Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-02-25
POLICIES, NOT ADMINISTRATIONS

In national politics there are two
fundamental policies that are sup.
ported and advocated by the voters.
One of those is the policy of free
trade and the other is the policy of
protection. The democratic party
stands for free trade and the Republi-
can party for protection. 1t Is the diff
ference Of opinion on these two ques-
tons that makes man either a Re-
publican or a Democrat. In whatever
part of the country you may 60 this
difference is the same, because 1t is
national principle or policy.
In municipal affairs there are also
two kinds of policies. The open town
policy and the law abiding policy. The
people who are in favor of one or tho
other of these in city government are
never all Republicans or all Demo-
Gratis. But in different parts of the
country, the majority of those who
favor the open town policy or the law
abiding policy are in some places
Democrats and in some places Repub-
licans.
The cities that have recently been
attracting national attention on &C.
count Of their continuous open town
policies have been dominated by men
OF different parties. Minneapolis, I'M
der Republican administrations, put
in by the open town policy, worked up
system of graft that caused a gen
eral revolt of the community. Philadel-
phia did practically the same. ST.
Louis, San Francisco and Pittsburg
are recent examples of the result of
the continuous open town policy. In
some the officials were Republicans,
and in sothers they were Democrats.
The administrations in these cities
were not caused by the conditions =
they are simply the result of the open
town policy, and open town policy is
nothing more nor less than disre-
spect and disregard of law 1t is folly
to criticise or lay at the door of any
one or two administrations, the con-
ditions that exist in community
The responsibility rests with the peo-
pie. They create the administration.
An administration cannot be expected
to be better than the desires and in
clinations of the voters who elect it.
!! This article is not condemning nor
criticising Ottumwa's present city adj
ministration. The fact is, it has been
fully as good, so far as law enforce.
ment is concerned. as the majority of
those who voted for it, wanted it to
be- The town has not been as open in
some respects in the last two years,
as it has been at other times. nor as
open as some people wanted it to be-
| But it has been known as an open
town. The majority of its people cast
their votes for an open town. AS tic
what was or was not the name of the
mayor. had nothing to do with the
case. The people wanted an open town
and they voted for it. The city has
gone on record at every city election
with one exception. in the last twelve
years. as having in it a majority OF
people who wanted an open town.
| The Courier has always claimed
! that that was baG light for anv com
munity to place itself in. The Courier
has not changed its opinion in that
matter in the least. It is just as
strongly in favor of a law abiding
community today as it ever was. nc
more and no less A law abiding com
munity does not mean q law perse
cutting community. 1t simply means
that the general requirements of NOR
! atty and decency will and must pre-
vail in that community. 1t means that
one interest as we'll as another must
conform to the statutes ard are not
asked to do any more That does not
work a hardship on any one and nc
community is rieht that is not wilma
to abide by the laws and make an eff
fort to live UP to them. Liberty comes
from the observance of law and fea,
comes from the disohedience of law