The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-12-29
PROF. Ebert RUSSELL,
Counciinnan-at-Larce.


Two live tendencies that are felt
all over the country are the revival
or civic spirit in our cities and move
ments for social betterment. Both
these tendencies are at work in our
neighbor cities, and must be pushed
here, if Richmond is not to fall be-
hind. Happily, both these tendencies
are working here. The recent cleo
tion, the movement for a bureau of
municipal research, and the demand
for an efficient health department are
evidences of new civic interest.
The other tendency has been bearing
fruit longer. The Y. NJ. C. A. the
Chautauqua, the art and musical as
sociations, and the proposed guest
house for young women, health league,
and visiting nurse are a few of the
signs Of a live interest in social re-
form.
Don't Divorce Reforms.
1t is vitally important in dveloping
these two lines of progress, to keep
them united so that they will rein
force each other We must not let
our interest in social reforms get di-
vorced from our civic spirit Funda-
mental in the new idea of city govern
ment is the conception of it as the
instrument of it's citizens common
and corporate interests, the agent of
their united efforts for the general
welfare. The older notion in this
country was to keep few traditional
functions. To limit the powers of
government and to do as much as pos
ha
ideal. But now we are beginning to
realize the folly and wastefulness,
while the capabilities of corporate
: and efficient management afforded
by our common government are unde-
veloped and unused.
Under these conditions private man.
agement of enterprises or public in
terest and for the general good, be-
comes easily an obstacle to the devel-
opment of the large civic spirit When
private individuals or organizations
undertake to do things that are the
duty of the city government or which
may be legitimately performed by the
city officials, it detracts so much from
the citizens interest in the govern
ment itself. | saw an example of this
in Chicago about fifteen years ago,
when the city government practically
DrOke GOWN, parity through pOnuCal
corruption and partly because the city
had outgrown its governmental ma
chinery. In the suburbs streets were
filthy and full of holes; old plank
sidewalks were out of repair and dan
gerous; vacant OTIS were covered with
weeds and rubbish; garbage was I'M
collected and police protection was
Inadequate.
What Hyde Park Did.
To remedy these conditions in the
district about the University of Chi
cago, the Hyde Park Improvement
association was organized. 1t raised
money by private subscription, and
took upon itself the city's neglected
work. This private association did
the work effectively and made the
Hyde Park district safe, healthful,
clean and beautiful. But this enter
prise detracted from rather than add
ed to the civic spirit er the residents
of that district. The movement did
not lead directly to any increased in
terest in the city affairs; it led to no
demand that the city hall be made
honest and efficient. Their district
was clean and we'll cared for. They
did not have to worry If there was
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