The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-25
Cijpiic Pride As An Asset.
ce7 b. Den,ing, Esq, Cltairna II, executive CON-
n1ittee, IN " tional W Municipal League.

world tetter7J what inre Il we d iolhg 70
make tits noble city otrs 81 vet
Biioblers ,clty2 And "a IL to hesc dtiestlors
igwc must ntiswAr We /, have 81 giit corr
Sscioust,ess OK none ii at X all OF honest
Et,er.on,l effort I; and We ,feel no shame
( however largo olffi lsirk account or
8flourishlng Eoiir4s3 business Il vic prlde@ !is
wanting from Oh z asset 8. X: "
n Il tfs day farRd distant wher I he aro'is-I
id hnd Intelligent pat riot ISM OF our b
ness men viii ut tuck 10 "a trobloi n 81
city government III the sat,e clcar'-.!c:ut,
sacute constructive tha " men
ompioy other ll,,por1t 70 manner
demanding attention outsld heir reg,ll-.
siar#callingH, Nphensnh experienced man
builds d factory he does mot assn me ssto
lie an#archlt,tct or an engineer, Il but l,c
8 knows how 10 flnd architects and emf n
stieers and cott1hateiit ofies, s w hen the
sap3roduct T of HIS I'LL Els poor duality,
khes does mot VII insist \ upon VI using NJ the old
machinery the same stiperintendcnts
Snud fooltshly Ilnmc the bad product He
does not hesitate to invest q III II no ma \,
9chincry tand 10 find better stinerir,t tors ,tt
dents. There Il Il. mo blind tlchisn II,
tho f1ake-up Of ~ vide wa ke, pro 8 ross
I siva business .1nnn. He lloiiors his an-s
acest tors, but this estor-worshIp does
Y
strolley-car,S Az od.cnrrier to II n tolsting
or refuse to install "a telephone
because his father employed the nAJs
/ OF messenger Bigotry and blind her
erice to tradition nre short lived In tho
business world. ii But \ In tho business
\ mans political attitude there X Is N at III 4 a
deal 8of bigotry ana his thoughts on po-
Utica X matters ure apt & to- Y lie with be-
numblng traditionallsn. How; else 4 shall.
We 4 explain the y clinging 70 ant i1uated,
Ecun,brousa xpensiyo elect oral b methods
that end \ TO put the actual conduct Of
the public affairs 3iin the s@i hands Of y
distinctly fncdiocrt class o. men as con-l
pared With men Il, positions OF cores
world ,3f 3sfs II sss
f5$ Yet the conduct of. government IS far
more dIfilcults In itself and Its correct
and efficient conduct far moro vital to!
human progress than any N private busl-::
ness whatsoever. If Il q I'll. III st{sS
THE primary cause 81! municipal evils
the reason for Il heir cxlstence over
shadows all others lnEs the Innate ans
nlysiss "A Is that our electoral and govern
mental systems are 4 Obstacles to etlici-s
ent and shigh-clnHs administration o. the,
sctty's business With NIL II the progress
we have made, wit NIL the blessings we
enjoy we mus e recO1ntze& that, CONSIDER
ed from the administrative Side, our
city governments and our polit Zeal me-
sthods generally are u lreffl Client and de~j
Sfectlve. Businoss men would not toler-s
Eato them IN the conduct OF their tnst-3
ness. 81 is :5ss
Why not make our electoral machln.
cry simple, easily understood, adaptcd
to express thesreal Will OF the real ma,
gjority7 There q is no f5 more i Important
constructive political work II pressing to
be done than Q bring about such i: q,
change In our. electoral methods. N And
why not abor#to emancl pate our cities
from legislative despotsm. to enable
them to govern theniselye and to pros
vide az sdhenle n orr their II own u COVE rms;
bment{ "A that shall bn II adapted to %tilelrii
needs !? These great strides forward po-s
slitically. { like every move t1erit for XII We
#betternent VIII be accomplished only
through an aroused and aduca ted A pub.
lie sentiment, the Strengthening Of the
civic pride OF tho Individual :& itlzens,I
a deep sense Of the d lgnityS and RESPONSE
stdlity OF citizenship. Without which gov
5crnment OF the people. for lie people.
through agents and agencies selected by
the people will never be5 attained ,ss8sIf
we ever attain The goa, It will be be-
cause pur bust ess mon count civic pride
as as most necessary and val liable as
set.--NeW York City. " Il 23s$$