The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-11-10

connected with the second. and has to
do with our mayor. No one can be
more prompt than I 10 recognize the
good things which he has done. And
they are many. But the one primary
principle which he was elected to sub
serve. namely. that of non-partisan-
ship, he has failed in constantly and
thoroughly. In his letter OF acceptance
dated Oct. 5, 1894, he promised that IL
elected. his administration of the az
fairs OF the city should be absolutely
non-partisan: and they have not been.
There is no use OF mincing matters:
this is a good time to tell the truth:
and to tell it straight: and the embarras
sing fea ture of the situation is that the
mayor himself does not appreciate that
he has been uniformly false in this re-
spect TO the platform upon which he
was elected: and his mental constitu-
ton seems of such kind as TO be unre-
sponsive to the logical approaches that
are made TO him. For, in reply 10
charges of this character, he has said
that in his appointments he has tried to
make their political proportion tally
with the political proportion OF the bal
lots that elected him; and that as two
Republicans voted for him to one Dem
ocrat, he has appointed two Republi-
cans TO office TO one Democrat.
we are not en- this Crifioising has ap-
pointments. some of which have been
most admirable. but he promised that
POLITICAL considerations should not oon-
troll him in appointments. and row ne
confesses that they have, and that he
has reduced their oontroi down 20 a fine
scientific point OF mathematical occur
acy. When we pleaded for his eiec-
ton a year ago. fe thought and prom
ised that. as mayor. he would be a
magnificent embodiment Of the doctrine
so dear ar that time to the hearts OF the
voting masses. that the city Is a cogpor-
alton 10 be managed with rigid and ex-
elusive reference TO those some JTdnci- |
pies OF fitness and integrity as obtain |
in every other well-conducted business. |
We pleaded for him because we belfev- |
ed that his mtnbstTation would be a |
great educating power along the line /
of lifting the city out of the dumps OF i
small politics into the liberty and dfg- !
nifty of a large and broad economy. But 4
instead OF educating the community he 4
has educated IL down, and non-parfis-
anship has 10 the rank and file OF our
citizens neither so true nor 50 sTnprS-S- /
sive a meaning as II had wheTa Mr. 4
Strong's mayoraiity term commenced. /
And & IS TO the Generalization 80 IN 1
duced that our present s5tuatiU@l Of de-
feat Is IN part due.
IF Mr. Strong had "a loya1ly and I'm
pressively fncarnsted the idea OF nDu-
paTtisanship IN his administration as
Mr.. Roosevelt and his colleagues have
incarnased the idea OF the enforcement
OF law. the political miscellaneOuzless
Of the ticket by which We have just been
defeated. and for which the small poli-
ticians and not the Committee Df Fry I
are responsible. would never have bern
possible. The mixed tactics OF the
mayor have bs-smud<ed the air and
have rendered alnost ianpossible any
thing Ike strong and clear thinking
along these lines. ] have brOslZht
against Mr.. Strong TO charge OF moral
obliquity. but having ben asked by nay
friends FOR my views 81 the causes OK
defeat, I saw no particular reason Eshy
I should not state those views. and II
was 90 state then At all, OF course,
had 90 state them frankly.