, 1881-03-13

floating debt, and its further creatlon has
been arrested, permanently, ills to be hoped.
Taxation has been kept within reasonable
bounds, and the revenue is successfully col
lected. It has cost the people Of this city
several millions of dollars of taxation, and
the effort to attend the polls for ten minutes
each once In q: year for five consecutive
years to bring about this recovery and refor-
nation in the finances and credit Of Chicago.
There has not been charter election since
1916 at which any extent Of negligence or
Indifference on the part Of the taxpaying
voters might not have wrecked all the good
that had been accomplished, and handed the
government Of the city over to the Wreckers,
who have been indefatigabte in their tabors
to recover control. Necessity demands that
a like vigilance be maintained now.
ANY one who reads the proceedings OF the
City Council will discover how slight Is the
majority which prevents the Government
passing back into hummer control. Careless
ness or inattention at the polls in one or two
wards at the coming election may revive the
old corrupt style of legislation out OF which
grew all the past troubles. The faction which
insists that government was Invented for the
benefit Of corrupt officials needs but few re-
cruits to give it control Of the Council, and
these recruits thay expect through bad nonl-
nations and the indifference of voters In the
best wards Of the city.
MIR. Harrison was elected Mayor two years
ago by the votes Of Republicans who were
dissatisfied with their own candidate. and
who had confidence in his personal integ-
rity, and in his professions Of non-partisan
administration Of city affairs. Ills Admins
tration is before the public, and he is candl~
date for reelection. We will not now uis~
cuss his weaknesses and his shortcomings
we wish to impress upon the Republicans
the necessity of nominating candidate for
Mayor who will be 4 better Mayor than I1ar~
rison. If they cannot do that, then they may
as well abandon the contest This is mtl~
nicipal contest in which the relative charac-
ter and ability Of the candidates will control
thousands Of votes independent of politics.
While Harrison will be burdened by last
falls violent and disgraceful partisan be-
hayior, and by the errors, and follies, and
worse, of his Administration, lie will also
have the advantage Of whatever has been
comnlendable and efficient in his Admins
tration. 4 proper candidate, and one whose
own person and character will be guar
antee to all persons of all parties Of an l1o1l-
est, efficient, and respectable Government, is
essential to secure an election. The nonlina-
tion of such candidate can only be secured
by the earliest efforts and lab0rs of the entire
body Of Republican voters in the choice of
delegates.
No less important than the election Of a
Mayor who will have no aflinities with the
gamblers and criminal classes is the election
of a City Council which will not consider the
general public as fair subjects for plunder
and robbery. A Mayor may disgrace his
office and himself by his antics, but City
Council may plumber and rob the community.
With 4 corrupt, blackmailing, hummer Coun-
Gil Mayor is comparatively helpless; with
an honest Council, and a competent and re-
spectacle Mayor, there is a reasonable hope
that the interests Of the city, its character
and credit, will be protected and maintained,
and the people may rest III the confidence Of
good, decent, economical, and honest govern
ment.
To secure the election Of proper Aldermen
good men must be nominated, and to nolni-
nate good men there must be 4 general
effort of the friends Of such men made at the
ward meetings. Proper persons as candi-
dates must have votes enough to nominate
them, and those who want that class of per-
sons for Aldermen must go to the meetings
and vote for them.
We repeat the serious warning that good !
In Chicago depends Oh the nomi-
nation Of persons who ought to be elected;
the nomination Of any other class Of persons
will not insure a. victory, but is direct in-
eitation OF defeat.