The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-10-30 00:00:00

THE COMING " Isr."

Election addresses—Municipal ones—are not,
as a rule, either particularly brilliant composi-
tions, or very light and amusing reading. One
generally knows when he sees the poster headed
"To the Burgesses of Muddletown" the sub-
stance of the lines which follow, in more or less
numbers, according to the virulence or other-
wise of the (...utlb, affecting the
proprietor of the signature. The seeker after
municipal honours is almost invariably a modern
Marcus Curling, who self-sacrificingly plunges
into the yawning abyss of public life simply for
the salvation of his fellows. Another remark-
able fact is that he has nearly always yielded to
" repeated and influential solicitations"—the
result too often showing that either he is a
victim to mistaken ideas as to what constitutes
number and influence, or that wicked burgesses
have basely deceived him. Then' if we come to
what he is going to do if returned, we find that
—except in rare cases—he comprehensively
summarises it as " a faithful and energetic
discharge of the duties imposed upon him. Of
course, this is convenient, but ratepayers, we
fancy, would, to speak vulgarly, like a little
more for their money; and we certainly wish
the two new candidates who seek to woo the
affections of the burgesses in the county town
had been a little more explicit.
. . .

That they will apply their best energies to the
improvement of the town we quite believe ; but,
on the other hand, we should be failing in
proper courtesy if we did not give the same
meed of credit to every gentleman who puts
foot in the Council-chamber. We should have
liked therefore these gentlemen to have gone
somewhat beyond the skeletons of addresses
which they have issued. It is true, one slightly
alludes to future drainage schemes, in which
the strictest economy must be observed ; but
no doubt every councillor, whom the expendi-
ture of money must affect, will be influenced by
the same feelings.
To us it appears the two new candidates base
their claims upon the consideration of the '
burgesses rather on the fact of their being
successful and respected townsmen, and enter-
taining an honest intention t do their duty,
than on any particular aptitude for the work.
And this latter remark brings us to the
retiring councillors. Mr. Slade we shall but
tersely allude to. He is not a great talker. So
much the better. There are sufficient members
in the Council without him who can talk, do
talk, and will talk, upon every available oppor-
tunity. As economy is now the order of the
day, we are not saying too much when we
express our opinion that Mr. Slade's life-long
acquaintance with that virtue may fairly be
considered a recommendation.

Mr. Burnett, in spite of rumours to the
contrary, has again presented himself. As a
gentleman of legal experience he is an acquisi-
tion, and his remarks can always be listened to
with respect.
Then we come to Mr. Emson„ A great
deal of clap-trap has been circulated concerning
this gentleman by writers whose ideas of
progress and improvement are about on a par
with the mildewed obsoletism of their political
opinions. We trust the Burgesses will pay no
attention to abuse which has no foundation—in
fact, or common sense. To turn out a gentle-
man who, from his very profession, it is
manifest is intimately acquainted with the
requirements of the town—whose scientific
knowledge mutt render him pre-eminently
an authority upon the sanitary questions
' which the new Council will have to con-
sider—would be simply "cutting off one's
I nose to spite one's face." We cannot believe
such a course will be adopted; and, with a faith
in the rationality of the Burgesses, we expect to
see Dr. Emson once more tile his seat in the
Council-chamber.

We cannot conclude without expressing a
regret at the decision which Mr. Devenish has
arrived at. Mr. Devenish's calm and temperate
manner of - with questions threw a
over the utterances of more
era, while his
i to the true
will be much

. dealing
gentlemanly-burnish ‘,
impulsive and energetic speakers,
keen and sound perception as
merits of municipal matters
mimed in future diacussions.