The age-herald., 1901-04-07
Political Fight Waged Without
 an Issue
NOW LOOKS LIKE JOSEPH
Conservative Estimate Says He Will Win Over Mir. Clisby for Mayor by Safe Majorlty--Aldermani
 Campaign Interesting.
BY E.. E. KERsH.

Montgomery, April $. = Especially - An issueless political campaign was pracu- cally closed in Montgomery tonight and it is now up to the electors to say on Monday who shall be their governors for the succeeding two years.
 As a matter of course, the contest for Mayor has been the overshadowing one. but this has not really been exciting, as the voters are merely having to cast a ballot for a personal choice-John H. Clisby and E. B. Joseph. There is no is- sue in the campaign. Two years ago Captain Joseph defeated Captain Clisby for Mayor, and now the latter is simply trying to get the office back.
 Thirdtermism was the issue in the last campaign, Captain Clisby having served two terms as Mayor. The contest then was close and exciting. Captain Joseph winning by the narrow margin of 137 votes.
 Under both administrations the city has been prosperous, and it may be said also that it has been unusually we'll gov erned.
 Claims of Both Men.
 The friends of Captain Clisby claim that the city has not been improved un- der the present administration as under Clisby, and this cannot be denied by the friends of Mayor Joseph; but they assert that the present administration has been without funds to push the work of street improvements. About the time of the be- ginning of the Joseph administration there was decision by the courts ad- verse to the collection of assessments against property for paving purposes,and in consequence the work of paving has necessarily been retarded. With his linn ited funds, however, MT. Joseph has greatly improved the city. He has spent nearly s2O0,0O0 in reconstructing the sys- tenn of water works that is now valued at s6OOO00 and as a consequence the city is furnished with pure water pumped from eighteen deep wells, with capacity of 5000, 900 gallons, or sufficient to supply a city three times greater than Mont gomery.
 Opened a Park.
 He has also opened and improved park for the city, at an expenditure or Sboou and built two new school houses, valued at about SfU,UUU III duuilioh to ehSoS ihi- provements, thousands of feet of surface sewer and water piping have been laid. In laying the water pipe, the discovery was \ made that the previous administration had paid s10oo to firm for laying water pipe that was never put down. and for which the city has not yet been reim- bursed.
 The talk about Improvements. however, serves to remind one of a remark made by Albert Blue to the late Mayor Reese. when he had stretched across the streets in front of his headquarters large ban ner, with the words, Progress and pros- perity."
 Blue is credited with remarking to the then Mayor: "Yes, Colonel Reese, 1t Is progress and prosperity so long as the money lasts but afterwards a paper and promise and then comes poverty and pauperism.'
 The city has not reached this stage, but there are hundreds of property-owners who are pleased that they have not been forced to pay the paving assessments
 The city has recently been temporarily crippled by the Morris Bank failure, that bank having been the city depository for bank were closed the city had sS3, 900 on deposit, which will under the agreement with the bank, have to bc paid back in in- stallments covering a period of two years. : The city treasurer is a bonded officer. and may place the city funds in any bank he may desire. neither Mayor or Council having any authority to interfere.
 Suming up the contest for Mayor the