Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1902-04-10
Mayors Elect Makes speech.

The usual crowd was upon the street
Monday evening TO hear election re-
turns, congratulate the victors and
accept their treats. Mayor-elect
Lapham felt it was up to him to say
something, so gave the boys a little
spiel as follows:
Ftll0,c Citizens Of Beldinq. | should
! feel ungra teful indeed, if | did not
| improve this opportunity to acknowl-
edge my warm appreciation and graf
| itude Tor the very tlattering endorse
ment that has been given my nominal
| tion for the Office of Mayor of this
city in the election today.
| thank you most sincerely for this
renewed expression of your confidence
and friendship, and for this demon
stration of your approval tonight
repeat what / said in the convention,
| that | am not unmi ndful of the high
| honor which comes TO me through
| this position, neither am ! unmindful
or oblivious TO the fact lof the grave
and weighty responsibilities that will
| devolve upon me in the administra-
| tion of the duties of the Office. The
nomination as you all know was
| forced upon me, and now by a ma
! iority of your suifrages ! am forced
| into the official chair of the city.
| ! trust that my incumbency OF 1t will
not be Disappointing to my friends
who placed me there, nor to any citi-
zen i'm the city Mistakes will UNI
doubtedlv De made. We are all liza
BILE to make them and they are com
mon errors in every walk of life.
But / desire TO say if any are made on
my part during my administration, ii
! will not be intentional, but rather
! from a lack of judgement and wise
| discrimination.
have no policy at this time to out
line in the conduct of the Office, pre-
ferring rather, in connection with
the council and with their advice, 10
meet the questions, the issues and
the propositions, as they may, from
time TO time arise, and deal with them
under the existing conditions in
which they confront us. desire to
say, however that it shall be my pur-
pose to give a respectful hearing not
only to the most influential and
wealthy citizen, but also to those in
more humble circumstances az well.
| shall be open at all times to receive
any suggestions from all citizens, high
or low, rich or poor alike, pertaining
to municipal affairs.
The needs and improvements of a
fast-growing city like ours are many
and diversified, and it is not to be ex-
pected, with the large territory en-
closed i'm the limits of the corpora
tion that we can have them all at
once. 1t will require labor. an ex-
penditure of money and 2 reasonable
time to bring about results in this
direo ton. My judgement il that
when improvements are made the
work should be well done and care
taken not to lay out more work than
can be accomplished along these lines.
Economy should be the watchword
in every department of the financial
affairs of the city, but not that qualls
~ of economy which approaches to
such narrow and contracted and Mig
gardly limits as TO be prohibition on
j progressive methods and needed and
substantial improvements.
a word in regard to the epidemic
which is threatening the city 1t
should be the duty of every citizen to
take IN III ed late precautionary
measures to prevent its spread and
assist the oiilcials In every way pos
sible TO stamp ii out. Ii would be a
calamity indeed if the contagion be-
came so general as 20 make necessary
the closing Of our mills and factories
Again thanking you one aud all for
+ this endorsement and demonstration,
4 ! bid YOU rood night and hope for a
+ harmonious and successful years
work for the best interests of the city.
b ---------------
u