Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1922-03-13
A clean CITY?
IT'S UP TO YOU
Mayor Clark Tells Metho.
dist Church Audience
Public Sentiment
is big Factor.
SAYS CITY IS CLEAN
Can be Cleaner, but Public
Must Back Efforts of
Officials.
why Doesn't Webster City Clean

WHY DOESN'T NCDSteT lily Cle1l
Up?"
Well. in the first place, she docsn,
reed great deal Of it and in the nexi
place Webster City will always be just
as clean morally and physically as
public sentiment demands.
This was Mayor R. G. Clark's answer
last evening to this question, assigned
him as a speaking topic as prelude
to the regular services at the Methodist
church. The Mayor was introduced by
the pastor, DR.. Il. T. Chipperfield. \
large audience greeted him and gave
him generous applause as he finished
II do not consider Webster City an
uEclean town." said the mayor at the
outset. Il do not think Webster City
is considered unclean by outsiders"
He spoke of the library and the public
utilitics-the library as fine one as
can be found in the state and the pub
in Iowa. He enumerated other physi.
cal evidences of culture and refinement
to show that the city is clean as regards
her public enterprises and her public
spirit.
Moral Evils.
"Now," asked the mayor, ''Why don't
we so further? Why don't we make the
city as clean morally as she is physi-
cally!
Il might answer the question:" said
he, by saying that Webster City is just
as clean as she wants to be. think,
however, that the most of the people
here want bootlegging stopped, sambl-
ing places closed and school boys kept
away from billiard and pool halls. We
have all these evils in the city-yet
to less degree than in most cities
Of our size
Mayor Clark told of the efforts of
officials to keep the city clean morally
the raidinG of stills and the breaking
up of gambling joints. He ALSO emu
merated the delays Of the law. likewise
the difficulties met by officials in actual
IT, improving conditions that everyone
knows exist He plead for a stronger
public sentiment behind law enforce.
ment. He held voting to be duty one
owes to ones government-nOt mere
privilege. He believes that If every
voter in the city who is physically
able would vote at every election, re-
CARELESS of contests. that Webster City
or any other city, would be a vastly
better place. The same applies to the
county, state and nation. 1t is indif-
ference of the general public that makes
law enforcement difficult.
Up to People.
IF II per cent of the people OF
Webster City cleaned up they will
elect only such men as will clean it
,p." said the mayor. ~ will so
$3.50 on cleaning up. The city is not
in bad shape either physically or
morally. 1t is in good shape in both
Instances. Yet it might be cleaner.
There is more cleaning up to be
zone. 1t can be done. 1t ought to
be done. 1t is up to you, the pcople.
the voters"
The address of the mayor was brief,
being but prelude to the usual service.
Close interest was shown, however, and
the applause as Mr.. Clark sat down was
ample indication that. so far as that
audience was concerned its moral sup
port would be given any movement for
cleaner and better city.
Dr. Chippcrfeld, in his sermon fol
lowing Mr. Clark's talk. asked that
the people show more interest in the
matter of elections and cooperate as
fully as possible with all officials in
authority. He held, as did the mayor.
that better cooperation between the
people generally with those in author
itv will result in closer administration
Ci the laws which affect the morals Of
,,y rn,n,nunity