MRS. L. CROZIER-FRENCH
MRS. L. CROZIER FRENCH
Those who recall the active interest
taken by Mrs. L. Crazier French in the
club world of Birmingham during her
residence in this city and who know the
fearless policy and the thorough investigation she makes of all matters to which
she calls public attention, will not be
surprised at her latest enterprise, the
starting of a monthly journal to be
known as "The People."
Mrs. French will be editor and manager
of her journal, the first number of which
will be issued in Knoxville this month.
Mrs. French intends that her journal
shall be an exponent of the people. It Is
to be a publication that will fearlessly
defend the rights and privileges of the
people and will vigorously demand the
enforcement of the laws that have been
enacted for the good government of the
people. It will contain news of the
month, current events, articles political
and literary, items concerning art, science, religion, health, ethics and education.
No one will doubt that this journal will
be conducted on broad and educative
lines and that it will be a potent factor
in promoting good government.
Mrs. French's aims will be to arouse the
people of her city to certain conditions
that now exist and she asks co-operation in the effort to rescue municipal
and county affairs from the hands of the
partisan politicians, be they Republicans
or Democrats. She believes that for a
people to allow partisans to manage their
municipal and county affairs is to submit to be made victims of the spoils system. Mrs. French's journal, in other
words is to be devoted to "the idealizing
of the real and the realizing of the ideal."
Among the pertinent questions asked by
Mrs. French, and which may strike a
responsive chord in many cities are the
following:
Why should the Sunday closing law be
enforced against stores in general but
not against barrooms?
Why was the office of police matron
abolished, after having been in successful operation for ten years? Abolished,
notwithstanding the earnest protest of
Knoxville's best citizens.
Why is it that we have not enough
money to make our public schools what
they should be?
Why is it that we have not even one
little plat of ground for a resting place
in the heat of summer?
Why is it that the ordinances in regard to the keeping of our streets free
of filth are not in any degree enforced?
It is because the people have not organized.
It is because the people have not said
to the officials, "You must do your duty!"
It is because the people have not said
to the ring leaders, "Thus far shalt thou
go and no farther."
It is because the people have had no
means of expressing their will.
This need of the people is a vital one.
