The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-11-29


be passed, matters of street lights,
street signs and the granting of two
saloon licenses. In the discussion of
the last named the mayor himself
proposed to take an experimenting
part Evidently then no one would
have time or patience for frills and
fancies.
Revival week began discouragingly.
On Monday and Tuesday the rain
poured down. The clurch in which
the meetings were held, because it
had the. largest available auditorium
in the city, was not half filed. But
those who heard Professor Zueblin
once came again, and others came
with them The effect was cumulat-
i've. The afternoon lectures on The
New Civic Spirit" and its manifesto
lions in The Training of the Citi-
zen,' THE Making of the City" ''The
Administration of the City" and The
Life of the Citizen" stimulated thought
and discussion on subjects unfamiliar
because taken For granted as dealing
with matters long settled. The even
ing lectures, illustrated with lantern
slides, told the story of city planning
in America, beginning with the play
cities of the great exhibitions at
Chicago Buffalo and ST. Louis, and
then taking up the seriouSt work of
Washington, San Francisco, Harris
burg and other towns which have dar-
ed to dream dreams of a glorified fu-
ture. In all these there was constant
reference to Grand Rapids, its prob
lens, its opportunities, its mistakes,
and its proposed city plant. The les
sons were driven home.
On Friday of revival week, the Fri
day before the Monday on which the
budget was TO be passed, the secre-
tary of the city-plan commission visit
ed the mayor to make sure that no
hitch would prevent the presentation
of the request for money Again the
mayor assured him that the aldermen
would laugh at the idea of granting
any money for city plan. That
evening the church was packed with
people and hundreds were turned
away.
On Saturday afternoon the regular
meeting was omitted and in its place
was held a conference attended by
eighty of the more prominent BUSH
ness men and city officials. The gen.
eral interest shown by the increasing
attendance at the lectures had value,
but the committee wished to get a
definite expression from leading men, |
so that this general interest might not
be dissipated but crystallized into tan |
gible form. In order to do this the !
city plan was made the subject of
discussion. First. the secretary gave |
brief sketch of the commissions |
work and its desire. Then a dozen |!
men asked questions designed to bring |
out the value and the probable cost of |
city plan, and at the end Professor |
Zueblin answered these questions.
When he had finished, one of the !
members of the commission asked |
those present to signify whether or |
not they favored its request. The /
vote was practically unanimous, and |
the great majority further showed |
their good will by signing petitions |
addressed to the council.
These petitions AID the influence
exerted by some of the leading citi- |
Zens on individual aldermen caused |
the mayor to become doubtful about |
the possibility of the aDDropri- |
alton being granted. On Saturday
evening and on Sunday, petition cards |
were distributed at the revival meet
ings and many hundreds of signatures |
were secured. On Monday the ways
and means committee of the common
council added the appropriation to the
budget with the recommendation that |
1t be passed That evening the MEM
bers of the commission ard several
other men who were deeply Interested
in the work attended the council meet
ing to continue the fight if necessary.
But the fight was over. One of the
commissioners did speak but no one
answered him. Instead, several OF
the aldermen in discussing other sub
jects, street lights and signs, referred
to the cityplan appropriation as some
thing already granted.
But this success, "a said before was |
only the symbol of the greater victory.
That greater victory lay in arousing
the people TO constructive interest
in their city, in opening their minds
to the fact that Grand Rapids is their
heritage, through the deveI-
opment of which in loyal cooperation,
life for eacn and all will be made
more worth the living Clean poll
tics, an efficient government, instead
of covering all the field of citizens
duty, are now recognized as covering
but fraction of it. Added to the task
Of being a good citizen On election
day is that of being a good neighbor
every day.
This new idea revival week drove
home. The work Of the municipal af-
fairs committee and OF an evening 1
paper in substituting beauty spots for
ayeSOreS made obvious one way in !