The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-04-22
MR.. WILSON'S CANDIDACY.


To the Editor of The Tlmes:-7Allow MS
to express in the columns of The Times
our admiration of the course ofsMr. John
Archer Wilson, who has announced his
candidacy for denomination by the Demo.
cratic party as Councilmanf from the Sec
ond ward.
Two years ago he was nominated by &C.
clamation, and elected by handsome
plurality.
He has discharged his duties with an
energy and perslstency unsurpassed by
any member of the body, and he has OBJ
served throughout his term u punctuality
and strict attention to business that has
rendered his administl alton of the Office
thoroughly acceptable to all who have
evinced sufficient interest to examine his
record.
! During his incnmbency he has attended
| every meeting of his committees without
exception and every meeting OF Council.
both regular and special, except one, and
| on that occasion he was prevented by I'M
| ayoidable circumstances.
1t has been his invariable practice to
thoroughly investigate every measure
upon which his vote has been required,
and then to cast it as dictated by his best
| Judgment, without fear or favor and
regardless of individual or corporate in
terests when they confiicted with his
| views OF Justice anu the city's welfare
In pursuing this course he has necessa.
rily run amuck'' of the ambitions of
sundry local ''would.be leaders in poll
tics and sponsors of jobs galore, who have
! had the effrontery, in their efforts to
defeat him at the primaries, to insult the
manhood of free born citizens bv endeny-
oring to control their votes against him
on grounds strictly personal to them.
We aDOeul to the vOtarS of thn CoooDJ
ward to investigate Mr.. Wilson'S record
in Council and be governed Ey it alone
Should they desire to deal in personalities
let them deal with the candidate direct
and we have no doubt he will be amply
able to defend his fair name as beseems n
| gentleman.
! We deplore Mr. Editor, the hesmirchinu
OF character of man who has lived so
long among us, by any such base means
as we have 'eason to believe are being en-
| ployd in this preliminary campaign.
| Mr.. Wilson'S record in Council speaks
for itself and challenges investigation.
and the course pursued By these genera.
tors of personal and private prejudice is
self-lndicative of the weakness of their
cause and their inability to rise to the
plane of even ordinary citizenship
Mr.. Wilson is at present chairman of
| the committee on sewers, and member
of the committee on lights and schools
| and educat
| He has taken much interest and spent
much time in good work upon the sub
| iects indicated above, besides this (al-
though he is, by reason ..of ibis antece-
dents, and conscientiously, an advocate of
Democracy as applied to politics, ma
tional, State and municipaD he has'always
personally investigated the grievances of
| his constituents regardless of their poll
tics, creed or race, and exerted himself
strenuously to their alienation.
1t is we'll known, Mr.. Editor, that a
representative Of the people cannot guard
| their interest against the "thimble rig
ging y of ring of local politicians with
out mourning the enmity of the latter
and "per contra" it should be distinctly
understood that he should not, and must
not be hampered in the discharge of his
sworn duty by such puerile, not. to say,
ignoble influences.
we trust to the good judgement pnd
sense of fair play of the voters of the Sec
ond ward to array themselves upon the
ri0ht side of this matter. and we feel, as
before stated, that Mr.. Wilson should be
| judged by bis public acts in the interests
of the public and not by the .base insin
nations that are being made by his per-
sonal enemies, and which, as they dare
not make them to his face, he cannot de-
mean him self to notice.
Should evil influences prevail in this
con test, and we have no idea that they
will, it can be truly said of Mr. Wilson
that he "leaves the office with clean
hands, certainly with empty ones"
Yours truly,
CONE WHO HAS EXAMINED HIS
RECORD"