Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-02-15
VOTER RESPONSIBLE FOR BAD
GOVERNMENT. . .-

Eress in New York City teaches great
lesson in city government. That Is 10
say, 1t will teach great lesson In city
government to any one who will take
enough interest In the matter to five
it a little thought. This investigation
was brought about by the murder Of a
gam. Ter At the instigation Of city Of
fetal, to whom this gambler had been
paying money for the privilege OF
violating the law. The gambler, Rosen-
thai, made q statement that ne was
not getting the protection that ne was
paying for. He said he would tell the
prosecuting attorney the names OF the
oficials whom he had been paying.
When those concerned heard this they
immediately instructed bunch OF
thugs and murderers to kill Rosenthal,
which they promptly did. Out OF that
murder has grown an investigation
that is every day bringing to light a
condition in New York City that Is
almost beyond comprehension by the
human mind. Citizens and officials
who have been passing for decent peo-
pie have been proved to be takers OF
money from almost every class OF
criminal life. y. ,..3&
Some of the money that these men
received from the thieves and thugs
and murderers, and other law break
ers. was received as the SO called
monthly fines. Some classes of Grim
inals were allowed to continuously
violate the law by paying to the city
certain sums Of money every month
for that privilege. In a little while
the oflcials become hardenedssto that
kind of participation in crime, to the
extent that they kept collecting the
fines, but didn't turn them over to; the
CITY. They collected the fines and
kept the money. Thieves were, steal
Ing from thieves.
That is the inevitable result of the
"wldp open administration" The
meaning Of the "wide open administra-
ton" is that the administration that
takes an oath to enforce the state
laws and city ordinances, violates us
own oath. 1t licenses people to violate
the very law that it swears It Will en-
force, and in :; little while the COM
munity comes to look with indifference
upon acts that would have jolted it
to its very heart few years before.
tits one of the misfortunes of this
country that people have not regarded
the selection and election Of city Of
ficials as of enough Importance to
merit any particular attention. The
only times when 1t is possible to en-
list the thought of community in its
city, election, is following some cat
astrophe, a bankrupt treasury or an
utterly lawless administration. For
the past twenty years the majority of
CITY administrations in the majority
Of the cities Of this nation, show indis-
putable evidence that the majority Of
voters will make mistakes and then
70 right on and make the same mis-
take again. This is simply because the
majority Of voters do not take any in
terest in their city elections.
Some people regard the city election
as a sort of joke. They think it will
be highly amusing to elect for alder
man for their ward or for mayor a
man whose only claim to recognition
comes solely from his unfltness for the
Office he seeks. Men who vote for that
kind of a man are . menace to the
safety and progress Of the community.
Other men vote for a candidate or
candidates whom they can handle
when 1t comes to advancing the inter-
ests OF some investment that they have
in the city. Men who vote with that
object In view, are simply selling their
votes and ought to be put in Jail for
It. .-...s.... ~
But neither Of the classes mentioned
constitute a majority. The mass Of
voters just simply neglect to give the
subject the consideration 1t is entitled
to and must have, if we are ever to
have good city government success
ively.
It is one Of the infirmities of popular
government that the citizenship
shirks its responsibilities at election
time. The principle of direct nomina-
tions of candidates is based on the
theory that the people will inform
themselves as to the qualifications of
the candidates and vote in accordance
with that information. Unless they
do that, the intent Of the principle is
lost. ~
Ottumwa is now on the eve of select
ing men to administer and conduct its
AFFAIRS for the next two years. The
Courier at this time, wants to empha-
size the necessity Of the voter realiz-
ing his responsibility. The average man
pays little attention to the person who
ia nominated. That condition must be
changed. The voter must realize that
in his action In this matter, he is re-
sponsible to his neighbor. The time
has passed when city government can
be regarded as a joke, or neglected by
the majority. This country is no
longer nation Of villages. It is be-
coming nation Of cities. The govern
ment Of cities is difficult problem. It
requires the best talent and Judgment
Of every community. It is not enough
that man who is candidate for
{ dncilman or mayor, should be repu.
able citizen aDA good neighbor. He