Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-07-06

q free silver pill. II has nothing 70 do
with the question whether the Philip.
pines shall have self government. as IN
Cuba. II has nothing. absolutely moth
Ing. 10 do with national or state poll
tics. A city government has simply
to do with men. Ii is a big business.
1t has TO DO with the public schools,
and with the water supply. and with
the lighting OF our streets. and with our
street railway system. and with the
control OF our police and fire depart
ments. Any man who is u strong, hon.
est, upright. Intelligent business man
can run any city government Alright,
be he n Republican or a Democrat or
an adherent TO any OF the other sane
political faiths. And yet the local DO.
litical "bosses" OF n city Inevitably hold
the municipal governments In their
grasp by mixing up state and national
issues with civic affairs. They nomi-
nate their candidates. Then they come
to the voters and say: Now, be con-
sistent. If you are going to vote for a
Republican president, vote for a Re-
publican mayor aud Republican city
attorney and a Republican council
man. These men all represent the same
great Republican truths" And never
was greater nonsense ever perpe-
trated upon blinded community than
that of insisting ON the mayor and
council being OF the dominant political
party.
No Longer Heresy.
Do you believe this Is political
heresy? Then read the following
words OF Theodore Roosevelt. presI-
dent OF the United States. Mr.. Roose-
veit declares that most OF the munich
pal corruption OF This country Is direct
ly due to Harvesting up national and
civic issues in the same yoke. Let me
read to you his own strong, powerful.
Intense words: THE worst evils that
affect our local governments arise from
and are the inevitable results of the
mixing up OF city affairs with party
politics of the nation and state. The
lines upon which national parties di.
vide have no necessary connection
with the business OF the city. Such
connections open the way to countless
schemes of public plumber and civic
corruption" What says Secretary viii
liam Taft I'm late letter which he
wrote TO prominent Republican club
OF Cincinnati which had elected him
an honorary member: The conduct OF
municipal affairs has no rational reIa-
ton TO the conduct OF national affairs.
and while IL does not seem possible 10
eliminate from municipal elections the
system OF nominating party tickets,
there ought certainly TO be cultivated
a much wider spirit OF independence
at municipal elections in the scratch
Ing OF improper candidates selected by
either party than is likely to be ever
exercised with reference to state and
national elections"
Independence In Local Politics.
What these Republican stalwarts
teach I believe the great Democratic
statesmen are ready to enunciate and
to advocate. But, though these facts
which I am adduclng should be almost
self evident or automatic. yet there are
hundreds OF men living. let us say. In
the city of Atlanta. who always vote
the Democratic ticket merely because
the state or Georgia is Democratic in
sentiment. as there are thousands OF
men living in Philadelphia who always
vote the Republican ticket because
Pennsylvania is generally Republican.
They will make their state and nation.
nj and civic tickets or the same color.
no matter what ubiquitous political
rings may dominate their cities. Such
voting is wrought Is wrong I'm toto
Every man should tndorse principles
rather than men in national politics.
but every voter should be an independ.
Ont in civic politics. lie should always
vote for the most honest and capable
candidates in municipal affairs. no
matter TO what state or national pollt.
ical faith those candidates belong.
But in order TO solve the civic prob
lem Alright we must do more than sep
arate national politics from municipal
affairs. We must in our city politics
have the right kind OF leaders. We
must prevail upon tho most respected
citizens OF the different cities to offer
themselves as candidates for the differ.
ent municipal Offices. The kind OF men
who are willing TO accept the guberpa.
torial and the congressional and presi
Dental Offices are the same kind who
should be willing 20 be elected to the
mayornity or to the aldermanic chairs
In our city. governments.
~. Make It an Honor. 81
4 oh" but you say. "our prominent
men In professional and business life
cannot AFFORD to take the humble posi-
lions of a city government The finan
cial returns are SO inadequate that they
do not feel called upon to neglect Their
stores or offices for such petty emolu.
ments." Nonsense, my friend. non.
senseI The question OF financial re-
turns should have nothing to do with
our Offering the city positions to our
most prominent citizens. We should
look upon our city governments the
same as they do In England or Scot.
land or Australia or New Zealand.
mere the people. no matter how
wealthy or prominent they may be.
feel II an honor to- be called an alder.
man or Glasgow. or Edinburgh. or Lon.
don. or Melbourne. or Sydney. For
years Lord Rosebery and the Earl Of
Covington and John Burns. the labor
leader. worked side by side In the Lon
don county council. Even In the small.
est towns of those countries you can
mo the most prominent citizens of all
political parties working side by side
as aldermen. The simple fact is we
want that spirit that says: when duty
calls to the municipal halls. then It IA
NOT wrong to go for the greatest Of
men. no matter whether he be mer.
chant prince or legal authority" AS
soen as some OF our prominent business
ana professional men are willing to
MAKE specuniary sacrifice to serve in
the municipal Offices. then these post
TONS VIII pc sought after by our promi-
nens men. as the congressional and