The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-04-27
A Chip or Two
Here and There.
GATHERED BY THE "TnAMr."

The First ward of our city is being rent
gasunder by u most monientous political
s upheaval and if one is to judge by the
birthstone and thunder bolts that are .be
: ing hurled around those parts, the citizens
! of the First ward are going to have u
hard time. They arc burdened with the
decision of questions that have wel-nieh
disrupted the whole United States and it
does not seem fair. They are going to
3 have an election: aud the men they are to
choose to represent them in the City
Council will be held responsible for the
defeat of Mr.. Bryan for the Presidency,
for the sale of liquor in Roanoke and for
all acts of Legislation pertaining to cows.
Roanoke is an important city and the
4 First ward of mighty influence in the
Is land, but it does seem that they have
troubles of their own without being
dragged up to answer for those of Others
called upon Messrs. Fox and Guy, the
candidates for reelection in the First
ward, last night with reference to the
questions published for their benefit in
Sundays Times and found them rather
cheerful under the circumstances Both
of them disclaiCled any intention of an
swering their anonymous accuser. 'In
the first place. said Mr.. Fox, ''the article
was not signed If the writer was self
respecting silver man and worthy of II re.
ply he would have given his name. will
say though that l voted for Bryan-he
was the nominee and l supported him.
Mr. Guy said: 81 was gold man when
the Issue was first discussed in Roanoke
and was ON that side until defeated in the
original primaries. ! then accepted Mr..
Bryan as the nominee, worked for him
and voted for him. l also became con.
WINGED that the cause of silver was the
right one There are thirty.one men
under me. Four of them voted for sill
yer, one for prohibition and twenty-six
for gold. They have in all cases exercised
their wills and their rights without in
reference from me-"
But Mr.. Fox and Mr.. Guy regretted
very much that these things should be
dragged into this election. and refused to
recognize the liquor question in it Mt all.
Having decided not to stand for re- cleo
tion petition asking them to reconsider
was recently circulated and ..signed by
nearly one hun@re of the most represent
alive voters of their ward. This petition
was not seen Mt all by many of their
friends They feel that they have not
thrust themselves forward and are salts.
fed to let those who have petitioned them
to reconsider their determination to with.
draw from politics look after their inter
ests.
I once had II conversation with local
politician who had been more than once
honored with places within the gift of his
fellow. citizens. He told me that he had
always made n few of his opponents rs
mad as he could get them. and then hied
himself home and Went to bed. His opin
ion was that few enemies at white heat
would do more for man than much
larger number of possibly over. jealous
friends. 1t is good idea.
Some one struck the right chord the
other day when he spoke of the way our
streets are sprinkled. 1t is true that they
are in places made not only disagreeably
muddy, but dangerous. If people have
to-pay for having the streets In front of
their houses sprinkled, would it not do
just as we'll to make the cost less and
sprinkle greater area? Mud is almost as
disagreeable as dust, even more so at the
street crossings, which are often slippery
and muddy beyond any reason. Our
sprinkler is to be complimented, howeve:.
on his faithfulness in the discharge of his
duty. He has been seen orking away
in the rain rs harh as he would under n
broiling sun.
There are many complaints about the
great number of vagrant dogs on our
streets. More than once have passers by
been frightened by them and often with
good cause. Whether these dogs are all
Migrants or not is hard to tell. They