Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-26
.AvACCINE FOR CORRUPTION

IA VISITOR from Detroit the miracle
city Of Michigan, was driven over the
completed part OF the Parkway and the
plan for the comprehensive project was
explained TO him 1--WE are accustomed
70 doing big things in big way in my
town. he exclaimed, but your engines
running strong on all twelve cylinders.
This is the most magnificent and in
spring civic undertaking with which 1
ever came in contact"
II will have taken virtually two decades
90 realize the Parkway dream and trans
late into broad boulevards lined with
architectural triumphs the vision of the
nineties. But twenty generations hence
& Philadephians of the newer era will point
70 II with pride and urge It as a precedent
for still more enterprises.
Not many months ago a private citi
zen. whose civic consciousness expresses
itself repeatedly in the accomplishment
Of community enterprises that brighten
life and ease its loads, interested himself
in providing Christmas cheer for Riddles.
He planned a spectacular event, de-
signed to delight the eyes as well as
warm the hearts Of children There lives
IN Philadelphia a political boss. His
power is vast and he uses it. The biggest
thing about a big political boss is his
heart It is the ladder on which he rises
10 power. This boss is no different from
others in that respect, except that his
whole being leaps into action when child
hood is specifically outraged or there is
q chance to help the little fellows. He
loves the kiddies So when he heard Of
the contemplated celebration, he sat down
and signed a check, leaving blank the
spaces wherein amounts are set, and he
sent it to the gentleman in charge of the
festival, and he said to him: II want to
be counted in when something is being
done for the kiddies. Keep my contribu-
ton secret, but I want to say to you
that If some other gentlemen in this town
who are always talking about political
rottenness would do a few more things
Of this sort to make life brighter and hap
T, pier for those who chiefly need bright
ness and happiness, most of the rotten.
ness would dissipate itself in sunshine
and disappear forever"
We hold no brief for political bosses,
cause they steal first their hearts.
and in them the reciprocity of human
helpfulness has, in coarse form but
truly. reached a perfectness of per.
formance unknown to the high.brow
yearner for decency. Yet the paradox is
that these bosses are responsible for the
causes whose effects they personally so
often alleviate. Every dirty street breeds
dirty votes. Every congested neighbor.
hood induces stuffed ballot boxes. And
every fountained park, every sweet, open
place, inspires in the environs a pride
and an ambition that work together to
mold citizens certain to do their civic duty
well and whose voting no community
need fear.
Political debauchery does not thrive In
sanitary places. 1t cannot survive beauty
OF surroundings. and in atmospheres oi
eheerfulness it withers and dries up. He
Is the best reformer who makes his owr
streets clean or let's the sunlight into tene.
ments long dark. A Parkway is worth
a dozen reform Councilmen. Christ
mas dinner for newsboys may make q
dozen Jacob Rises. Clean fish live il
clean water; gang voters are found ia
gangrenous surroundings
We fight for adequate transit facilities
for a greater port, for clean streets, TO
better housing, for popular-priced music
not only because these things are goo,
In themselves. but because in a very rea
way they constitute the community
vaccination against political smallpox.
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