The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-24
Mayor Thompson's Dilemma.

1t was hoped that Butte's spring po-
litical campaign would be ended last
Wednesday night, but, for some reason,
the struggle was not terminated at
that time and the fight is still on.
Mayor Thompson will be annoyed by
the office seekers for another week, at
least, and perhaps for a much longer
time. There were good grounds for
believing that the office of chief of po-
lice, the only important office still va
cant, would be filled Wednesday night.
The mayor had declared that. as the
council had refused to confirm his orig
inal appointment, he would now APP
point any man on whom majority of
the aldermen would agree. SO the
mayor called them all into caucus Tues
day night, republicans of all grades,
and nationalities. democrats. populists,
all of them. 1t is claimed that nine of
the sixteen aldermen voted for S. j.
Waters for the position of chief of po-
lice But for some reason. which has
not been explained. the mayor ne
kgIected to appoint Mr. Waters at the
council meeting the following night.
1t is now street talk in Butte that
certain lodge has threatened to with
draw from the \. =. A. in case Mr..
Waters should be appointed CHIEF OF
police. Mayor Thompson will readily
understand the Importance of avert
ing this calamity, if it is possible TO
avert it. Now that the police force has
got into religion as we'll as into poll
tics. it's head should certainly be Sc
lected with great care. and unless Mr..
Waters is right religiously. he should
be rejected. If he is found to be all
right religiously and politically, then 1t
is proper that his other qualifications
be considered. All these complications
| add greatly to Mayor Thompson's per-
| plexity.
Just why Mr.. Waters is obnoxious to
| the A. Z. A.. or to part of it. does not
appear. unless the reason be that he
CHANGED to have been born in the Unit
ed States, and the organization which
| has the adjective American in its
title prefers a foreign-born citizen for
the office The American members Of
! the \. L. \. claim that Mayor Thomp-
son has been exceedingly liberal with
the foreigners already. having given
them all the best municipal appoint
ments They claim. and with some
| show of reason. that the A. Il. a. should
not be run exclusively for the benefit
of foreigners, but that one native-born
| American should be appointed, if only
| for the sake of appearances. The Cor
nish members of the A. Il. A, while ad-
hitting that the foreigners have had
all the good appointments thus far,
protest that no Cornishman has re-
ceived an office and that all the for
eign- born citizens appointed TO the
principal offices are Canadians. and
they would almost as soon see native
born Americans appointed as foreign
ers of Canadian birth. The Swedish
members of the A.. Z. \. complain that
they have also been overlooked.
The trouble seems to be that there
are too many different kinds Of Ameri-
cans in the \. Z. A. for Mayor Thomp-
son to hope TO satisfy them all. This
being the case. the mayor will prob
ably conclude to try and appoint a
chief of police who shall be satisfac-
tory to the taxpayers and citizens gen.
orally. who are anxious that a compe-
tent man shall be placed in charge Of
the police force without further delay.
| regardless Of whether he is native or
| foreign born. IL is To be regretted that
the \. L. \. cannot agree on a man
for this position, but such being the
case the citizens must insist that they
be given some consideration and that
a man be placed in the position at
once. Mayor Thompson is the respon-
| sihle head Of the city administration
and as the man who will be held &C
countable for the proper conduct 81
municipal affairs. he should be left
free To select the men who are TO run
the city's affairs during his term OF
| office. Mayor Thompson should not