Show I I I MUNICIPAL EVILS The oration by lJ Axe Axel Madsen of the theL theS I L hl public school on Municipal gov government gO gOI S won welt a medal last I at the state Is really worth woith printing In full That Is impossible hut but we wo quote extracts The Tho average American merican Hy city today Is mismanaged etl and misgoverned and is the lie victim of a cumbersome and anti a cor corrupt rupt government It is almost impossible sible to elect good representative men under Huler our present municipal plan be bo beI because cause calise the men represent not nut the city elt I but the lie wards in which they reside and anti Ute the wards In the thc gleat majority ot oL cases are manipulated by u the worst typo of politicians Petty ward poli poll politics politics tics should not bo be allowed in our cIty governments for It is to thorn thom that we owe the presence of or many man of or the evils In our municipal systems Why did and why do ito these conditions exist To put lut It plain and simple the fact Is that vice and crime have been breaking down toWn orderly civilization in fri S these cities because the ward politicians S clans and not hot the people have hao been ablo able to dictate the administration of law These rhese are arc only a few examples that lint serve servo to Illustrate the tho conditions that exist In most large lare cities today tOlla S Historians and statesmen all nil unite In condemning the present nt municipal plan Certainly the end of every reform system s stem is good city govern government mont ment but there Is no prospect of ob oh obtaining it in the Uie cities until the tho party is overthrown If f there lucre could bo be genuine municipal parties representing divisions di between cHi ci U ons ens on questions of municipal con concern concern cern only one need have havo no fear of patty government in Iii its lis application to toa toa toa a city But when party lart lines arc are drawn upon questions on which local matters matteis hmo have no hearing healing at all tho the evils elIs of the party part outweigh whatever advantages tho the system may nuns ma have hao Parties P Ruin Cities The Tho concern of party part managers is for tho the party part They feel foel no to the thc city elt butt but great responsibility the tho party part For this tea ica sun Still cities are aro being hein robbed of their and anh an to fur lur hot ther tho the interests of these political di dl divisions divIsions visions Ko Fo of them ate are wise viso enough to see that one serves his party best besl who serves seles his city best hiest The rIte mayors majors mayor anti and therefore are arc made niale to tofee feel fee under tinder obligation to those who elect them anti and It is a sad but Jut shame shameful ful mI fact that lint very ver ven few cw of them thom have and character enough to resist this obligation and to stand up lip ludu lude in do of or their heIr honest convictions and what they thue know to be right The election of or such men Is due dill not noL only ani to the parties but bitt to the thc low I salaries that are arc pall paid to 0 officers in iii our city governments It is only the thO noisy demagogues anti and to lo men of very cry cr low I character that lint are attracted by 1 the lie small compensation that is offered to tolie the thc mayor maor and councilman mn For men of good gool character and ability cannot to accept any an such position when they thc c groter In ln the lI business world It cannot be ov ox expected peeled that young voting men of talent nail mill respectability will cl into public service until they lher are arc offered Induce Inducements I ments to 10 do to so which are arc ns as attractive as itS those thORO by professional and I I business life What worthy worth man seeks is a position which prim to give gle him sure suie employment wIth I nn fill assurance of fir wealth or at al least a 1 comfortable living If J he lie could find such a promise In lu public service he lie would outer enter into It eagerly but the lie present plan with Its It hopeless hop division of power and petty peth offices can hold holdout holdout holdout out no such stiCh promises or Inducements i I I Citizens Must Mu t Wake Up j I Ithe I If the lie people want good city ell govern I Ian meat ment they the should wake sake up tip and anti take an Interest in public affairs do 10 away I with the tile party government and a system with salaries large enough to attract men then of o efficiency and principle Go Co to tn the tho primaries anti and to tothie the thie polls and anti elect men who hio will be beI truly men antI and who will I carry carr on the government in the tho In Ill Interests of or the people If hf the tho people leople I would do 10 l and Insist on having I Irule I I their rights respected and aud demand just rule rulo a radical change would soon take place in iii our municipal systems Party Parly government would be overthrown and nail I tho the officers would be directly responsible re responsible pon I sible to tl the people Instead of a L political I II cal machine The Tho goo good gool compensation I offered for public service and anti the hon lion honor lionor I or attached to lo 0 the he holding of an office I II I would be he the means of attracting moro more Intelligent men to a the lie polls and a greater proportion of or good gool men man would accept office By Br this means only can canI we establish a good gond city government I hut but once such a system Is In practice I municipal reform will be a n thing lhing of the lie past and our city governments will soon be as pure and anti Just as any an In I existence Tho The work Is a great one anti and re requires 11 r quires Intelligence pet perseverance severance and I courage but bitt IL It Is ono one that hint ought to arouse the tho spirit of cery every loyal lo n Amerl Ameri American I can who loves his country and desires U L ie serve servo it |