Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-11-04
LESSON OF THE ELECTIONS

lIEOSON OE GiSAASAsS
 The election results in both New York and San Francisco point to but one conclusion: me advocates of civic righteousness have pusheo their demand to point infringing on personal liberty as interpreted by the rank and hle or inc voters. and the disapproval of the people has been unmistakably registered. The pendulum will now swing in an opposite direction, simmer inc to 'to and fro'' motion-a happy medium it is to be hoped, that will insure good govern ment and that will. guarantee the fullest liberty within the bounds of reason, honesty and de- cency.
 What the civic reformers have contended for in New York and San Francisco might have been secured in almost any other American cities in fact, has been in numerous instances, and that these reforms have been made effective elsewhere was perhaps a very important factor in misleading many we'll meaning people in the metropolises mentioned
 New York and San Francisco are strictly cos mopolitan. The nations and the customs of the world are strongly represented and go to make up metropolis medley' beyond the concep- tion of the average native who would answer the appealing voice from a foreign shore with the retort, "This is America
 But the native has forgotten the synonym. America stands for life liberty and the full pursuit of happiness and the alien comes to this country with comprehensive idea of this fact and strong determination to embrace the privileges of this guarantee. To confront him with puritanical laws, to bind him round with galling restrictions, to deprive him of pleasures that he has enjoyed at home and wishes to enjoy in still greater degree in his adopted country, to compel him to obscure himself or participate in programs of Sunday observance contrary to his belief and repugnant to his taste and in- clinatiOn prompts him to exercise his given right of franchise and with the ballot as a weapon he has joined the army of the more liberal native and has won signal victory, placing the stamp of disapproval upon the narrow passageways of the modern moraist
 Public sentiment is the great power -gener- ating and distributing dynamo of American life. Crystallzed 1t passes, repeals and ignores laws. 1t bestows privilege today and removes it to- morrow. It governs society and regulates social conditions. It often recognizes wrong as right but the edicts of sentiment prevail and are only disturbed by change of sentiment. If any great municipal reforms are to be successfully launched in this country sentiment must first be mounded in their favor.
 lt not, about all that the advocate will nave TOT consolation as he gazes upon the wreck and ruin of his hopes will be conscious ness that he labored in what he believed to be right and failed in trying to force upon others the practice of his precepts It is long step to perfection The world isn't one whit worse today than 1t was fifty years ago. With this statement It goes without saying that we are making noticeable advancement toward better general and municipal life But because of the conquests leading to this better condition en- tnuslasm has given birth to fanaticism and the reai re1ormer must suffer by backset that may prove of profit ip the future.