Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1896-12-21
POLITICAL
Review of the Situation
In Our City, State and National
Politics.

through another city election and ha
secured the services of some OF th
very best men for its city government
DR.. Richardson for mayor will cor
tinue the good work begun by Mayo
Catch of keeping the city within it
means Except for the city hall enter
prise Mayor Gatch's administration
rather worked the city out OF debt
For the city hall debt we have th
city hall. 1t is beyond all presen
needs of the city in proportions, anC
will cost four times as much each
year for interest as the city could
have rented for. But then each citi
zen can point with pride to a fine
building and say, that is our city hall,
and that is worth something II 1t is
nothing but vanity. 1t will now cost
great deal annually for electric
lights, for water, for heat, for insur-
ance, and for janitorS, and for what
not? The same investment for water
works to give the citizens pure,
abundant and cheap water would
have been far more sensible. The city
hall started with real estate propo-
sition and combination in city poll
tics. The only contest in city poll
tics was over the treasurer. City
marshal went in on merit and en-
dorsement by Mayor Catch. Ed Edes
gets third term, not as an endorse
ment of that principle, but because
of his personal popularity and eff
cheney as an officer. The council will
be one of the strongest in the history
of the town The only "Uitlander" or
newcomer was Ed. Parkhurst, one of
the best men in the Iowa colony. That |
colony has invested about as much as
any class who have come to Salem in
the last ten years, and about the only
one who has got away with anything
is III. w. Cottle, now in California.
Mr.. Parkhurst will be found giving
the same close attention to city busi-
ness that he does to his own, and for
the time he has been here he has !
gathered about as much experience
with our political methods as anyone.
Mr.. Swafford was pulled through for
treasurer by his personal friends and
the big Republican majority. He is a
poor man and the argument was
used that if he was defeated he would
lose his home, as he would have to
turn over the city money that he put
in the Williams & England bank.
Mr.. Swafford is man of the highest
personal integrity, and the assurance
of his principal bondsman, Jo. Baker, I
that all the city money would be paid
over as soon as it can be collected,
went far to secure his election. Mr..
Bakers integrity is above question,
and if men like DR.. Richardson and
VIM. England and 10. Baker have
their way the bank will pay out every
cent on its obligations. There will be
more light on this question when the
present receivershp is given an airing
in the courts. Upon the whole
the city is to be congratulated
on the incoming administration.
There is no reason why with return
ing prosperity, the city shall not have
its credit restored and warrants at
par.
A little plain truth should be told
about our Assessment laws. They
are splendid cOngeries of folly, or in
plain English fraud. The methods
of assessment lack uniformity. No
two preeipcts are assessed alike. No
two mems property Is under the
same valuation. No two counties
send in their rolls alike. The sending
OF copy OF the rolls from each county
60 the secretary OF state is as useless
as sending a ton of Goals to the ceme-
terry with corpse TO keep it warm.