The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-03-22
ITENS FOR TAY.PAYERs.
First. the Pledges.

Democratic candidates and their
friends were profuse in promises a.
tO what they would do, ID case the
people entrusted the administration Of
the affairs of the city to their hands
They wereIoud in their charges of ex
travaganee and incompetency against
Mayor BAKER and the Republican
Council, and declared that if they
could not run the machine at far
less expense and in a more satisfac-
tory manner to the people, they would
all resign. Lest some of the voter,
have forgotten these pledges, we pro
pose to refresh their memories By
copying from the Evansville Cowie1
Of those days. 1t is profitable to cali
Ep these things, that we may compare
Democratic performance with Demo
cratic promise.
Immediately after the city nomina-
tishs. in March, the Courier opened
.sscontest by firing the following
shot. We copy from the number Of
March q. In speaking of the Re-
publican Convention, it says
There was not that harmony in the
proceedings, nor that judgment in thu
selection of candidates, which would
justify any favorable conclusions as
to the result OF the pending canvass
TO these circumstances of discour
agement may be added the great an6
growing popularity of the Democratic
candidate, VIM. I'll. Walker. TIL,
Hrss best men in the Republican party
begin to feel the necessity Of change
in the administration of our munich
pal affairs. Corruption under Radica
auspices is widespread, powerful anG
defiant, and the people are clamorous
4sfor change.
1t will be seen by this that the
m Mayor and Council were directl,
charged with widespread, powerful
and defiant corruption. The SAM
paper alleges that Mr.. KLEIN wa
~ defeated by the Convention for Mar
shall because he had not run his
hand into the public treasury and
taken the peoples money
In the Courier of March 18th, 1863,
is a report of Democratic meeting
held at the Market House, in which
PETER MATER and Mayor WALKEt
were the speakers. Among othei
things said by the Mayor was the fol-
lowing significant sentence:
After referring to some acts of The
present Mayor, in which lDjudiciou
and extravagant expenditures OF
money were made that but partially
accomplished the benefits to be secur
ed to the public, promised that, II
elected, he loOWld not do better .JfnGn
cieriRg tbqn exhibited IN the instances
related, he sCouid resign the office.
We give the language precisely a.
we find it in the Courier.
In the Courier of March goth W,
find the following gems, in an arIicl,
styled defense o. Mayor BAKER:
CITY CoNTRAcTs.-To those whe
intimate that the city contracts have
always been small, and always given
out to the lowest bidder, we put in
our denial. and assume, on the con
80 trary, that they have generally, If no
always, been given to good Union
men and men of WEALTH, and even
to IMPORTED contractors, at q good
round price, knowing that poor labor
ing men here at home, and especially
DEMOCRATS aud CONSERVATIVES,
could not be relied on, even at lower
prices. The base charge of his re
ceiving portion of the profits arising
coarse Cor serious retutation. IF, in
deed, any reiutation were necessary,
we triumphantly refer the grumblers
to the Mayors extreme poverty; and
if this were not sufficient, we clinch
the argument by the fact that he chal
lenges an examination of the city
records; and surely no one can be so
stupid as not to perceive at once that
little peccadilloes of this kind would
be PLAINLY REVEALED BY THE PUB
Lie RECORDS.
We simply pass on with the inquiry.
who has had the street contracts 70,
the past year? Was it an imported
contractor? Did he get good rouno
prices, knowing that laboring men
here at home, and especially Demo
Gratis and Conservatives, could not be
relied on. at even lower prices?
FIRE ENGINES -Then consider the
perfection of our means for extin-
gushing fires. Our worthy Mayor
has taken great pains to see that fire
men are loyal, and that the horses
that draw the machine, if not FAST,
are at least STRONG and reliable; and
whenever company of fremen offer
an independent opinion. they are dis
banded How can any man, or set OF
Meu, De expected 10 understand their
affairs as we'll as cur great City Lumi-
naryY Let them take off their hats
IN his presence, or we say, OFF WITH
THEIR HEADsl
Whose horses have drawn the fire
engines during the past year? Were
they the same that acted in that ca
pacity last year? If not fast, we sup
pose they are still strong and reliable.
Yet again:
The JOURNAL. anticipating that
Mr.; Walkers acknowledged talent
and economy will soon be applied
to the management of our munich
pal affairs, desires to know "how
the citizens of Evansville fancy the
authorization
In the Courier of March 81, 1868,
we lind the following with reference
to street improvements:
Lest it should be inferred bv MI;
clous and disloyal persons that Marnr
Baker designed, in this sonorons 1877 st.to
ment, to assume all the credit for a.
magnificent results which il annonn0
ees, as a champion for the Baker aJ