The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-07-30
BALTIMORE.
MONDAY, JULY 80, 1860

MONDA1, JOLI 1oou
If The independent voters desire, as we are sat
fod they do, to redeem this city out of the hands
Of nolitca hucksters, they ought to bring forward
without delay independent candidates for the May
orally, and for all other municipal offices which
are to be filled in the fall. 1t is all important at
this moment to place our municipal affairs in the
hands of honest and capable men, who will regard
the interest and prosperity of Baltimore not merely
as the leading, but as the sole objects with which
they ought to concern themselves 1t is scarcely
10 be supposed that local matters can be forever
kept altogether free from any connection with
or dependence on political questions. Politicians
are usually too inscriptions, and parties are too
violent or reckless to forego any opportunity of
strengthening themselves, and they will in the
future, as in the past struggle for the power pa
tronage and influence which all large municipal
corporations control But there are times when
issues present themselves which, though affecting
only limited number of people, appeal so directly
and sharply to each individual that their arrange
ment becomes matter of paramount Importance.
1t is sheer folly for any community, when its own
business is in the hands of corrupt and inefficient
agents, and embarrassments of every sort are evil
IDENTIFY thckening around it, TO devote all its ener-
ges to the task of setting the national government
right on constitutional questions. Are we not
pursuing precisely this course? Our own affairs
certainly demand, if they ever did, the close
attention of our citizens. 1t is not 10 be
gainsad that for some years past the city
authorities have more hagrantly than ever
heretofore misused their powers for party pur-
poses. A more dishonest class of men have
found access TO Office than would once have ven
tured to apply for it, and the most ubiquitous yio-
latons of duty have been unblushingly tolerated.
That corruption has TO a lamentable extent influ-
enced the action of our City Councils no one
doubts, and of the many unjustifable and extra
VACANT appropriations of the public funds, the
journals of those bodies have preserved an imper-
ishable record. How much money has been al
ready lost TO the city through the negligence or
conniyance of those who were specially charged
to protect its interest will never probably be
known, but the increase of taxes which we shall be
inevitably called on to assent to before long, will
remind US for many day to come of the lavish
and unwarrantable expenditures of the last few
years. But be our condition what it may we
shall never know precisely what it is whilst the
present administration or any similar one, contin-
ues in Office. The MAYOR and his adherents are
adopts at coloring facts, and we may always
anticipate from them the most encouraging ac-
counts whenever they deal in figures. Nor could
we expect much improvement on the existing
state Of things from any of their political oppo-
nents who might succeed simply as political
organizations, in obtaining control over municipal
affairs for the ensuing term. They have been so
long out of place, and are now so divided among
themselves that the temptation to reward friends
and propitiate angry brethren would be too
strong to be resisted. There is but one way in
which the people of Baltimore can remedy the
evils of which all so loudly complain, and that
is by wrestling their affairs out of the hands
of partisan associations and their Creatures
By so doing and by confding them even
temporarily to those who, taking little heed to
their own popularity, or the advancement of their
respective parties. will regard only the citys well
fare, an inestimabe advantage will be gained. We
will then be able to find out precisely how we
stand, and to prepare for future emergencies. An
hoheSt anu Impartial administration OF every de-
partnent of our local government for the next two
years, if for no longer period, would place the
prosperity of Baltimore on a surer basis than we
fear, 1t now stands on. If we can but offer to the
country some assurance that order will be inexo-
rably maintained, and the finances economically
and fairly managed, we shall do more TO build ND
the business and increase the population of our
city, than by endorsing any platform or Presiden-
tial candidate whatsoever. All the natural advan-
tages which could be desired we already have, and
as soon as we can show that life and property are
more secure here than elsewhere, and that taxa
ton will be kept within reasonable limits, labor
as well as capital will flow in. Our past his
tory renders it the more necessary that we should
offer some guarantee for our future conduct. We
shall do this If we trust our municipal affairs
to upright and independent men, and thus prove
that whenever the exigency arises, we are capa-
BILE, through devotion to the interests of Baltimore,
of rising above the passions and preudices of par
ty. We believe the majority of the people here
desire to give some such evidence of their ability
to manage their own concerns, and their deerm
nation to do it honestly, and that they will sus-
tain heartily any honorable movement that looks
to the election Of efficient municipal officers ire
spective of party affiliations.