Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-10-05

Read this story,
While men are trying to eradicate
| graft and protected vice from New
| York, Philadelphia and other great
cities the example of Virginia Brooks,
Of West Hammond, Ind, should not be
| overlooked.
Miss Brooks is only a girl in her
twenties, who inherited property in
West Hammond. At the time she was
resident OF Chicago. In looking after
| her inheritance she discovered that the
| assessment was very high and went to
see about it. She was soon on the
trail Of graft. The 5000 inhabitants Of
the town are nearly all poor people,
most OF whom have an imperfect
| knowledge Of English, and the grafters
found them easy marks. Practically
| single handed and alone, the girl be-
gan TO investigate and soon found that
| thousands Of dollars were being taken
annually from the taxpayers. Vice and
gambling were protected and fourished
on the main streets; the town was
| overrun by saloons; the white slave
| traffic was in full force, and generally
| the place was not only wide open"
but the bosses were reaping the profits.
Girl Elects Reform Mayor.
Miss Brooks made her first trip to
West Hammond only about year ago
and yet recently, through her efforts
reform mayor and alderman were
elected, and vigorous attempt is going
forward to clean up the town. Through
letters to the Chicago papers and by
other means this young girl has gone
forward in a task that many strong
men would have hesitated to undertake
Best of all, she is winning out We
need Virginia Brooks in every city in
| the land
The first thing behind any great
movement must be public opinion
never fear--the demand for men will
create men. Never yet was there a
great occasion, a great opportunity but
some hero arose to fiji the place de-
signed for him,
People sometimes ask: What leader
have we got?" And the answer is
any number of successful captains of
industry, men Of ability, high minded,
God fearing, who are only waiting for
the call The Chamber of Commerce
has a great opportunity and a great
responsibility to which it seems, at last,
to have awakened. Its members have
the right and the duty TO form them
selves into a nominating committee to
say who shall stand for the city ana
lead US to heights Of progress and sue
cess as Vet undreamed of. The whole
| 10 Anh 10
whose. aid they have formerly invoked
when they promised US a better gov
eminent Have they kept the faith
When Mrs. Belmont was asked if she
was supporting Mr.. Roosevelt. she said.
| "Oh, no, he has fooled us too often
Gentlemen, take care. Even the worm
will turn.
Am | My Brothers Keeper?
This is the age of co operation. OF
consolidation. of elimination. Of far
reaching effort along many lines of hu-
man endeavor The world is growing
better every day. is growing smarte.
every day. for it is proved that It's the
part of wisdom to be good. The great
conservative movements of the present
age are fraught with significance
There is no room for the degenerate
The weaking -mental moral or physi-
calls set aside for special attention
and. intelligent and loving care But
he no longer marches with the process
sion. No. indeed,
When competition is free from inn
position 1t helps business When par
tisanship is free from bitterness il helps