The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-02-20

Next wednesday evening the Republican
caucuses for the nomination of a candidate
Tor Mayor, will be held. With here and there
rare exception, the general desire of Re
publicans is that GEORGE P. WEsCoTT be
again placed in nomination. Indeed, several
leading Democrats are so well satisfied that
his reelection is desirable, that they have ex-
pressed purpose to vote for him. 1t is ut
terly impossible for a man to discharge the
duties of the office of Mayor and at the same
time please everybody, and doubtless Mayor
Wescott has not proved an exception. If
he is such an exception, we should qnte
likely not entertain the respect for him that
we now entertain. There are MANY good
people who have an ambitious object to raid
upon the City Treasury as common property.
There are men who think it is perfectly
right to charge the city more for their labor
than they would an individual. There are
others who think that any kind of service is
good enough for the public for which they
can get well paid. There are others who ask
for lavish expenditures in certain directions.
With these classes, Mr.. Wescott is not
popular man. He has an idea that the work
of the city should be done at as low price
and in as thorough manner as it can be for
individuals. He entertains the somewhat
original notion that the business affairs of
city should be managed with the same pru-
dence, foresight and economy that skilltul
business man applies to his own affairs and
should be looked alter with the same vigi-
lence.
During the past year no interest of the city
has suffered because of the Mayors neglect.
the head of the most important committees
of streets and sewers. and under his vililant
care and as the result largely of practical ex-
perience, the general opinion is that these i'm
portant departments have "a ely if ever been
SO efficiently managed. In addition to this,
he has labored to stop the hundreds Of little
leaks by which the money OF the taxpayers is
squandered and in many respects has been
successful. This is not the popular thing we
admit, but 1t is the honest policy.
Mayor Wescott is eminently a practical
man, consequently he does not see the pros
PSANy VI JIG City III Cuc expenditure OF large
sums of money for fine parks or useless
show-a policy that is loading many of our
larger cities with burden of debt that al
ready begins to tell against their prosperity.
He believes in intelligently employing the
money of the taxpayers to secure ample ed
ucatiopal privileges for all, to secure good
streets and drainage, to secure safety to the
citizen and his property and as far as possible
remove the impediments to business and in
dustry which come within the power of a
municipal government. He believes that the
first thing for Portland to do 10 hasten its
prosperity, multiply its business and indus
tries, is to reduce its rate O! taxation. We
believe he has constantly kept these objects
in vi-w the past year, and to effect them has
given his best efforts.
That the Mayor is not speech maker, that
he does not shine in post prandial gush, that
there Is nothing of the sentimental in his
make up, we most gladly conceed. We do,
however, claim for him lare business qualfi-
cations, clear head, great industry, and un-
finching integrity, and possessing these solid
requisites he has been an efficient Mayor the
past year, and will be more valuable one
next.