The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-09-16
VICE IS RAMPANT HERE
r.nmon Rumor Gives Keokuk Very
a.d Name and IlIeealities Are
Said to be Of Daily
Occurrence.

- aDrifting." from Heb. I'll. Lott
We drift away" He spoke OF the diff,
icnlty Of holding fast to the better
things and the ease OF drifting with
currents, rather than driving against
them IN the course OF the sermon he
made application of this truth to gov
ornmental affairs. in cities and states,
and commented pointedly on Keokuk
conditions, saying, in substance:
When conditions become unbear-
able in government, the people rise in
revolt against the powers that have
completely assumed control. and in
sist on a new deal Left to itself. a
CITY inevitably drifts into the control
Of the powers that prey on its life.
Indifference on the part of the better
element of community gives cor
rupt influences chance to take the
! management of affairs. Over and ov-
e. again our cities have rallied their
good people to the overthrow OF the
corruptionists. have established new
| forces of administration-and then
have usually imagined that the new
made machinery was going to turn
out good product without any furth-
er care And always the government,
thus unmatched, comes again into the
| lands of those who do not maintain
the ideals of the new regime.
For time this was the case. Bust
ress methods were adopted. Individ
uals OF the Commission" felt a new
responsibility to the people, and to
better ideals OF civic life and condi-
TONS But II current report is cor
rect, there has been a lamentable drift
in the wrong direction. am not a
detective. do not go about at night
making investigation; SO | do not
speak from personal knowledge. But
II common report be true, we need a
new revival OF civic righteousness
here In Keokuk. | do not know that
gambling houses run SO openly or
Third street that any man looking fol-
e game can find it without difficulty
But that is the report about town.
do not know that there are joints
where liquor can be obtained con
trary to law; but it is said there are
] do not know that certain quarters o.
the city are practically surrendered
to vice, without police interference;
Sut this is the report which one cal
hear with an ear only half open.
am assured by men who say the!
know that the moral conditions o
keokuk-or the immoral conditions
II that Is better way to put it,
nave seldom been worse than now.
We are dreaming and talking of thu
newer Keokuk. But we ought to b
determined to make 1t better Keo
Kuk as we'll. Simply to get more PEG
PIE nere is not all we need. nor tn,
most we need The more people yo'
gamer In city. the worse the city is
II the Ideals and life of the city ar
corrupt. We would better have on
ola keokuk, clean, than to have q ney
heokuk. dirty. If the things whicl
are said about present moral cond
IONS are true. Keokuk has sadly drift
% from the conceptions of cit
which we held few years ago, an
were trying to make real when W
adopted the new form OF government
! 40 not say that all the reports ar
true. But the fact that they are s
0ommonly heard, and so confidentl
repeated, should at least put the cit
.ens OF keokuk on inquiry. and shout
leaa them to vigorous action IL tn
conditions are as asserted.
A clean city does not happen, nc
oome by chance 1t comes becaus
is citizens are determined to have
w. and are not content with an o.
oaslonal spasm of civic righteous
ness, after which they allow then
serves and their government to dri'
WIN the currents of unrighteousnes
,u'o conditions which disgrace 1
outstanding manhood, which insist
w holding to the higher ideals,
Tue greatest need of any city, wheths
y DC keokuk or New York. The wa
~ nave our Keokuk what 1t should b
= LOT all good men and women
uriVe against the currents of indo
e.ee and indifference concerning 0,
..ic lie, rather than to drift wit
them.