The Monroe journal., 1911-04-04
uood Citizenship Necessary in Any
Form Of Government.

be, mere forms Of government would
b. Of little concern. But humanity
has not reached that beattitic condl-
ton. and signs that ii will soon
reach it are not multiplying.
And until we do reach that happy
stage. il is very important that the
plans Of government under which
they live should give the greatest
possible facility for the right think
ing and right acting people to exert
their influence in whatever govern
ment we have. Until late years
Americans, feeling secure in the be-
lief that they had the best system OF
government on earth, have become
more prone as the years passed to let
that government run itself Today
they are waking TO knowledge OF
the important fact that no govern
ment is so perfect within itself that
il does not require the constant VIC,
lance Of good citizenship behind ii.
The people have been SO secure in
the belief that they had al the power
in their government that they have
sat quietly by and seen the law max
ing and law enforcing organization
captured and operated far TOO often,
not for the purpose for which it was
intended, but for a thousand and one
selfish interests, ranging all the way
from the leyying Of taxes for private
business to the immunity granted a
speak joint in the smallest
town.
As a means OF making it easier for
right minded citizens to regain the
influence that they should never have
surrendered, the commission form Of
government has been invented for
towns and cities. 1t is based upon
the assumption that there are more
good citizens than bad in any COM
munity and that these will control
the governmental agencies if they
have better means for so doing, All
over the country towns and cities
are adopting the measure, and so
far, not one Of them has regretted it.
1t is a significant fact that all the
immoral, the vicious, the illegal and
the crime breeding elements in ey-
cry community have solidly opposed
the commission form. To those who
reason By practical routes, this is
sufficient evidence that the lawess
element believe the commission plan
inimical to their operations and
plans.
But it will be found even where
The commission is adopted, that it
will not run itself Behind it must
be not only some good citizens, but
all the good citizens must unite and
stand behind it. They will find that
the vicious element will take charge
of the new form as readily as it did
the.old il it is allowed to do 50.
In Tacoma, Washington, the bad ele-
ment united and elected the com
missioners, and had a wide open
town. But there we're a majority Of
people who didn't want wide open
town. But these had split up in the
election Of commissioners and found
that they were no better off than be
fore. But-here is where the saving
feature Of the commission plan comes
in they had the power Of recall
and under this power the good citi
zens at last united and turned oui
the crowd that had been duly elect,
ed, it is true, but by an organized
minority.
The good citizen has got to con
tinue to do business If he wants
good government. He cant 60 t
sleep, even with a perfect form. Ii
fact, the execution Of the laws is tn,
important thing, anyway We hay'
laws enough now to very well run ,
paradise if we could only get then
executed. The recall turns out tn,
bad servant.
Rev. T. W. Chambliss, lately pas
tor Of the Baptist church at Wades