The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1906-02-23

get down to bed rock. We must hay
the visions and dreams, but we mus
do something more, and may sugges
In passing that the dream Owosso i
nearer than we think-the bette
government, the better city is neare
than we think.
Perhaps you wondered when I sug
gested those few words as a sor
OF text what it had to do with my
subject. Let me say to you now, il
was a critical moment in the lives ot
the Apostles. They were awaiting
new revelations. They were be.
wlidered and knew not what to do
Peter said, while 1 wait / must dc
something will go back to the
old fishing" And the others said
We will go with you" and they
worked all night and caught nothing
and One appears and tells them to
cast the net on the right side of the
ship, and the story goes on to tell
how the nets wrere filled to breaking
and all night long they had just been
boats breadth from success. That
is all. Success was nearer than they
ever dreamed.
An explanation is unnecessary. You
can see the point so well and so clearly.
Is this new city government nearer than
we dream. 1t seems just boats length
away. Dream of your new city, but
believe as you dream that that new city
is near. Change you methods. We
have been fishing on the left side. We
have been fishing on the wrong side.
They were told to change to the other
side and they did, and you know with
WHAT success. You know how men
hesitate to change their methods. We
have been using the old methods and
have not been successful. We have not
succeeded in any great degree. Let us
accept this splendid urging of our
Master.
Let us suggest two or three things
that it might be we'll to change. Take
it into our own little city. We are
divided up into four or five wards. We
havc tried the method and do not be-
Iieve it is very successful and l will tell
you why. You divide your city up into
wards and what do you Greater You
create five little political machines. 1t
is mistake. The machine is all right
as long as it is in good hands. You
carnot get along well without the ma
sejes. sas s hszs aas gAsas ss and l
our councilman, but let us have them |
of the entire city, not |
some little section. You may differ, |
but think it would be splendid idea
for us to change our methods in this re |
spect and abolish our wards and have |
at large and let them repre-
sent us all and not a man here and there |
represent few. The Master said to
the fisherman, change your methods
l think it would be a good plan to
change our methods in regard to
We are so often
partisans. We have been boys and
girls when we ought to have been men
and women. 1 say women because
more than we think women are infiuen-
tial in the management of the city |
yovernment We have gone into our
local affairs as republicans and demo-
Gratis 1t is home. In the name of all
that is good, and clean and sweet why
10 we do it in home affairs, and yet we
have been partisans. Wrong, isn't it9
Parties are all right. Do not misunder-
stand nae, but let us not take the matter
Of party into the home. 1 think we
will do well to change our methods in
this respect.
The idea Of taking party into the city
government, or school election or any
thing of that kind In my old home
there are even partisans in electing the
school board 1t is wrong, all wrong.
Another thing, l think we ought to
change our methods too in respect to
our support of men. We have been
blind in our support of men. 1t did not
matter so much as to what they were as
to how they were labelled. Do they
bear our particular LABEL mean as to
politics. In little while we are going
to have an election and think it is my
business to change my method little
and so scrutinize the man for whom 1
am going to vote and if he is not clean
and upright and honest in his private
life, do not care to trust him in public !
life. 1t does not matter what label he
bears if he is clean and upright and
honest in his private life, he is the man.
A multitude of things | might men
ton, but am almost persuaded that if
we would follow these simple rules, the
new Owosso would appear very soon.
Not that any of us would have wings or
anything of that kind, but we would |
have good, clean government. You
might ask what / would call good,
clean, well-governed city. A good,
city would be city in |
which the streets are clean and whole
some, all business conducted honorably.
A city in which the institutions which |
degrade men would not have greater |
privileges than the institutions which |
aim toward the moral welfare Of the |