Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1885-03-26

loon man will bear me out and supper
what have said
What we want is q candidate who viii
define his policy ia this relation, and hav-
ing defined 1t follow it out without feal
or favor. And now that we may 60 into
this thing with our eyes open and tha
there may be no Misrepresentation on tht
part OF any one let us have the, candidates
come before us, tell us what policy they
intend to pursue and then, having put
themselves on record, God pity the man
who shall abuse the trust rcposed IN him
by the citizens of Jamestown.
Mr. Flint being called for by the vast
J assemblage said.
FELLOW CITIZENS:
| am in full sympathy with the senti-
ments expressed by the Hon. E. p. Wells
and the Hon. johnson Ni;keus, and
while did not expect at this time to be
called upon to give public utterance to
the policy that | would pursue IN the
event Of my election to the mayoralty Of
jamestown, yet | am free to say IN res.
ponse to your request for statement of
my views that my first recommendation
to the incoming city government shall
be to recommend in all departments of
the city government and the watchword
shall be economy and retrenchment. We
are now arrived at u point where an un
avoidable depression in all classes OF bus
mess demands retrenchmept, not only in
our private but In our public expeudi-
lures. 1t was my good fortune two years
ago TO receive the distinction of being
elected as your first mayor under q city
charter Accepting that honorable and
responsible trust in ignorance Of its du-
| ties, may, and doubtless did, make
many errors, but as l then served the
| city without compensation, save such as
the honorable distinction of the office
conferred, am free now 10 say that the
first duty of the n Nv council ls to repeal
what is known as the "salary ordinance
80 that onr mayor and aldermen may serve
the city from sense of duty and without
the hope of pecunlary gam. Where OR
city clerk Is now receiving salary of
$500 per annum bis compensation should
be reduced TO s4Oo. The city attorney
who Is paid $500 should receive 5000, and
the city treasurer 5000 instead of $500.
The compensation of laborers and team
sters should be reduced to conform TO the
present hard times.
While l have been constantly misrep-
resented, my character assailed and my
motives lmpugned, have none but the
kindest words for those who have con
Quoted the clty's affairs during the past
year, but l desire briefly to answer one
point that has been urged against me.
1t is claiEed that sold the city some
land for a potter's field, but it is not
stated that public notice was given of the
clty's Intended purchase of land for such
purpose, and that my bid was accepted
because 1t was lower and more to the in .
tfrest of the city than others. | wish to
state here that if the city is dissatisfied
"t1n vne pas0AuSS ..~u0- 11UlI1 ...e@---.--
will pay handsome premium for a re.
| conveyance of the land to myself. Two
years ago l vas supported strongly by
the liquor interests OF the city aud went
into the Office handicapped by my obllga
tions to that interest. 1 am free to admit
that during my former administration
there was much laxlty in the enforcement
of the ordnance relating to the closing Of
the saloons on Sabbath. Now, gentlemen,
while am conylnced that the majority of
our saloon keepers are law abiding citi-
zens, yet l am constrained to believe that
abuses Of the license which they have en-
joyed has crept in and it would be better
for their interest and better tor the peace
and quiet of all that the Sabbath should
be indeed day of rest for all alike.
l am unable to express my concur
renee in the views Of Mr. Nickeus on
that question as he so eloquently
represented it as l desire, but
do say to you that have formed the
intention of strictly, rigldly and impair.
TALLY enforcing the existing ordinances
on that subject, That the saloon men
might not be deceived as to my policy in
that respect have taken the pains to
acqualnt them with my determination
and am pleased and gratifed to find
that many of them heartily agree with
me and express themselves equally Will
ling to conform to the wishes Of the peo.
pie in that regard.
In CONCLUSION thank you very cordial
ly for the attention which you have given
me, and repeat, that while have made
mistakes heretofore, if am so fortunate
as to be reelected your next mayor it will
be my duty as well as my aim and desire
to conduct our municipal affairs with
view to the strlctest economy consistent
with sensible administration. And IN
this connection may say that on the
subject Of water works am of the opin-
ION, while concedins the benefits to be
derived from we'll regulated system of
water works, am not IN favor at this
time of involving the city in an expense
of $4,000 per year, but while those are my
views have no desire to thwart the wish
es of the people and would favor the sub
mission OF the whole question to vote of
the people. Let us get out of debt first,
let US SO regulate our expenditures on
streets and bridges that we nay, first
take care of the heavy debt which is
hanging over US, and having done that,
then as soon as we may without the ne
cessity of an excessive taxation that will
frighten and turn capital away from our
midst step forward to more liberal ex-
penditure of public money in improve
ments that having the means to pay for
we may consistently and honestly enjoy.