Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-02-14
Aanraster K1,teiIlgenrfr.
MONDAY EVENING, FEB. IA, 1881.
The City Election.


The election tomorrow for city officers
has created very little excitement in the
community: but We hope it is not be-
cause little interest is felt in the result.
1t is,rather, because party feeling has not
been stirred up in the matter, and each
candidate is left to depend on his merit.
and each citizen to act upon his judg-
ment of what the interests Of the city
require. For councils. we ask the voter
to weigh We'll the qualifications Of the
candidates and to east his vote for no one
whom he thinks is incompetent. or who
has shown hy his pas, conduct rs conn
Gilman. ;ha, ne has not the requisite
good Judgment io fill the place. We do
no; ask any one 10 vote for an UNFIT
nemrcralic councilman. for two reasons: !:
OF which the first is tina; We cannot con-
Scier,lrusly dc Sn. and the second. that
il would do no good if we did. We would
only lose our own influence with our
readers. winch We can preserve in no
other way than l'v advising them to do
their duty as good citizens. There is Il
spirit abroad among the people now,
which is leading them to hold their
party managers TO Il strict accountapll-
itv for the manner in which they dis
charge their rarty trust in putting up
candidates for municipal offices. Citi-
zens whether Democrats or Republi-
cans--wli no longer vote blindly for the
candidates Of their party in city cleo
tions. They look at The character of the
respective nominees .Ei govern thell
votes accordingly. 1t is undoubtedly T.;
good thing that we are learning to do SO
it is go;d for the party as well AS tie
city. 1t will teac!, parties to pat up goH1
candidates if they want to succeed. as O.
course they do. 1t is right, of course
for every party man to give his prefer
ence to the candidates OF his party, a
he will feel diSpns ed to do, and not tt
cast his vote against them except fo
very good reason. Lin this election the
Democratic party stands very vel
before the people with its candidates
and We know of II" reason why th
ticket generally should not receive tin
party support. And there are good re;l
sons 10 expect also Republican vote
for the Democratic council ticket. Th
Republican party has had control 0
councils and has subjected itself to con
demna.inn in :. number of instances
The people are not pleased for instance
Will the Payment of the gas bill, 10
gas no: furnished to the city. This wa
asn" i'y the order of councils. agains
the protest Of the mayor. who sent
communication 10 councils declarin;
that it should not be paid. Its payment
was ordered on motion of Counciln,al
Cox.
Then We DO not think that the unneo
eSsary disturbance raised ia the Cit
treasurer ni;,tter by the direct action Q
councils has been acceptable to the cit
Zens generally. Tie financial arrange
ments Of iie city We're thrown into cor
fusion thereby. its creditors RENAME
unpaid, legal expenses We're incurred
and Il liability of the city for damages t
Mr.. Wcciisns, for what he claims to i
his unlawful oustiEg from his office, no
hangs over it. The city has been run II
to the limit of IFS debt and an iIvitatiO
to permit Il greater indebtedness to !
incurred is threatened to the voters.
The DE mocratic part of the city go
ernment las deserved and won tie col
fidence of the people. The mayor h:
been Jealous and wise, and no one h;
anything but praise for the eEersct
street commissioner. The deposition I
this officer is one of the things sought
this election, and will he accomplished
Republican council is chosen. We d
not think that the peopleof the city VII
have observed the working of the stree
department under Mr.. Trewitz and h
predecessors will desire to exchange h
way of doing things for that Of e,
Commissioner Forlney. We beiie>
that the administration of the wate
works has becn satisfactory.
We think we can invite the demo
Gratis of the city to sustain their ticke
with q good conscience and that we ca
expect also Republican votes for man
of our candidates. But if there are all
Democrats Oh tie ticket who are juStl
Objectionable we claim nothing for then
They ought not to beti.crc. We belicv
that there is no one whom we can poiI
to rs unworthy of the support of IA
party, and 50 we ask it for them all.
THE complaint of the fire cOmpanie
that they have to wait so long for thei
money is weil-founded, but not at all il,
explicaiDle, and it is hard to see how tb
matter can be remedied until our SySteI
of municipal finances be amended in &C
cortlance with the suggestions 80 fre
Quently made by the mayor in his mes