The sun., 1909-06-15
The Aristometric System.

The Aristometric System.
The Citizens Union is on the move
again. Now let vice tremble and the
vicious be altogether cast down, for out
Of the silences OF the summer season.
out Of the mute unpassivity Of dead
city, there sounds the bugle call Of the
pioneers Of perfection and even the most
bored will shortly smile again. It is a
new mission, that on which the Citizens
Union has now embarked, q new device
Of enforced virtue which it is to peddle
to public conscience. But interesting
though it be for itself it is the stir and
hum Of animation in the headquarters
Of morality which must chiefly charm
this wearied public.
That the Citizens Union has for q
period retired from old fields and aban-
doned old familiar activities is we'll
known. Such a course does not, more
over, merit censure. Tho best stock
company in the world, presenting the
finest comedy the stage has known,
must ultimately appeal to it's audiences
with q new drama. It was time, more
over, that the Citizens Union changed
productions. The real inspiration in
the change however, lies in the new
course, the latest mission. Hitherto
the Citizens Union has sought public
office through new and shorter path
ways. Henoeforth, since the offices are
for it no longer attainable, its mission is
to make their possessors uncomfortable.
The plan Of the new campaign is en-
gagingly simple. From a vast and
various experience drawn from the
inner consciousness OF the larger por-
ton OF the best citizens Of this metropolis
it has devised legislative standard.
Each member OF the Union has thought
fully committed to paper a statement
of what his course would have been had
the public been fortunate and wise
enough to send him to Albany last
winter. In this inspired fashion a stan
dard OF perfection has been achieved.
From this standard, moreover, a civil
service examination in the first prin-
ciples OF perfection has been devised,
drawn up, promulgated. This test,
moreover, is to be applied to all the un-
couth and uncultured persons whom a
thoughtless public actually despatched
to Albany to perform certain more or
less mysterious tasks.
For the next week, therefore, the
legislators who revealed their unright-
eousness in the Capitol last winter are
directed to report in business hours at
the headquarters Of morality, that is
the Citizens Union headquarters in this
city. There each will find in attendance
properly qualified prophet Of the
gospel of perfection. From him the
legislator will learn in brief time
exactly what he should have done during
the legislative year. Every important
problem of State government will be
then touched upon and solved, At the
close OF this lecture or admonhion the
legislator will be allowed fve minutes
in which to reply, to explain, to justify
if he can his failure to measure up to
the standard. A more utterly rational,
a iuster, a fairer method of measure
ment could hardly be devised.
Notwithstanding the fairness OF the
method, however, we are thoroughly
convinced that no legislator will be able
to survive the test. For ourselves we
should dearly love to behold the Hon.
THOMAS F. GRADY shrinking and sub
siding before the merciless cross-exami-
nation Of the Hon. WILLIAM JAY ScHIEF-
FELIN. The sorrow, the sadness, the
complete detection of GRADY as he be-
held himself, his petty views, his slight
knowledge of legislative method or
activity contrasted with the inspired
omniscience Of the stern ScHIEFFELIN--
these would be wonderfully worth see
ing In the same fashion our imaeina-
ton leaps at the thought Of the Hon.
PATRICK H. MCCARREN bowed in shame
before tho rigid and relentless cross
examination Of the Hon. JULIUS HENRY
COHEN. How much GRADY and Nc
CARREN might learn from such n con-
tact with these admirable agents OF
what is highest and best in the idealism
Of our present public life'
II is still too early TO discuss the de-
details Of the Citizens Union plan, its
scope, it's possible development. II the
plan is successful, and 1t must be. II
can be extended TO broader fields. The
Governor, the members Of the National
Congress, may later be subpnnaed Ia
appear before this august tribunal and
listen TO u frank statement OF what. they