The Portland daily press., 1875-03-02
The City Election.

j
tial majority. The details of the vote will be
found elsewhere. The result is of no possi-
BILE Importance in general party sense, as
the contest turned almost exclusively on local
issues. The thorough organization Of the
rum selling interest and their lavish expendi-
ture of money and labor were not met by a
corresponding effort on the part Of the law
abiding people-hence the signal triumph of
this interest. The large majorities Of Wards
2 and 4, which are chiefly inhabited by our
naturalized fellow citizens could not be over
come by the Republican majorities in Wards
8, SO and q; so the Democrats have a
majority in the city at large, while the Repub-
lieans carry five out of the seven wards. The
result is notable warning to the better class
es in the community that they cannot safely
neglect their duties, and demonstrates anew
that eternal vigilance is the price OF good gov
eminent.
Mr.. Richardson, the successful candidate
for the mayoralty, is a gentleman Of unex-
ceptionable character and standing In both a
business and social way, and win undoubted-
ly make respectable and acceptable magis-
trate. His business training will enable him
to readily acquire familiarity with his official
duties and his conservative habit of mind will
prevent him from entering upon the radical
measures which will be urged upon him by
many of his adherents.
The principal object for which the organi-
zation above mentioned was formed, was the
election of the Democratic candidate for
Judge of the Municipal Court. The pur-
poses which caused this action are hardly OBJ
vous, for Judge would be able to do but
little toward gratifying the desires OF this
combination, even should he be so disposed,
which cannot be assumed of Mr.. Knight. In
the new Judge trangressors are likely to find a
magistrate who will not be influenced in the
discharge of his duties by considerations OF
support given him by criminals, and the vic
tors of yesterday will probably learn that they
have won barren triumph in this point on
which their greatest efforts were made.
For the interest of the city we most sim
cerely regret the defeat Of Mayor Wescott.
So far as his personal interest and comfort
are concerned, we most heartily congratulate
him on the result of the vote, for no office is
so nearly daily punishment as that of May
or. George P. Wescott has failed of an cleo
ton because in everything he has attempted
to manage the affairs of the city on strict
business principles. He has never conceived
that the city treasury was to be used to pla-
cate party associates, to reward favorites or
purchase personal popularity. He has never
been able to see why member OF his own
party should be paid 800 to do job Of city
work which party opponent would do fol
800. So unused is he to partisan ways that
he would as soon think of employing worth
less man about his own business as that o
the city. In doing the city's business 1t never
occurred to him that "to the victors belong
the spoils." Indeed, it never entered his
mind that the taxes paid by the people were
spoils. By pursuing this policy he has alien.
ated quite a number of party men, and on
Monday all those who had been disappointed,
piqued, or thought they had grievance, OF
thought they differed with him on subjects
foreign to his duties as Mayor, staid at home,
cut his name from their tickets or got revenge
by voting against him. We are confident
now that the contest is over that intelligent
and honorable men of both parties will cheer
fully declare that Mr.. Wescott has been as
near model business Mayor as can be OBJ
tanned.
By further consulting the vote, it will be
seen that the Democratic majority is not SO
large as it appears by the vote for Mayor. The
aggregate Republican vote for Aldermen is
215O, and the Democratic 1888, with 13 scat.
tering, which shows the Democratic majority
to be 22O. This is undoubtedly the best test
of the party vote in the city.
Had the Republicans made any organiza.
ton or taken any systematic efforts to get out
their vote, had they given the time to ,secur-
ing the election of the ticket which they have
to working up the nomination OF favorites
and in puerile chickering's, the result would
have been different. The lesson of yesterday
if needed will be a timely and useful one
Past mistakes can now be retrieved; but tc
do this petty jealousies and contentious must
cease and early steps be taken to secure
thorough organization. There is nothing
disheartening in the results Of yesterday.