The Irish standard., 1913-02-22
A CATHOLIC MAYOR
Who Rules Boston, Once the Center OF
Professionalism, Now "The
Athens of America"

Protossantism, Now "The
Athens of America"
The metropolis of New England,
once the center Of Puritanism, has a
Catholic chief magistrate, who is by
ancestry Irish, Hon. John Francis r'itz-
gerald.
Five years ago, when Mayor t'itz-
gerald, of Boston, was reti-ed-appar-
emily permanently - to private life,
there We're many filings in the press
and the public rostrum at this man
who, being mere lrishman" and a
Catholic at that, had the autlacity to
aspire to the Office Of. chief magistrate
Of the Athens" Of America. Today
Mayor Fitzgerald triumphantly re-
elected to the. position of mayor OF the
great city of Boston. is bigger and
a stronger figure in the public life of
the country than most, ii not all, who
had sneered at his previous high polit-
ical honors as merely adventitious cir
cumstances.
Mayor Fitzgerald has grown with
the years that have witnessed his on
ward march to the realization of hon
orable aspirations as we'll as the best
concepts of good citizenship. He
doesn't rattle around in the shoes"
of his predecessors in the office of
mayor Of Boston. IL has given and
is now giving an honest and efficient
administration of the affairs of 1.-THE
Hub of the Universe" and the fact
that he is doing this in the immediate
neighborhood of the seat of great
learning and the higher education"
does not deter him from giving the
plain people an honest, plain admin
istration Of their municipal affairs. nor
from freely expressing his opinion in
regard to the same and to questions
entering deeply into public life in Am
erica in general. In a notable news
paper interview given by Mayor F'itz-
gerald recently, he says, speaking Of
the prevalent fad of reckless criticism
Of public officials:
1.-THE average American citizen has
fallen into the. habit of questioning
the morality and patriotism of the men
whom he has voted into office. If til:
average American would closely anal.
we. his own case as he. states 1t, he
would be compelled to admit his own
errors every time he goes to the polls.
Back Of the errors or abuses Of gov
eminent is the citizen who has voted.
Does he ever upbraid himself? I DENY
that our cities, as a rule. are misgov-
erned, neither are the States"
Mayor Fitzgerald holds, and gives
strong argument in support of his no.
sition, that grating" is not an art
confined altogether to public life, pub
lie office holders and politicians. On
this point Mayor Fitzgerald says:
When a CRATER is caught in a bank
or big manufacturing establishment
publicity. l have known OF scores of
such cases. Keep it from the news
papers, say those who have been
robbed or cheated. If it gets out it
will hurt our business And who cor
rupts city councilmen and members of
our State legislatures? The corrup-
tionists are big, respectable captains
of trade and industry who want some
thing they have no right to possess
Mayor Fitzgerald is one Of the big
gest men in New England today, and
all who rejoice in honest, sober
righteous manhood, join in wishing
we'll and continued prosperity to the
chief magistrate of the great city oil
Boston, and to the wonderful family
of eight brother Fitzseralds of whom
he has been truly chs brothers keep
err"