Evening journal., 1892-01-19
Losr OPPORTUNITIES.

No matter what views man may have
OF politicians 1t Is none the less pitiful 0
every sensible man TO witness another
mans degradation. Even q confirmed
drunkard will make some effort to keep
the tempting cup from .he lips Of
younger, purer man. Few men are 30
base that they do not regret the missteps
and mistakes Of fellowmen Every
man Views with sadness the willful self
debaaemens OF q man from whom better
conduct 10 expected.
1t Is with this feeling OF chagrin and
disappointment that all good citizens
must look upon the spectacle that
Stansbury J. Wiley Is presenting. He
was the principal Of the High School
That position gave him the dignity and
influence OF q scholar and gentleman.
II is trus, his temperament being dicta-
toral, and his disposition irascible, he
created some friction which made him
unpopular with the students, impsired
his usefulness and curtsiled his In
fuence but those things we're overlooked,
and, after he left the schools TO 60 into
the tooth business, he enjoyed the
respect Of all and had gained more In
fusnce by 8 fortunste marriage.
At this time the itch Of holding office
took possession Of him. He got a small
Office which whetted his appetite to stand
for Office before the people. lie went
into canvass for the nomination for
mayor and being earnest, and by no
means scrupulous, be obtained the, nom
nation but came out Of the contest
with a disfgured and shattered character.
His canvass was neither fair nor genteel
II was conducted to win, no matter by
what means. He won the canvass but
did not win any honor,
Then came the race for office. He pur-
sued the office with more vigor and
money, and with fewer scruples than he
had shown In the quest for the nomina-
ton. He won the Office and won even less
honor than he got with the nomination
Even then people were disposed to treat
those marked derelicsions chartably and
willing to excuse them on account Of the
debasing influences with which Mayor
Wiley party is surrounded With It's
horde Of illiterate and venal votes and
the men iwho manipulate and purchase
them, the party cannot take an elevated
plane in politics and It's candidates ear
not be nice In morals or conduct.
Being mayor, however. Mr.. Wiley did
not say to himself, II have done some
things which have not been worthy Of
me, as a gentleman and q scholar, but /
pledge myself that / will do nothing
more Of that sort, but viii do my duty
and serve the people in this Office faith.
fully and intelligently 50 as to win their
respect, honor and gratitude" He
seems, on the contrary, not to have had
thought that was not selfish and dis
70 him and unfaithful to his
trust and oath
The mayoralty is not politital'office and
the last Legislature had passed an act
to make the police non partisan. Bus in
defiance Of the law, OF justice aud Of good
sense, Mayor Wiley began TO create
FALNloan AuACct duu ne mas uuaiiy yielded /
to the demands Of Jesterand the negroes
like the unjust in lge, because Of their
opportunities. He has lost his temper
aud played the bully towards another
public officer In the interest Of vulgar
stable keeper with whom he had
made a di1creditable bargain; be has
cursed and blasphemed on the public
streets; he has put himself outside Of
the pale of decent decorem; all, In the In
terest Of serving the purposes Of men
whom he should have scorned-men of
the calibre aud purposes Of Jester.
Mayor Wiley could not have had any
worthy or honorable motives for doing
these things. His tastes and inclinations
should have persuaded him to be an
officer of whom every man in the city
would have been proud.
Nov even the respectable men of his
own party condemn him They have all
lost respect for hin and the papers Of
bis oK- pay have declared tat he