THE CITIZENS’ LEAGUE.

Evening Star, Issue 18253, 18 April 1923, Page 4

THE CITIZENS’ LEAGUE.

TO THE EDITOE. Tho recent action of a self-consti-tuted body calling itself tho Citizens League merits something more than the usual casual glance front your many ' readers in quest of general information as to what is in progress m our city, in i the first place I should like to know, and 1 others with me, if it is a resurrection of a somewhat similar shadowy body which had a short life, terminating some two years ago, known as tho Loyal Citizens League, or was it only the loyal part of it that expired so suddenly. Next, as i regards the operations and pretensions or i assumptions of this ambitious would-be j power in our midst, does it realise that j this is a democratic community, which consequently resents tho autocratic assumption of its vital functions by any socalled league or body without a mandate or charter from the community as a whole? If this so-called Citizens League really wished to discover the general opinion of tho community on such a sub-

jeeb as it professes to deal with, a general meeting, not of the league, but ot the citizens called for the purpose, would easily have settled the matter without the crushing responsibility being borne by a 1 league, loyal or otherwise. But, sir, the publication in your baturda,v’s issue of the platform of this body i (or is it that body's instructions to its ! special selection of candidates?) throw? I quite a glow of light on tho whole pro- ! coedings, the resurrection included. One has only to read the instructions through to tho end, draw a line across, and sum ■it up. You get what? “Continuance,’ as you were, nothing more. Not a fault is found anywhere in tho past, not a new thin" is to bo attempted for the future, not °a ray of hope for anything better ahead for suffering citizens, notwithstanding so many have grumbled. No; we have reached perfection. We have arrived iat that state of bliss, and in our conI trariness and stupidity are not aware of it. i Really, sir, one might expect to find at the foot of tho said platform the signatures of the whole of the retiring councillors as an endorsement of their work done according to their lights during their term; but even councillors are human and liable to fall short of perfection, even ; when acting with the best intentions. | My criticism in these matters is con- ! fined entirely to the actions of this selfstyled Citizens’ League, as uncalled for as thev are unfair and arbitrary. To me the most regrettable event in our municipal history is the introduction in recent years of this vile party system, which curbs and in time will kill all originality and individuality, the end and aim of a< i democratic system of government.-—I am, etc.. Critic. April 17.