The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-29
THE CITY ELECTION.

party interests involved, in the coming
city election, no more responsibility at
taches to a paper for results, than to
any other secular establishment or insti-
tuition. This paper could no more hold
any officer elect, whom it might support,
to an account for his official misconduct
than could any firm or individual. Its
advocacy of the fitness or claims of either
of the candidates now before the
people, would be but the simple per-
sonal choice of its editor, its weight but
that of his character, and the esteem in
which his individual judgment might be
held in the community. There have been
outrages committed against and in the
name of this people, by ITS officials, in
the past, which were simply damnable
and which, in due course, were severely
criticised or denounced by the EAGLE,
but such officials having secured their
places through personal efforts and cor
rupt methods, Independent Of the Re-
publican party not only, but of any other
party or any responsible organization,
no opportunity was left for paper to, in
the name of its party, demand either an
accounting, restitution or reformation.
But there is to be an election next
Tuesday a week, very important cleo
ton, one which in its results will reach
every taxpayer and touch every present
interest of this city, and that may indeed
involve its entire future. The canvass
is wholly personal one 1t is for the
most part an unseemly scramble
for place. There are men seeking posi-
tons of trust who are totally unfit, fell
lows who have no interest in this people,
nor in the city that they could not sever
in few hours notice; men whose high
est ambition is to become public leech
in no matter how small way, or what
is probably worse, who are seeking office
only because Of the possible opportunity
it may afford them to demand illicit fees
or to sell the trust reposed in them, and
sell at the expense of the men whose
votes they wheedled, coaxed or bought.
Such as these never have, never will,
never can do anything to advance the
real welfare of the people of whom they
are among the least and most insignif-
cant. They could leave the country for
good on any train of the day, and their
absence would go unnoted. They will
be here if they can worm themselves
into place, otherwise they will move
on or but retain their insignifcance.
In the matters of mayor, the city
council and the school board, Wichita
demands especially for the next two
years competency and economy, but
above all honesty. Steals and Doodle
and Jobs and "divvies" we as a people
can not stand, not even the suspicion or
name of these things. And expenses
must be cut down from what they are
today, cut down in every direction, cut
down in the council and city offices and
cut down in our public school administra-
ton. Such a head of steam as we
are keeping up, as municipality, when
the men from whom the money must
come to pay the bills are struggling
with financial embarrassment and who,
if not relieved, will go down and carry
all with them, is simply inexcusable.
Outside corporations and alien interests
must not be permitted with either bland
ishments or other means to influence the
men who by their votes are empowered
TO divide out the peoples money.
The entire case being thus stated,
what and where the duty of those whose
ali is held by Wichita seems difficult
matter. But there are reliable rules and
sound ways for reaching conclusions.
The candidates are numerous. Such of
them as have no permanent interest or
solid business connections with the CITY
should not receive the vote of single
individual who has. No man who has
either his own or the city's
interest at heart can fail of as
certaining and OF cutting out
of his ticket the name of every such
man, be he candidate for mayor, for city
council, for school board, OF what not.
All such are utterly without claim upon
any property holder and cannot at a
time like this be trusted TO represent
and administer where he has nothing at
stake. AS for the other class, in de-
termining choice, antecedents are
everything and present claims nothing.
What is and has been his record in the
past years as citizen, as an official, and
not what he or his strikers may assert or
promise. The fight between now ana
this time next Sunday morning is going
10 be very warm, but the warmth of the
candidates and their strikers should not
distract the great majority of the cool
headed business men of this CITY who
should cast their votes without reference
to any personal preiudices. moral, re-
ligious, or political, but simply for the
men whom they can trust as to capacity,
as 10 economy and as to honesty.