Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-11-24
The Municipal 4uestiOu.

Mr.. EDITOR: The election for mayor
and aldermen will soon come. You have
expressed some views in relation thereto.
Communications have appeared in some of
the other city papers. Now that Knoxville
is inspired with so much of hope for her
immediate future, we should appreciate
the Importance of electing city council
that II prove an honor to the city. That
in q position so exclusively business-like
no partisan contest should be made, as you
suggest, all good citizens ought to agree.
The trouble heretofore has been to induce
our best business men and citizens to be-
come candidates for aldermen. The same
trouble will still exist unless through some
effort that will give assurance that like
business men will be elected from other
wards. Among the matters of great im>
portance that we may reasonably expect TO
come before the next board will De bui ding
of water works, granting aid, rights of
way or privileges to railroads, fosteriD g
! manufacturing interests, disposiDg of in
terests now owned in railroads, providing
for the large bonded and floating city
Indebtedness, etc. In all these our tax
payers especially are deeply interested, and
| all should demand for Representatives only
such men as have in the management of in
| dividual interests shown sufficient business
| capacity to recommend them as fit to man
| age for others and in matters of so great
concern.
The character and amount of our press
ent city Indebtedness is we'll stated in the
communication of Mr.. Tillman and de-
serves careful attention. If faulty in his
| figures it is in not assuming that in the
present and expected future rapid
| growth of the city the necessity almost al
once of building water works and of open
| ing and extending new and improving old
streets will of necessity and tempOrarialiy ,
| increase the expenditures in that direction
Not as charge against any one admins
tration of our city government more than
another, but as fact whether welook to the
manner of this public debt the means re-
sorted to for its payment, the manner in
which many of our public streets have
been laid out and graded. the plan adopt
ed in building the bridge across the rail
road, the bungleseme management display
ed in regard to water works, or witness
the character Of the proceeding
time to time, there is showr
an evident want of business capacity anC
Judgment. Now, how shall this b.
remedied? We answer, simply by oul
business men at once taking lively in
terest in the matter. Should a public
meeting De held when and where could b
matured some plan by which could b.
nominated ca1QlQaLo not only Ior nhyor
but aldermen for each ward-candidste
who have the interests of the city q
heart-aelected regardless of their politics
but alone for their capacity and stand ing
we think it could but result in good t
the city and relief finally to the ia:
payer. Should this course be taken
ought to be done before candidates upo1
their own motion, announce themselve
and actually enter the field of contest /
by it's means mayor and board could b
selected that would contribute their ser
vices as such and for the year to the cit
as one step in the direction of that econo
my which would secure to the city lahore
and creditor full and prompt payment c
all sums due and. at the same time, omi
that accustomed (of late) self-intereste
legislation of voting salary to ones SCI
wholly disproportioned to any service
rendered, at least some good would be &C
csmplished.