The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-09-16
FILE COMPLAINTS WITH
RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS.


If things go wrong, try filing COM
plants with the persons response
BILE for them The police depart
ment VIII see to the removal of the
dead cats left in your alley, if you
call their attention to It It is
wholly unnecessary to advertise
through the columns of your local
paner the fact that a defunct cat has
been left in your alley. If the city
government doesn't do things to
suit you, present a petition to the
council setting forth the grounds
for your complaint 1t will do much
more good than publishing spiteful
remarks about the city dads in the
paper If the county government
doesn't run its business to the best
interests of certain individuals, the
same rule applies. A petition signed
by nImber Of reputable citizens
will not fail to have effect, if their
cause be Just and properly present
ed. II the postmaster be dereiict
ID the performance of his duty, file
a protest with him in person. or go
to the postal department at Wash
ington about it, And so with other
Public officials II tiey don't do
their duty, first Try tie method de
scribed- r finally such efforts
prove of 70 avail, taea it viii De
time enough for the press to take
the matter up. When officials are
unworthy or inefficient and fail to
take quiet hint, then it is time
Ehe general public should De inter
ested "a the subject, and the papers
can do good work in this line
But, unless the conditions COM
planned of are a public nuisance. or
cause a gross injustice 20 a consid-
cradle NUMBER of people. or tho der
ELECTION of duty is so fragrant as
to Justify public rebuke and to de
mand that the officials complained
Of be held up to general censure,
1t is not the duty of the local pa
per to publish such complaints or
criticisms 1t is not pleasant to have
70 say unkind things about people.
The very persons that clamor for
the publication Of criticisms OF Of
fcials rarely have the courage to 80
to the officials complained of and
present their charge in person If
they do, they generally do so in
very mild tone that does not in the
least approach the vigorous excoria-
ton which they would commend in
the local paper, should it act as their
mouthpiece.
1t is a fact that, if the delinquent
official happens to pass near
group OF "kickers," who are engaged
in their favorite pastime with him
as the subject, the hitherto loud
and complaining voices will be low
cred and no more be said about him
until he is beyond earshot Yet they
want their local paper to voice their
complaints editorially, and to incur
the i'll will of the officials COM
planned of, as well as that of his
family and friends. 1t matters not
to them if the friendship which the
editor may have enjoyed hitherto be
severed and old friends pass him
With averted faces or angry looks.
In nine cases out of ten, it is prob
ably true that the kicker" would
refuse to have the local paper pub
Hsh an article criticising a public Of
fetal with the signature of the
kicker" attached to it
Be just to your local paper It's
chief object is to publish the news
not to be a "kickers organ.
Don't expect it to print your every
petty complaint, but do your com
planning through the proper chan
ueIs. It will do equally as much
good-perhaps more. and the whole
public need not be made to feel I'M
comfortable by the disagreeable at
ncsphere which constant growing
and complaining inevitably produce.