owned 1T, SO that he may
be sure, through a similar show of enter
prise and consderateness by his fellow
citizens, of a clean footway to and from
his own house.
And it is surely to be expected that the
federal government and the District govern
ment officials will set a good example to all
citizens by having the sidewalks under their
charge, in front of public buildings and
around parks and reservations, cleaned first
of all. It is somewhat disheartening to the
householder who is trying to do his duty to
find these public spaces neglected, IS they
have been several times the present season.