The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-02-27
The MayOralty.

Editor of Watchn,an:-The contest for the
Office Of mayor for the city of Montpelier
promises to be continued at the polls.
George w. Wing was nominated In caucus.
The nomination papers for G. j. Gleason
have also boon filed. 1t is due to Mr..
Gleason to say that, personally, he has had
nothing to do with the use of his name as
candidate for this Office. he has been con-
fined to his house for three weeks with an
attack OF the grip, from which he Is now re-
covering. The contest between the friends
of these two candidates is largely matter
of principle. There is no politics in it. MI.
Wing was nominated by Senter, demo
crat; Mr.. Gleason was nominated by
Blanchard, q republican. But there is Q
strong desire among many OF our citizens to
have the management and policy OF the
new city started upon sound and economi-
cal business principles. 1t will be remem.
bered at the town meeting when our
charter was accepted there was difference
Of opinion on the question OF taxation. In
the committee which prepared the charter,
Mr.. Wing and Mr.. Senter favored taking
away from the taxpayers the right to vote
upon the question of taxes, and granting to
the city council full power to assess the
taxes without any vote by the taxpayers.
Mr.. Gleason was opposed to granting this
power to the city council, and favored Civ
ing the taxpayers Of the city authority to
vote the taxes. Mr.. Wing and Mr.. Senter
favored giving the city council authority to
run the city in debt not to exceed seventy
five cents on a dollar of the list in any one
year. Mr.. Gleason was opposed to giving
the city council authority to run the city
into debt at all without vote OF the tax
payers authorizing it, Judge Smile Of this
committee also favored giving the tax
payers the right to vote ON these questions,
agreeing substantially with Mr.. Gleason.
The charter as originally presented to the
town meeting was drawn as Messrs Wing
and Senter had desired. Mr.. Gleason
stated his objections to these provisions,
and moved to amend the charter 80 as to
give the taxpayers the right to vote the
taxes, and also to vote on the question Of
borrowing money, and to prohibit the city
council from mourning debts without au-
thority by vote of the taxpayers 1t will be
recollected that Mr.. Senter opposed the
first motion of Mr.. Gleason, and moved to
amend 80 as to authorize the city council to
assess a tax not exceeding one hundred and
fifty cents on dollar OF the list. The meet
ing voted down his motion to amend. Then
Mr.. Wing moved to amend, authorizing the
city council to assess a tax not exceeding
one hundred and forty cents on dollar OF
the list. Mr.. Wings motion to amend was
also voted down. The meeting then voted
by decided majority in favor of the mo-
lions OF Mr.. Gleason, to give the taxpayers
the right to vote the taxes, and also to vote
upon the question OF incurring debts or bor-
rowing money. These important rights TO
the taxpayers were thus preserved unm-
paired
| to economy in conducting the business OF
| the city upon which the friends OF the two
| candidates differ. 1t Is not a contest be-
tween the two candidates personally, but il
| IL more az to the influence and business
methods under which the city should be