The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-12-27
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1917.
United We Stand.

perlence OF people VINO attempt TO nave
q real town. It is the usual thing for
the people who are really interested
in the advancement of the city to for
get all about important things and
"Let George Do IT, when it comes to
the operation of the city. George" is
usually willing to do it and about the
time that election comes round the
"Georges" multiply to such an extent
that there is one standing on every
street corner with lightning rod stick
ing up like periscope from subma-
ripe just waiting for political lightning
to strike. Usually there is veritable
electric storm of political lighting and
with their poles all set The Georges"
get into contact and land the Offices.
There is the usual amount of interest
il wearing tin stars but the work of
these Georges" is about as valuable
to the city as a third eye in the head
of baby.
Kenosha is accustomed to doing I'M
usual things and getting away with it
and just for this reason it is possible
that Kenosha people who really care
how the city is run ana who are finan-
cially interested in having a real town
might be induced to make war on the
" Georges this year and ges into the
game themselves.
There is no time like the present to
start something. Non-partisan cleo
tions in the city have eliminated party
politics to great extent but the party
politics have been succeeded by clique
politics It is just case of "rose
by another name" Clique politics is
just as hateful as party politics and
just as dangerous to the future adj
vancement of Kenosha as city.
Close corporations of politicians are
very prominent in Kenosha and they
are going to continue to be prominent
until the people let these leaders of
the cliques know that they are going
to have something to say in the govern
ment OF the town even if some fellows
have to go to work with their hands
rather than accept living out Of their
ability for political organization.
Every year about this time, usually
two months later, some one proposes
,that theh people organize a league for
good government, voters league or
something of the kind. Of course the
old timers who have been in charge of
the political roost in the town ever
since the year one just smile. They
know that their organization has a
start of about seven months on any
thing that can be formed at this late
hour and they go placidly along and
pick off the plums when the time
comes.
Kenosha men and women have shown
q real interest in the city in the past
year. This interest has been empha
sized in lot of ways anu there is no
reason why this healthy public spirit
could not be crystalhzed for a few
months on the city hall. A united
action on the part of the people really
interested in Kenosha could work q
political revolution which would give
Kerosha new birth. 1t is too late
to talk commission form or manager
form of government, but - is not too
late to have a distinct understanding
that competent men will be picked for
fifty Offices during the coming two
years. There are such men in Kenosha.
They may be modest and slow to get
up any political lightning rod, but they
are civic patriots and if the people
went to them and asked them to serve
they would be willing to do it. They
are not coming out and stand on the
street corner. They must he drafted
into service, but they are willing 10
stand the draft. They NIGH respond
to call from mass meeting of Ke-
nosha people. Some one else must take
the initiative however as these men are
not self seeking when it comes to hold
ing public office.
The real need is some leader who will
organize the forces of good govern
ment. He Iced not be mar seeking
to hold some city office. He need not
be q man with a political record-in
fact, it would be lot better if he
had never been in politics. He does
need to be a man who the people
will know is looking for the advance
ment of Kenosha rather than the ad
vancement of his own political amhi
tions. What we want now is action
and organization. Within a manth
scores of men half way fitted for Office
will be forcing their claims upon the
people and the people will be too timiG
to laugh in their faces and tell them
that they are about as fit for Office
as pig for a parlor ornament. II
dOesn't make a bit of difference
whether the Mayor of Kenosha is 8
Democrat of a Republican. What We
want to know is that he will be 8
"Mayor" and not false alarm.
FL - n