Palisadian., 1921-10-22
Woman Writer Saws
Change Is Needed
Communicated


In the present campaign in Cliffside
Park Borough, each of the two great
political parties has its representa-.
tives, with an additional independent
ticket in the field. Each of the politi-
cal candidates, particularly those in
the mayoralty contest, is receiving the
usual contribution of praise and blame,
according as he is judged by his con-
stituents and opponents. To malign,
and to seek to lessen the chances of
success for the opposing party, is a
salient feature of the political game
as it is played upon the chessboard
of popular approval and popular dis
dain.
A mans worth is determined by the
character of his traducers. All public
servants have enemies, in many in
stances enemies of the most virulent
and relentless type. 'He has no
friends who never had foe," is q say
ing that has been verified.
But there sometimes comes time
when the opposing forces are more
keenly. pitted against one another;
when the factional feeling has reach
ed the breaking point, and a revolt
against an ill-ordered system of gov
ernment is inevitably imminent. 1t is
such a state of affairs that cOnfronts
the borough Of Cliffside Park at the
present time.
1t is heard said that stringent meas
ures must be taken; that the body
polite must be awakened to realiza-
tion of present needs, and that the
supporters of clean administrative pol
icies must come forward and declare
themselves in a manner that will win
victory for their party.
However this may be, it is only by
the quickening Of the individual con-
science, that 'still, small voice. that
speaks within the soul of man, that
the conscience of community can be
quickened to q realization of obliga-
tion, and thereby be made to function
accordingly; actuated, not by motives
of lf-aggrandizement, but by spirit
manifesting a care for the best in
terests of the community, and finding
its expression in an order of govern
ment that provides the greatest good
for the greatest number Politics is
game as old as the human family. No
other form of human activity presents
so many, so varied, and so misused
phases of opportunity. Political NAL
practice is a fact that needs no court
pronouncement of guilt. 1t strives and
thriyes, uninterrupted and unrebuked.
But those with eyes that see, ears
that hear, brains that think, and
conscience that recognizes the distinc-
tion between good and evil, are seek
ing manfully to turn the tide of politi-
cal preferment away from the slough
of injurious administration that
threatens the future of the community
life, into the path of an order of civic
government that shall have the inter-
ests of the many at heart, not the
satisfaction of the wishes of the few.
The time has come when conscien-
tiOus awakening on the part of all
fair-minded citizens is called for, and
never more loudly and more insistent-
ly than now. The next four weeks
from now until the Sth day of Novem-
Der. will be crucial ones in the political
history of the CliffSide Park Borough.
That change of civic administration
is not only urgently needed, but con-
sistently demanded, if the reputation
of the community is to be registered
on basis of square dealing, and if the
self-respect of the citizenry is to be
maintained, is fact apparent to every
voter in the borough who stands for
fairness and rightmindedness and
who wants to make his and her place
of residence a pattern for other COM
munities to emulate, not an example
to be winked at and passed by with
smile of indulgent tolerance.
PUBLICA.