San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-01-16
CLOSE UP THE RANKS.

prOacnlnS munlclpal contest, ana IN
the very nature of things there can be
but two, viz: those who are in favor of
retaining the present administration
in power, and those who are opposed
to the methods and manner of con-
Quoting public business which charac-
terizes this present council and par
ticularly the municipal head. There
are but two ways of preventing the
perpetuation of the present order of
things; first, the election of a new
mayor; second, the election of board
of aldermen so fully imbued with the
importance of the aldermanic office
and of their direct responsibility to
the city for the proper administration
of its affairs that no mayor can de-
fleet them from the straight course of
an independent exercise of their own
judgments on all matters that come
before them. Too much stress has
been laid upon the nayoralty and too
little upon the aldermanic office. This
dIlSc5 uO tIOIll UllS oNtI W ttuluS,
influence which the present head of
this city administration has exercised
in the council chamber. Aldermen
have counted for less than their natu-
raj and legitimate value, because they
have been retired too much to the
background. This condition of things
is not healthy for the city.
In the election now pend
ing let the effort be to seek out
as ward representatives men of judg-
ment and Independent minds, men
competent to look after the interests of
their wards without as we'll as within
the council chamber, men who will
devote the necessary time thereto and
who having arrived at conclusions
concerning what is the wisest and
best policy to pursue in any given
event will stand by their convictions,
to the end. With such a council as
this, the mayor would not have all
things in his own hands. The crack
of his whip would not bring such men
into line as his slaves to do his bid
ding. 1t is of much more importance
that such council be chosen than
any particular candidate for mayor be
elected. None the less should every
effort be made to change the entire
drift and sentiment of municipal ac-
ton, and this can be best accomplish
ed by electing new head of the coun-
Gil, not alone in the interests of good
government, but as rebuke to the
present dogmatic incompetency. To
do this there must needs be no divi-
sion in the camp of the anti-adminis-
tration forces. The present mayor is
a shrewed, lOngheaded political boss
and he is master of the situation.
Already the effects of his cunning are
seen in the movement for third can
didate, a movement as certain to
result in his reelection as any thing
possihly can. This is not the first
nor the second time that the
LIGHT has directed attention to the
danger of carelessly permitting q
third candidate to enter the field.
The safety of the city lies in the di-
rection of these two things: The re-
fusal of the anti-administration forces
to permit any division in their ranks
by third candidate, and the careful
selection of board of aldermen COM
petent, trusty, fearless and vigilant.
1t is no sinicure, the office and work
of a faithful alderman. 1t a great
mistake to imagine that the principal
part of an alderman's work lies with
in the council cham Der. His real
work lies outside of the council room,
and in his ward, studying it's needs,
questions of municipal
economy concerning what is best for
the city's interests in general, aud the
interests of his ward in particular,
noting how city officials discharge
devolves on him as a faithful guar
dian of the interests of his constitu-
ents. The selection and election of
such men to form the city council of
San Antonio is the duty which lies
before her voters, and to this work
they should give due diligence I'M
deferred by any side issues, unturned
from the straight path of their duty
by any specious pretextsj