Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1906-07-08

the help Of God. let us go forth as
brayely and heroically az did our
forefathers at Cor cord and Bunker
Hill TO eradicate the greatest weak
ness of orr national life, namely.
corruption in our municipal. or city
governments. Either we must con
qner them, or they in turn will com
pletely overthrow us.
The civic problem of our land will
never be successfully solved, until the
American Voter has intelligence and
manhood enough to divorce national
aud State politics from municipal af-
fairs The two politics, the national
and civic, are entirely distinct. The
one. 70 great extent does not rep
resent personalities but principles.
while. on the other hand. civic poll
ties does not represent principles so
much as personalities Let me IL
lustrate the den arcation in a few
words.
Come back with me to the year
1896. Major Mckinley, of Ohio. Is
the candidate upon the Republican
ticket for President OF the United
States. He Is the logical represen-
talive OF his party upon the sole is
sue that he was the author of the
famous Mckinley Bill. which estab-
lishcd The high tarin Now, if Mr.
Mckinley is elected TO the Presiden-
~. hc can do absolutely nothing to
Onward his ideas of projection. un-
less he has "a Congress behind him
which will pass protection laws.
Thus all over the country. the repub-
!icaus uf the different Congressional
districts assemble ana pick out men
who believe in "Protection. TO sun
port the future President i'm his pol
icy. lou can readily see why they
do this. When we elect a Congress
man. we do not elect a personality so
much as We vote for a principle. The
National Convention builds a political
platform. Then the different Con
eressional Conventions of the party
nominate men who will pledge them
selves to support that platform: in
other words, in national politics the
unit man is an insignifcane mote of
sand. But when all these notes are
collected together in one great vol
nme. we have the national policy. or
the principle of the great dominant
political party, expressed in one
mighty chorus sounding together as
one voice.
Now, ON the other hand. the gov
"rnment of a city has nothing to do
with the tariff laws. or with the adj
No'ncy of free silver liu. # has
III" ming to do with the question
whether the Philippines shall ha ,e
Selt-sovernment as in Cuba. 1t has
nothing, absolutely nothing, to do
Win national or state politics. \ city
government has simply to do wiz,
men. II is big business. I. has to
do with the public schools, .nd With
The water supply. and with the llehi.
ing of our streets, and with or
street railway system, and with the
control of our police and fire depart
merits Any man who is strong. non
"' upright, Intelligent business man
can run any city government uielt.
he he republican or a democrat. or
an adherent to any of the other sane
political faiths. And yet the local 20
liiical bosses" of a city inevitably
mold The municipal governments i'm
their grasp, by mixing mp state and
national issues with civic affairs.
They nominate their candidates
Then they come to the voters and
say 'Now, be consistent. IF you are
going to vote for a republican pres
id"nt vote for republican mayor
and % republican city attorney and
republican councilman These men
ali represent the same great repubm-
can truths" And never was greater
nonsense ever perpetrated upon a
blinded community than that OF in
-is'Ine ON the mayor and council be-
ing Of the dominant political party.
Chr ian Herald.