The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-06-03
Tho New City Council.

,
of loose and imprudent talk as to the effect
OF the result, should it prove unfavorable
to the ruling dynasty. There has been,
since the election, some foolish apprehen-
sion expressed that the interests OF the
people would suffer from the change. Such
surmises and fears are the result OF
thoughtlessness or want Of comprehen-
sion-possibly the result of that blind par
tzanism which can see no good in any
thing that is not of its suggestion and
sympathy The fact seems to be ignored
by such that each citizen rs interested III
having good government, whether his pos
sessions are much or little. When his all
is involved, it is as much to him as the
larger possessions are to their Owners
That a man is any better or wiser, or more
patriotic. simply because he may have in
herited or accumulated wealth, is a delu-
sion which takes hold of the weak, but
not Of the robust mind. 1t is not always
the influence of property which admins
tiers to just government or that proves
the most potent factor in promoting the
interests of community We have in our
mind instances where municipal legiSla-
tion has been perverted TO the interest OF
property at the expense of the masses OF the
citizens. and where power has been USED
to enhance the values of the wealthy to
the disadvantage of The possessions and
the interests of the less favored OF for
tune. Some of our most intelligent and
useful citizens have not the faculty OF ac-
cumulating, yet in their spheres of action
they are indispensable to the comfort and
convenience of the inhabitants of the city.
There has not been proper appreciation
of the relations of all classes of citizens
to the government, or wise understand
ing of the force and influence Of mental
training in contributing to the general
welfare. To assume that a man who has
natural capacity sufficient to become a
master mechanic. although he may not
have accumulated wealth, is not as well
qualified for the discharge of public du-
ties as man who measures yard OF tape
or weighs pound of sugar, or that man
who can plan and construct a building, is
not the equal mentally of man who can
rattle off speech in the Court House or on
the stump. is to confess to the absence of
the necessary common sense to be com
petent Judge of public affairs. There has
been too much of this kind of foolishness
manifested in the past, in considering and
acting upon the interests of the city, and
we are gratified that the people have had
the courage to rebuke it in very signiti'
cant way.
The new City Council will contain four
master mechanics elected by the indepen-
dent voters~-tw Of them large taxpayers
and the other two experts in their calling5.
Will any one of sense deny that they have
not as much interest i'll community and
have shown as much capacity in their re-
spectiye professions as any other Of the
business men of the city? Have they not
as much interest in the prosperity of
Stanton AZ any of the merchants or law
I yers, and will not they feel as keenly the
responsibility that rests upon them as men
of other occupations would? Among the
| new Councilmen chosen are some of the
| most prosperous and the largest taX-pay-
ers in the city. Every one of them is con-
! sidered a useful citizen, and had either OF
them been chosen at the primary and
| elected by the people, not word OF dis
trust would have been uttered against
| them But because their success was at
| the expense of the little ring that devised
and carried out the primary plan, doubt
and suspicion must be thrown upon their
capacity as well as their motives This is
! no way to promote the interest of the city.
| 1t is the outgiving Of prejudice and ego
| tism, of a self-assumed superiority which
! has nothing of worth to sustain it, and the
! evidence that common sense and honest
motives are not a part of the furniture
with which these gentlemen are equipped
We have the utmost confidence i'll the
capacity and the honesty of the Council
elect We believe they will give us wise
economical and progressive city govern
ment. and that every interest OF the people
will be guarded and conserved in their ad
ministration Each one has his all here
each one is interested in the city's pros
perity-each one is capable of approaching
! the right and scornlng the wrong, and al
I Of them are as ambitious for legislation
for the public welfare and are as free
from petty selfishness as any former coun
| Gil has ever been. When city the size Of
Staunton has to depend for its good name
and the impartial and just administration
of it's affairs upon an exclusive cotOsie o.
self appointed guardians, its condition viii
not be such as to commend it to the gooC
opinion of sensible men. While every
change may not be reform. we do moi
think the interests of the people will suffer
because change has been made. We ex-
pect to see a wise, progressive, intelli
gent and self-respecting administration
one that will commend itself to public con
| tidence and public respect, and which will
| be the severest re bnke that could be ad
ministered to those who have condemned
it in advance, simply because it was not OF
| their choice
The triumph of no party or set OF men
| il half So imnOrfant as the DuritV OF the