Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-05-26
For The. HERALD.
THE CORPORATION ISSUES.

sonal :favoritism and q good deal of mol.
iticai, wire-pulling and. party enmity.
there is no popular issue. Briefly sum-
ming up the objections tosthe reelection
of Mr. Lambert, they are.
LIST. A change is wanted.
I'd, The laws are hot enforced as to
nights, ...f,.. ~.
Sd. The police do not. give. satisfac-
4th.. That's about.ali
In explanation it is-only right to say
that. as one Of the people, we have no
Particular candidate as our choice, and
are disposed to state the. case fairly if
we see it fairly. As to the first objection,
who would net take third term in any
position, from Grant to Cleveland. from
cleveland to G. o. Lambert. As to the
change of sergeant and clerk, no charg-
aes are brought and no fault is found on
the whole, the corporation administra-
ton for the past few. years has been a
vast improvement over that of former
times there is less scheming the laws
are enforced in general if not in particu-
lar; the streets are in good order and
many bad places made better. Besides,
isn't it doubtful question Whether
there would be any changes" under
Mr.. Cushwa we think there would not,
| because without the vote of the Council
he could not. and many Of the Ser
| geant's, Clerk s and Policemen 3 strong
est friends are friendly to Mr.. Cushwa as
well as to Mr.. Lambert. & ssx - =
The second charge we know. nothing
about, as we are not ON the streets much
at night, and generally attend so. closely
to our own business that we have our
FIRST improper character to see if those
who see them would report TO the Mayor.
and give their testimony to convict
thems we are sure he would enforce the
laws II there are ANY in. that direction.
AS to the third objection, there is not
much to say except that the, order of the.
town has been good, and that it Is hard
to get our best men to run for the higher
offices, much less the lower.
| There is this much to say in Justice to
the people, that they elect and pay the
Mayor andpoliee to do their duty and
enforce the laws when they see or know
them to be violated, without any citizen
being compelled to make a scape-goat
out of himself to shield sworn officers
from any responsibility or ill-wilL 1t
has been too much the case. Mr.. Lambert
expected the eouncilmen, storekeepers
or citizens to come forward as a shield
for himself and his officers when the
laws were to be enforced against any
one, and then fortify himself behind the
prosecution by others. There is no law
to compel citizens to turn informers. A
Mayor has the laws before him and his
police are paid to be ON the ground and
keep their eyes open without fear or ia
vor. 1t is. the duty of the citizens to call
the attention of the authorities to any
violations of the laws, and the authori-
ties to act on complaint. Every citizen
| is liable as witness but there is only
one Mayor, one police force and one
| prosecuting attorney .-......--.-
Mr.. Cushwa as well as the rest has
been about the corporation for a number
of years, as Councilman, Treasurer, and
acting Treasurer for DR.. McSherry if
one ought to go, why not the whole of
| them, for it is as common to see Mr..
Cushwa in the corporation head-quart-
ers in past years as it was to see Mr..
Showers in former. years.
/ The citizens ticket lacks other essen
tial marks and representations of a popu-
lar cause, The matter was discussed in
Democratic circles long before it took
shape The Democrats could make no
party capital and little else political out
of Mr.. Lambert's administration. Mr.
Cushwa is known to be in sympathy
with his party and his name has been
Il frequently mentioned in connection with
the Democratic nomination for sheriff.
There was a decided Democratic move
ment to nominate him for Mayor, but it
was feared Mr.. Lambert would come in
and capture the convention and it was
only when the Republicans came blund-
ering In with their child like simplicity
| q, fr,o Il
their way clear. Further, Cushwa cour-
iers were drumming up men all day for
the convention, and political lieuten-
ants like old yGettinger declared them
selves well-pleased with, the result.
Further yet, there were Democrats who
said they would not stand by the Con
yention if Mr.. Heller was nominated,
and Republicans who refused before
hand to be bound by Mr.. Cushwa. So
it was a human nature affair, with the
political side scented with a popular per-
fume made to order. The experience
should teach the Republican tub to
stand On its own bottom, if it had one
if not, to say SO and be done and Mr..
LAMBERT reelection should remind the
Democrats of the nature of their politi-
tcal composition, land that they do not
look well in any other suit except that
which their party has worn for CEN
fury. A peoples candidate backed by
the g. Gettingerism 7 of politics must be
of such quality and quantity in politi.
cal chemistry that a band could play haii
to our chief oyer the corpse without max
ing an elephant laugh or setting mon
key to jumping at the moon. for Mrs,
Luna to drop nickel in his cap in the
last act ola peoples farce, ~ gF a
Inlconclusion we!have no man to ad.
vocate, being willing to abide by the re,
suit of the election as the, best that can
t,be done under the circumstances. 1t
lshows, however, that after all that can
be said against bringing politics into
corporation affairs it is best for each par
ty to nominate its best man, on certain
issues or demands of the people: and
then there will be some issue besides
personal friendship or political enmity
In this election the people have more tc
gain from making the question of the
best man for Council an ISSUE than from
splitting hairs on the Mayoralty candi
dates. W. - A FREE VOTEH.+
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