The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1910-04-08

appearance Of the business part o
the city was always sloyenly. In spite
therefore. Of what might be called 4.
universal aspiration for good things
the astonishing result was obtained d
universally bad things, until part d
the penple we're ready to despair o,
good government, and another part set
tied into a cynical acceptance Of whaI
seemed an irremediable evil"
Finally the rottenness became IN
bearable. Ministers Of the Gospel, in
public and In private, began 70 agitate
the matter; business men. and leading
professional men, became intensely In
terested and aroused: a nonpartisan
committee was formed. The best citi.
zens turned from their private affairs
and devoted themselves seduIously TO
the cause Of reform. In brief. the
commission form OF city government
was adopted, and now, even 10 the
old citizen Of pes Moines. the place
seems 20 wonderfully transformed, in
almost every way. that they can hard
~ believe the testimony Of their own
eyes.
The great trouble with the Ameri-
can people is that they are slow and
sluggish and apathetic when II comes
TO making a move for civic righteous
ness. They are too apt to allow
things to continue as they were;
they can hardly yield to sacrifice the
time in order to safeguard their own
interests, and so the primaries are
not attended BY the better element,
and while the cat sleeps the rat eats
The cheese" Tn scum and slum ele-
ment acquires the ascendency, and
hey only rule to feather their own
nest" caring not a ''tinker's cuss" for
the matter Of morals in business or
character. To rake in the shekels isI
the climax Of their ambition.
Even our own metropolitan Okla
bcma City Is facing ssrious problem
right on this line. While men builded
and cared for the commercial pros
perity OF their city, the mlcrobe Of
corruption found lodging place and
has already eyoluted or deyoIuted into
4 formidable Frankenstein. The grip
Df graft is on the throat Of the peo-
pie; even the unapeakable white slave
traffic has been found to be enaconced
within her walls $50 report has it,
and large portion Of the city revenue
comes or has come from that source.
Oklahoma is determined to shake off
permanently this devilish incubus.
May she succeed.
Strange, is It not, that It is only of
ate that principles that are as old as
ruth, and that are clearly spoken of
n the Bible, are coming into vogue?
solomon declared that there was
nothing new under the SUM-" Yet, It
has been the history of the race that
ruth has often been buried under the
-ubbish Of greed and wrong, and has
lad to be resurrected and put into
practical operation under the infu-
'nce Of people aroused to the needs
II the hour.
The citizens of Vinisa are under OBJ
igation 70 weigh this matter Of city
government carefully while we are
IT'LL In our swaddling clothes and in
he infancy OF our greatness. We
Ihould learn from the numerous pre-
'edents established In the history OF
he older cities of the United States.
rhe COMMISSION FORM or GOV
is the only safe form for
he people at large. The rule OF com
mission means lighter taxes, obyiates
he granting of almost priceless fran
'hises on the part of grasping corpor-
ltions; kills off the old parasitic moss
'acks who are ever the hinderers of |
progress, relegating them to their
roper habitant among the bats and
wis Of old-fogylsm; giving us i'm
that mean the culture OF
'ur children and our children's chill
lren in all that pertains to the prac-
ical, the beautiful, and the aesthetl-
al; nipping in the bud immoralities
hat would speedily find nesting.
lace under almost any other form of
overnment. In short. the commission
orm OF government is the only form
I rule that will safeguard the moral,
ommercial. and educational status OF
ny municipality.
LET US HAVE IT.
LET US HAVE IT sOONi
NO BETTER TIME THAN NOW TO |
'RING ABOUT ITS ADOPTION.
James Russell Lowell sang:
The time is ripe. and rotten ripe for
change;
hen let IL come. / have no dread of