Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-09-25

(Written Specially for The Bulletin.)
One of the things which puzzles me
much during my more or less weary
pilgrimage through this work a day
world Is why the average rural com
-nunity tolerates such local misgov-
eminent I'm going to talk politics
this morning. Now don't get hot in
the collar before 1 begin. While I'm
going to talk politics, I'm not going to
talk party. II. when / get through,
you know whether I'm a democrat or
"noater' or a mugwump or a prohi-
bitionist or republican or. sit
the fence" you will have had need of
much insight. Nor do care straw
which you are who read. II you're a
farmer, living in a farming community
out In the country, the chances are
that your local government isn't what
II ought to be ard what it might be If
the farmers would only unite in insist
ing upon better things.
When ! say politics, ! mean town
politics. Remember the dictionary
definition of the word: The science of
government, that part of ethics which
as to do with the government etc.
The great parties are divided along dis
putes about national or state manage :,
1nent. But these great national issues
have nothing whatever to do with the
repairing Oh lOWn TOduS anu DTlu$eS.
What on earth has a mans opinion
about the tariff or the Philippines to
do with his capacity for keeping the
towns roads in condition? What do /
care how he votes for president, pro-
vided he knows how, when and where
TO use the gravel? Town politics means
the science of governing town affairs.
So far as my experience goes, should
say that there was usually shown, in
10 11aftal tsr.ft Oh
much science in local government as
a Digger Indian would show in a
search for the magnetic pole. 1t doesn't
seem to matter either, on which side
Of the party fences the local majority
may be. I've known country towns
where most of the voters were demo-
Gratis in national politics to have
mighty rotten town management. And
I've known towns where most of the
voters were republican in national pol
itics to have mighty rotten town man
agement. It is the queerest thing in
the world to me why / should be ask
ed to vote, or should be thought capa-
ole Of voting for an assessor, say, who
is VIGOROUSLY ignorant of taxable val
ues, just because he agrees with me
about the tariff on Australian wool. Or
why any man Jack should vote for
road commissioner who knows moth
tns about road making, just because
the candidate agrees with Jack about
Philippine independence.
Seems to me il is about time for
US farmers 10 take our noses out of
the politicians fingers, so far, as the
management of cur local business is
concerned. Oh, I'll admit all you
choose to say about the necessity Of
organization. Bless your dear hearts,
it's organization I'm arguing for. But
it's organization for local improve
Inent, not for pulling the other fell
lows chestnuts out of the fire. The
thrifty, provident, patriotic, foresight
ed citizens OF Punkhunkus can't inf1u-
enc me election of a president much
unless they belong to and act with the
national party whose policies and can
didates they favor. But they can
compel just exactly the sort of gov
eminent in the town of Punkhunkus
what It is. The whole thing is in their
hands. There isn't a town in the ten
states l know most of where the de-
cent voters who really would like good
local government aren't in the major
ity. But they're also, almost invari-
ably, like the flock of sheep in the hill
pasture: One greedy, gobbling wether
NJ bad nlor,us gees a little BUSH he
wants to browse through a hole in the
fence. He hunts his way through and
the entire flock Of well-meaning NUT
ton heads follow him-not because
there's anything left Of the bush for
them nor because they really want to
get out, nor for any other real reason
on earth, except just that they are
mutton heads, and that is the way
mutton heads act.
Some years ago ! drifted into a lit
tie New England town which was
strangely attractive in a good many
ways. For one thing the numerous
hills over which my road climbed
hadn't Thank We ma'am" on 'em to
wrench my backbone, or try the
strength of my carriage springs. In
stead the surface was rounded so high
and the bitches on both sides were so
deep and open that all the water ran |
of to the side before 1t could have |
struck a thank We ma'arn' If there |
had been one every ten feet. There !
weren't any pesky little cobble stones |
in the wheel tracks to jounce over,
either. Nor were the road sides foul |
with nDxious weeds and bvshez. The |
abcence Of road fences was notable, in |
many cases the cfean mown sward of |
a meadow coming quite UP to the ditch |
beside the track. At many houses the |
front ysrd--no, we're not talking about |
"lawns;" this was a town Of farmers |
and farm houses which have front |
yards and don't call them lawns-at