The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-02-17
Mems Clubs and the Municipality.

Mems Clubs and the Municipality.
Kenosha is " sociable" city. It has
lot Of organizations among its men
and all Of them are doing a lot to bring
the men closer together and to develop
them along many lines. They exist I'M
der the name of lodges, church clubs,
and civic bodies and they have a big
place in making up the interest in the
life of the city. Most of these organi-
cations proclaim themselves as interest
ed in the city as a municipality and
they preach strongly the duty Of their
members to be leaders in civic affairs.
Probably the organizations have com
bined membership of from two to three
thousand men of the city. The peril
nent question has been asked, "What
influence are these clubs welding
toward lettering of the conditions of
the city?" It's a question that is hard
to answer. Indirectly they are doing
lot for the general uplift of the people.
They are aiding in the dissemination
of lot Of interesting knowledge but
official Kenosha these organizations
appear to be timid. Their members
seem to be afraid to really mix in big
things. They shun the possibility of
getting into politics and of coming out
and standing for the good against the
mediocre and the bad. They say that
their organizations are not for political
purposes. The manor the woman
either at that-really interested in Ke-
nosha must be interested in it's politics.
The city is operated along political
lines 1t must be for the state laws to
dictate this form of management. These
men who make up the Men IS Clubs, the
lodges and the civic organizations have
among their members the power to di-
rect the political movements Of the city.
If they would just unite for one election
they could sweep the boards clean, name
men who would be real officials of the
city and put Kenosha on the map as the
best governed city in the country. They
can It doathis, however, if they are
afraid to WELD the power they have.
Wishy washy addresses are all right,
llectures on the2 development of South
American trade'' and the open door
policylin the, Philippines are interesting
and enlighteningI but they do not get
Igreat1way steward ebringing better and
Observation-Disclosures of the af-
ifairsAOfRthefcity.. 4 OF course if these
Emenacomasput{ ytforsJohn Smith
as againsty Jim Jones it is possible that
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of,Jim Jones won It
tlike it. sWhatif ,theyl don 'tR There
is the higher duty to do something for
the great mass of the people even if in
doing it'one may lose the regard of the
few. One of the greatest dangers in
Kenosha today is the luke-warmness Of
the men who are entitled to be and are
leaders in the city. They will pay their
money to get things for Kenosha but
when you call on them to give their time
and their brains to working out the
problem of getting better officials they
shrink into the background and say,
'tLet George do it.' Of course there
is always some George" who is willing
to do it and he usually does it with a
view of advancing that particular COM
pany of men he numbers among his close
political friends.
Right now there is chance for these
organizations to show just what in
fluence they WELD in the community
1t is not to be done by sitting about a
dinner table talking about the HUplift
of the City,, but by taking off their
coats and getting out and seeing to it
that the right kind of men are nominal
ed for office and then elect those same
men. This is just the time of year that
these organizations may be of inestim-
able value to the city at large. They
have the power to control, some of
them may want to use it but to use it
there must be united action. They have
been studying the theory for years, ex-
perts have told them just how it should
be worked out and now the chance is
offered for the practical work. It is an
opportunity for real service not to the
organization alone but to a city of
10000 and corporation with a capital
stock of more than thirty millions 1t is
a call to civic patriotism that is being
sent out right now. 1t will do no good
to answer it next summer for like a lot
of other things there is but one accepted
time.
Uncle Sam tried to caulk up his
money box the week ended January ed,
with a wisp of customs revenues,