Perth Amboy evening news., 1917-03-22
AMER|CAN|zAT4DN
IN CIVIC MATTERS
Particular Phase of Americana
zation Which 0verIaps Ev-
cry Other Division of Move
ment in Daily Life of People.

A particular phase of Americaniza-
ton which overlapS every other divi-
sion of the movement is the conduct
of the daily life of each person in
community. Thus what is termed
Civic Americanization embraces the
industrial, educational and social ac-
tivities but goes further in that it
concerns the political conditions of
the city. The welfare of a commu-
nifty depends in a large extent upon
the justice of the local government
and the calibre of men who operate
that government depends upon the
people who chose them. The more
interested the citizens of commu-
nifty are in their government the
more careful they will be to see that
the proper men represent them.
Civic AmericaniZation today neces-
states the interest of all citizens in
the welfare of the city and requires
an effort to encourage the foreign
population to take an active interest
in the welfare of the city. There
was time when the government Of
city, state, and nation was in the
hands of a few politicians who pass
ed legislation which favored their
particular interests. American poll
tics were in the hands Of the bosses.
Elections were fraudulent, specula-
ton from public Golfers prevailed
| and the open hand greeted blind vot-
ers. Today, however, the power Of
the boss is negligible for the direct
primary laws and other legislation
has made it possible for people to
nominate their own candidate for
office, and as whole there is a
more intelligent vote cast today than
there was twenty-five years ago. The
day of the famous political king is
over; there are too many real men
| fighting for good government in this
country to allow any private inter-
ests to be served at the expense of
| the public. We must continue in this
spirit and we must encourage all
new citizens to regard the govern
ment of the city and state in the
light of truth.
We have an instance Of q real live
citizen body in an adjacent township,
Woodbridge. The spirit which has
been shown there will make any new
citizens realize that the people DOM
mate the politics of their community
and not a gang of men seeking to
satisfy their personal ambition.
We want the foreign population o.
Perth Amboy to realize that by becom-
| ing citizens they make themselves ar
active force in carrying on the gov
| ernment of the city. We have a fire
department which needs support.
is still partially upon a voluntary bas
is. The men who represent the fire
department of this city today are {
self-sacrificing group of men who hav'
the interests of the people at heart
| Their actions show the strength o
their disposition as effectively as thu
conduct of any persons moving in pub
lie life In those sections of the cit.
where a large number of any national
ity are assembled we should encour
age the establishment of q branch o
the fire department operated by tn
people of that section. If this be don
in many sections there will develop
healthy rivalry for honors in the ser
vice of the public.
Likewise the police department
should summon the support Of all cit
: liens. We have as WORTH "A