San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-02-01
THE BEST THAT OFFERS.


by their ballots who shall be intrust-
ed with the affairs of the city for the
coming two years. This is an import
ant question, and one in which every
voter and taxpayer Of the city is in
terested. 1t is not question of poll
tics, personal favor, ring affifiation,
family connections, long or short
term of residence in the city, but a
question pure and simple of the inter-
ests of the city of San Antonio. 1t is
a question to be decided on its merits,
and this by carefully scrutinizing the
claims of the several candidates. 1t
| is not even a question of tickets, for
it is by no means necessary that ev-
cry member of the city council or ev
cry individual candidate should be
taken from the same ticket. 1t is the
best men that are wanted. While
this is so, common courtesy and good
business would direct that other things
being equal it would be well to select
as many as possible of the city Off
GERS and aldermen from the same
ticket, as thereby greater harmony of
sentiment in the council, and greater
oneness of action in all that concerns
the government of the city and the
| intercourse of the several branches
would result. Judging the administra-
tions that have been in the past, by
what they have done, what they had
to do it with and how they have come
out, there is no doubt that with all
its shortcomings, this present admin.
tration has nothing to fear in such
comparison. 1t is true that the Light
has severely criticised the conditions
of the streets, and that they are dis
grace to San Antonio, But it is urg-
ed in extenuation of this, that Il con-
dition that is thus deplored is not the
fault of the present administration,
but it's misfortune, rather. That this
administration came into power with
out funds is only too true. That it
found the finances of the city in a
condition requiring attention first,
some of the funds Overdrawn and
their restoration imperative, before
any work of street repair could be I'M
dertaken is also true. Outside of this
it is seen that it would not have been
| economical to put permanent street
improvements in until the sewers
were built and connections made, as
much of this work would have to be
destroyed in making such sewers con-
nections. These are the reasons that
the supporters of the present admins
tratiOn advance as their valid ground
| for undertaking no street work this
past year. On the other hand they
show the finances of the city to no
small extent rehabilitated: the sewer
fund only drawn upon as contracted
for and the expenditures kept well
within the estimates; Il large amount
of the floating debt of the city liquid
ated: vast interest expenditure pre-
vented: tens of thousands of dollars
returned to the sinking fund of the
city that had been diverted therefrOm
| and in every way the finances of the
city improved so that they are today
| in better shape than for many years
past. Upon showing like this the
present administration ask that they
be not turned out with their work half
done, but that they be permitted TO
continue that work another two years
at which time the substantial proofs
of their work will he seen in street
improvements as well as in improved
! finances and a first class sewer sys-
TEN. To this request the Light inter-
poses no objection, esteeming the
ground we'll taken and so pronounces
in favor of the continuance Of the
present government of the city as the
best possible course under the existing
conditions.