Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 15.djvu/538

 524 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

politicians. Time and again they have preached the doctrine of party regularity, not only in state and national, but in municipal, affairs. If, however, they are willing for purposes of their own to disregard party affiliations and choose a man of their own liking for so important a place as United States senator, why should citizens of American municipalities hesitate in disregard- ing party lines in their selection of local officials who have really no party duties or obligations to perform or party functions to discharge? As the New York Evening Post pointed out in this connection.

When men strike hands across the party fence to do the behest of politicians, to compass a union for plunder, to band together for the with- holding of good legislation, why should not public-spirited citizens disre- gard party ties and affiliations and work together for the common good of their locality?

Great Britain has long furnished abundant illustrations of such disregard of party lines in the choice of municipal officials ; and when the citizens of American municipalities make up their minds to do likewise, they will have taken a long step forward.

The London Municipal Journal in a recent issue pointed out that whatever may be the amount of interest taken in municipal elections by the average citizen, at least one section of the com- munity recognizes the importance of these contests — declaring,

What does the empire matter to the slum property owner? Evidently

nothing Isn't it nearly time the man in the street took as much

interest in civic politics as the readers of the property owners' journal?

In other words, "the special interests" abroad, as well as here, disregard party ties and party questions ; but in Great Britain the public spirited citizen also disregards them, while here he is still to a very considerable and distressing degree dominated by the shibboleth of party regularity. Fortunately, however, instances are multiplying where such party lines are disregarded, and the number of men willing to vote independently of their national party affiliations, and in the interests of the candidates they con- sider best qualified to serve the interests of the whole community, is increasing at a rate that bids fair in a few years to emancipate