The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-11-01
WHAT IS A PUBLIC
 SPIRITED CITIZEN?
By Harry P. PorterO

We often here the term Public Spirited Citizens" Just what does this mean?
 A public spirited citizen is one who has large enough heart to take in all of the people.
 His creed includes no narrow, petty. selfish interest, no prejudice of race or creed or sex.
 All men are his brothers, and es- pecially his fellow-townsmen. He makes their interest always his own. for he Is wise enough to see that what best serves all will best serve him. He is not blinded by his own, immediate, personal. sell fish interests so that he fails to forecast the future and consequent ly, in all that he does. he builds for that very future and this sue cess is like an everswelling stream, gathering volume and greatness as 1t flows.
 He sees that for his own best welfare and that of his neighbor. and that of all his co-partners in the civic household, in short, the highest good of the city as a whole. is best served by putting into prac- tice. the affairs of the common those common principles of honesty and thoroughness that are in real ity at the bottom of all true suc- cess
 He sees that to skimp his duty in anywise in the community. to es- cape his full assessment of taxa ton. to lend his influence to any cause that does not make for the greatest good of the greatest num- Der and for progress steady and sure. is rank dishonesty. and in the end will bankrupt the city and re- act upon his own business to its distraction.
 He sees that in stagnation is doom and therefore consistently and consistently labors for better ment in all things of which he is a part
 He sees. in a disorderly and un- iserlpt town. loss of seif-respect himself. and by all citizens, and by the outside world for the town and its citizens. and thus a direct loss to his own and all private and public enterprise.
 He sees that not. to take an ac- tive interest in the welfare of the city. state and nation. under whose protection he abides and is enabl- ed to prosper. is to surrender the government to the control of the self-seekers. greedy grafters. and intrenched privilege. especially those interests dealing in public service. and that these If left un- molested, will ever league together to defraud and deceive the people to connive and coerce legislation to serve their own special. immed- ate selfish interests. and who na- turaliy withstand all progress be- cause it interferes with their stronghold
 He therefore gets out and takes his part. and If called upon to serve his city he responds willing Iy and puts his heart and soul in- to the work.
 He Is, in short too wise to be fooled one single instant by any of the people any of the time. He knows men because he is first a man himself, for a truly man is not deceived by artifices of any sort.
 Such a man was F. T. Barnum, Bridgeport's foremost. greatest most famous. most successful and most prosperous citizen. And he was all of these because he was. by na- ture. large enough in his calibre to subserve his. own immediate. selfish interests always, forsee the future. and perceive his indissoluble rela- ton to his feliowmen.
 We must have more men of this calibre in Bridgeport before we can ever, as a city. which means us in- dividually and collectively, have decent government and any real. worthwhile life.
 Today Bridgeport Is. to borrow a popular phrase. pretty much of a dead one. But she has all the pos abilities of greatness. It is up to her citizens to say what she will be. A great city or a dump heap.
 Of this calibre I believe Edward T. Buckingham, our next Mayor, public-spirited, unselfish, efficient, to a high degree.