The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1910-03-11

S and children: it is home and children
a Clean streets, pure water, pure food
: smokeless atmosphere are all cues
l lions of politics, since politics is tn,
science of government, and wome1
are obliged to interest themselves ii
politics, If they would surround theil
FAMILIES with healthful conditions;
but that is far from meaning thai
they must in turn throw themselves
into partisan politics. philadelphia s
late Mayor Weaver declared in one OF
his lucid intervals that we can never
have good government in this coun-
try till every man, woman, and child
Is interested in politics. To admit
there is truth in this assertion does
not commit us to the Weaver brand
of politics. The thousands of women
who are practical philanthropists,
who are working to rescue the child
laborer, to help the jewellers in tene-
ments, to raise the standard in mills
factories, and almshouses, must con-
Germ themselves with politics. For
what Is the use of fighting for child
labor laws, If we can have nothing to
say about the officials who carry out
these laws? Where is the gain of
tenement and factory regulations, if
we cannot at the same time get hon
est and efficient factory inspectors?
And where is the profit of all our
legislation on the liquor question, I'M
less we can see to it that magistrates
and policemen are honest and law
abiding?
therefore, our committee urges
that with every petition that goes
to legislatures for better social and
industrial laws, shall go also a petit
ton for Civil Service law to render
the others of any avail. We must in
terest ourselves in politics to help
take the Civil Service out of partisan
politics. The first response to this
appeal comes from the Pennsylvania
Federation, at whose annual meet
ing in November it was declared by
resolution, Civil Service Reform is
the cornerstone of all the laws"
The children of darkness-the
practical politicians-are wiser in
their generation than the children of
light, for they say in effect, Let who
will make the laws, so long as we
have the enforcing of them
Mrs. Decker, the chairman of our
committee, has learned from her
long experience on the Colorado
Board of Charities the actual condi-
ion of the inmates of the public char
table and penal institutions, when |
left to the tender mercies of officials I
appointed under the Spells System. '
She has therefore prepared list of I
Ill such institutions in every state U
where there is a federation of clubs. i!
Ind has forwarded the lists to the I
'arious Civil Service Chairmen, urg- S
ng that the moral and sanitary con- {
litions of these institutions be in q
'est1gated and reported. Her practi- =
al suggestions to those who NAV V
AXE up this work have been favor 9
bly, commented on in the public Il
ress. a
Another point which our commit
ee is pressing upon the attention of ID
ne members of the Federation is the %
lherent immortality of the doctrine of
lie Spells System, "To the victor be- =
ing the spoils," which has not only OF
orrupted the political world, but u
as carried its infection into the VI
orld of business. How else can we "
iplain the ruined banks, the looted VI
companies, the wrecked us
lilway companies? If the revenues ~
city belong to the party in pow
, then logically and inevitably the er
venues of a corporation must be- SO
ng to those who administer them, &c
'rporation presidents who have spe-
lated with the money of stockhold- CT
S, the managers of trusts who have fol
AIDED taxes and duties, don't feel