Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-09-17
THE MAYORALTY

THE MA YORALTY.
The election of a Republican Mayor by
the Conservative City Council of Staunton
has, at least, had one good e~ffect-t,lere
will be no more Republican .ofice-holders
elected in this city except by Republicans.
The lines will be hereafter closely drawn.
There will be enough of politics in city
affairs to keepits government in the hands
the party which is most interested in it, |
and the members of which are seven-eights |
of the property holders in its limits. The
refreshing and unaffected simplicity in |
political affairs of our Republican neigh
bour, the 'Virginian,'' will amount to
nothing with the people. The idea that
there is to be no politics in a city with
1000 inhabitants, which is supposed to
have some weight in State legislation, and
which is looked upon with c~ommendable
pride by the Conservative party of the
State, only excites a smile even though it
comes from the gushing, innocent heart
of the editor of the '.Virginian." The
Conservative people of Staunton don't APP
pear to have entire confidence in the un-
selfshness of that velvet-pawed politician,
and they fear that this "no politics" now is
to end in, ITO eat you up, my DEAR" if,
like Little Red Ridinghood's wolf, he gets
the power. His position is not likely to
inspire confidence. The editor of a Re-
publican organ, with his party in the Mi
nority. advising the Conservatives, who
are in the majority, not to make a party
question of the first Office in a city, it
would seem to any rational mind as so
easily seen through as hardly to need
serious consideration. "The mere mention
of the names'' of the gentlemen who voted
for the Republican Mayor does not give the
assurance the .Virginian' thinks, but only
been committed, and the confident hope
that the remainder of the official life of
those who committed it will be spent with
out a similar one. There are M men in
Staunton whose s'names," however good,
can give them impunity to commit such
a blunder as this.
We have not thought proper to
comment on Mr.. Bickle's quail
fcations for the Office to which he has
been elected, as u protest was
made chiefly against the political bluuder
committed by the council, but as the "Vir-
ginian" says that ''the VINDICAToR is
forced to admit that MI. Bickle is emin-
emily qualified for the position to which
he has been called, y we ma say that we
haye admitted no such thing. The mayor
of d city is looked upon us its representative
man, which MI. Bickle is not. He does
not represent the sentiment of the people,
for on the all important question of gov
eminent he has directly opposite views.
He does not represent the enterprise Of the
people, for, though a man of wealth. he
takes no part in enterprises that would be
likely to bring people to tie city and give
them employment; he sits like the tax
gatherer and let's other people work for his
benefit. He represents simply himself and
$l50,OO0 or t~hereabouts. The ''Virginian"
some how confounds the interest that Il
live, active, pushing business man has in
a city, and that which a mar of wealth has.
You may do a great deal of wrong to citi-
zens without mat erially hurting the city.
For instance, not many months ago the
City Council, presided over by Mr. Bickle,
attempted, illegally, to fofst nearly $4,000
of the Main street debt on the city treas
ury, and Mr.. Blckle aided them in it. The
$4,000 would have had to be paid by tine
people at large. The INDICATOR exposed
this and a few days after the Council
took the back track on it. 1t was too glar-
ing. SO you see the wealth and large in
terests of II man isn't any guarantee that
the people won't be taxed to improve pri- |
vate property. The ''Virginian" forgot
to comment on that at the time. 1t would
have disturbed the "harmony'' which was
prevailing at the cost of the people; a har-
mony which makes poor men pay taxes to
improve the property of the rich ones.
In reply to the "Virginian's" panegyric
on Mr.. Bickle, we Can only say that to
Mr.. Bickle we have no personal objection.
We haven't wen an acquaintance with
him. He was doubtless born in this com
munity, indeed, we don't see how any per
soilal effort of his own could have prevent
ed it. He doubtless commenced life with
out "A penny" as most of us do, our stock
in trade at that eVentful period generally
consisting of bottle OF paregoric q a
little catnip tea. But as to his value as
an e%nterprising, go-ahead man, we thinh
there are a good many NEIL in Thornrose
cemetery of equal value to the city with
Mr.. Bickle.
The next municipal election in Staun-
ton will be between the Conservative.
party, the working people and the proper
ty holders who are not rich. on one side
and the Republican party and Mr.. Rickle
and his real estate on the other. The Re-
publican party can't slide into power here
without making a square fight for it.
The LUTHERAN Tenn. SYNOD has just