Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-10


Our county election being over the next
important local matter is our city cleo
ton, which occurs a week from next
Tuesday. Good county officials have been
elected. Let us see to il that the right
kind Of men are chosen TO compose the
city government. Important as it is that
we should have good county officials. it is
even more important that we should have
good and capable men at the head Of our
municipal affairs.
The first question that presents itself is,
how are we 10 get those To serve US who
are capable Of governing the cityy Men
Of real worth are not going to beg for
prohtless and thankless places that have
very little honor attached to them. They
viii not engage in scramble for what
they DO not want. They may be willing,
however, to respond to the wishes Of those
who are interested in the welfare and
prosperity Of the city.
There ought to be great care exercised
in selecting those to whom the destinies
Of the city are to be entrusted for the next
two years. They will have to pass upon
matters that are Of vital interest 10 the
entire community. The new drainage
system, for instance, is one Of them, and
system of street paving is another.
There are, also, other things Of scarcely
less Importance. Among them are the
carrying out Of the Yamacraw contracts,
the supervision Of the river front rail-
road, the maintenance of a good quaran-
tine and the completion of the work
necessary to make the city extension
available.
No one ought to be made a member of
the city government simply because he is
popular, or because he represents citizens
Of some particular nationality. There
can be no reasonable objection, Of
course, to the election of popular
men, or Of men of different nationalities,
provided their claims are based on their
fitness and nothing else. 1t is time that
this idea that the different natiOnalities
that make up the population Of the city
should have representation in the Council
should be frOwDed upon. The aim should
be to elect COuncilmen who not only have
the qualifications for the duties required
of them, but who will, without fear or
favor, do the best they can for the whole
community.
If we recognize any other standard
| than that of fines in selecting city
officials we shall soon be in very un-
happy muddle. Not only will it be i'm
possible to give general satisfaction, but
we shall have a Council composed of men
who will not only not do what is best for
the city, but who will be incapable of
| cOmprehending what is best. Different
interests, different natiOnalitiss and even
different religious denominations viii
| demand representation.
If we begin making distinctions of that
kind we shall soon have the city divided
into cliques and rings, and there will be
no end of trouble. 1t isn't long since we
got rid OF one great ring, and it will be
remembered that special legislation was
necessary to help US get rid Of It.
WHAT we want is the best men without
regard to the place OF their birth or their
religious convictions. These men can be
had if we go about getting them in the
right way.
We doubt very much whether the way
to get them is through secret political
clubs. The clubs, independently, may
in the main be Influenced by proper
motives, but agreement can be reached
only by bargaining. and where there is a
bargain in political matters there is gen
orally a suspicion that the public good is
not the chief thing aimed at.
In order to give general satisfaction
and leave no room for anybody to COM
plain that they were not consulted the
best way. probably, to select candidates
for city offices would be by mass meet
ing. If then those who are most deeply
interested in the welfare of TIE city desire
to assist in selecting city officials they
will have the chance.