The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-17
SEATTLE. FRIDAY, JAN. II.
THE COMING CAMPAIGN.

The Republicans OF Seattle may fairly
claim to have made good record during
the past two years. The reduction in city
expenses has been enormous, and. in spite
OF the fact that only co per cent of the
taxes have been collected. the city has
been kept on n cash basis. The admins
tratlon has been clean and capable. There
never has bcen-thore never will be-a city
government which viii not do something
or other which a part OF the community
Will not criticise. This Ia not so much
because the council Is wrong. but because
within the city are conflicting interests.
and men seek 20 foster them, and 10 resist
encroachments upon them. not from mali
cious purposes. but In self-protection. For
instance. men who viii secure employ ment
and sell material through an activity In
street Improvements are apt TO condemn
an administration which IS conservative
IN imposing liabilities upon the property
owner; on the other hand. the property
owner who Is TO bear the cost
is apt TO condemn n council which
Is too liberal In It's orders for public work
The imperative necessity for keeping down
expenses has compelled the council to
scale wages and salaries and reduce the
working force OF the departments. Every
man thus affected Is apt TO believe that
sufficient economy could have been prac-
tieed without including himself. and ell
thoss concerned become aggrievsd critics
Of the administration.
But the whole result has been tho main
tonance OF the clty's credit; avoidance OF
debt, immunity from warrant issues. and
on the whole peaceable and orderly city.
Crime IL at a minimum. highway robbery.
eneak thefts pocket-plcking. burglary ana
unprovoked assaults are comparatively
rare; ana that there have been 10 destrlc-
tive fires Is In great measure due 10 the
efficiency OF the Ere department
The funds have been honestly handled;
the eity's method OF accounts admirably
systematizea: the law department has
been vlgllant and successful. the records
have been carefully kept and the method
OF fling and indexinE thousands az public
documents vastly Improved TIE hoard -
public works has been conducted on such
generally good lines that even = very crit
zeal revising commission has found I, &C.
sirabls 20 change u only In oae particular.
aud that through Recommendations based
upon experience.
Indeed. the one trouble throughout: ne
two years OF Republican rule has been due
90 tia charter provision OF manifold ani
cuuhrous commissions. which could rot -
avoided because they were the creation OF
the people themselves IN a well-meant but
mistaken belief that they would - an a.
vantage. This trouble the charter commits
sion is sadeavor,ng % avert IN thu future.
So FAR as average human coalitions g.
therefore. we repeat that she Republican
party has 10 reason - - ashamed - ia
record az the administration x nominated
two wears REo. Some q TIE rewsnao ers
are vociferously demanding tina, the next
mayor shall Re as near perfection as nay
Be- Wei. who shall name himr There Is
probably 10 man IN tals city as - whom
some eeiection could not b urged Tie
would - either TO well known o. to
little known: TOO aroltNary or TOO easily ~
nuenced: too much a1ies 20 one iuterest or
antagonists - another 20 please every
body. Leaving out 81 the question the
search fcr an immaculate man. 81 vii -
found that ;scre are plenty % good. aver
aee. capable ana conscientious men n re
Republican PARTY ayarah,s fer the several
Offices.
Tee place TO consider ~ relative merits
OF TIE candidates ard 20 maize re sele>-
item IS a, Republican convention. IRE
only men whose duty and privilege 8; 5 -
be elected az the party primaries. zAs