Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-11-06
A FRANK STATEMENT.

Win. ]. Davis, Chairman of the Repub-
Iican City Central Committee of Sacra-
mento, sends us communication, which
appears elsewhere. 1t does Mr.. Davis
credit, inasmuch as he puts himself
squarely in opposition to Objectionable
schemes known to have been in prepara-
tion in certain quarters to secure "misrep-
sentation of the educational interests of
the city. The Chairman has named five
gentlemen for educational positions as his
personal preference. If other citizens will
do likewise, and suggest names of desir-
able candidates, the offices will in reality
seek the men, and the necessity for inde-
pendent action be further removed. His
example, also, will to some extent avoid
the difficulty he suggests with regard to
early nominations, as the people can dis
ouss the fitness of the proposed candidates
if they desire, as he advises, and from
among the more acceptable the commit.
tee might possibly choose wisely
at later hour, and thus relieve the
candidates from the martyrdom to which
the Chairman says they are liable to be ex-
posed. But is the reason of our corre-
spondent sufficient? Must the citizens be
kept in ignorance of the action of the
committee until just before election in
order to defeat the &c strikers?" Are the
people ready to confess that they are thus
placed at the mercy of the useless and
vicious element Is it wise to trust too
much TO the action of political committees
at the eleventh hour, when it may be too
late to remedy their nominations?
| To nominate early, the Chairman says.
"would subject our candidates to be
preyed upon and bled by horde of un-
principled and meTciless election strikers. -
The Chairman has thus briefly made val
liable contribution to the literature of the
debate on municipal administration, and
! furnished another excellent reason for the
divorcement of party politics from munich.
pal affairs. We thus have it authoIita-
lively that political control in municipali-
ties is accompanied by ga horde of
unprincipled and merciless election strik-
ers, who prey upon and bleed candidates. "
We have not at any time detailed the evils
of bossism, in our criticisms, SO pointedly
as does our correspondent.
1t would form an interesting chapter,
and contribute to the welfare of the COM
munity, if the Chairman would make pub
lie the knowledge that has come to him on
which he bases his allegation. The col
umns of the RECORD UNION are open to
him for the discharge of what he may
deem to be a duty to the public. His let
| ter, it will be seen, is frank confession of
the fact that this people are forced to con-
ceal their preferences for educational ad-
ministrators to protect their candidates
from the very agencies that contribute to
vicious politics. The candidates Mr.. Davis
names are well.known citizens, and would
probably prove entirely acceptable to the
| COLllluAlty' Ab Acase 4OuI VI lneHl nave
served honorably and without reproach in
the past, while the other is not known as
related to any rings or cliques, and has
lived the quiet life of worthy citizen.
There would seem to be no reason what.
ever why the candidates should not also be
named, with whose aspirations the tongue
of rumor has been so busy. We trust
that other citizens will follow the example
of Mr.. Davis and suggest names for con-
sideration.