The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-10-22
lo1Al roLlTCS.

lOGALS POLITICS.
That was most interesting discus
sror at the meeting OF the Law ana
order League on Monday night between
DR. John n. Cpshur and Captain John
A. Curtis on political methods IN this
community. Captain Curtis said that
the way to purify our government the
way 10 get frst-class Council. was TO
get good and true men to stand lot cleo
ton. and then have the other good and
truo mon In the community to turn out
and elect them
that was perfectly sound PROPOSE
zion. but DR.. Upshur made startling
reply. He said that on three occasions
he had been waited upon to know II ne
vould represent his ward in the Coun-
Gil. and that while It would have in
terfered materially with his professional
duties to serve. he had upon each and
every occasion signified his willingness
TO run II the people desired him to be-
come a cand date. but only on this con-
dition-that he would not pay one dollar
3. , - Z i "a
10 secure his election. nor would he ask
any Of the ward heclers to vote or work
for him. And that was the last that
heard of IT.: he added. in conclusion.
He then asked Captain Curtis If. he
had made such q reply when he was IN
yated to run Tor the Council. and Captain
Curtis frankly replied in the negative,
adding that il he had done SO he knew
that he would have been defeated
That is a wretched state of affairs.
truly, in an enlightened and moral COM
munity like ours. The moral and up
right men are largely in the majority:
why then should 1t be necessary for
candidate for the Council to spend money
in order to secure his election? Why
should he be compelled TO deal with so
called party workers and pay them
for their services ard pay for whiskey
which they VIGOROUSLY dispense during
the campaign? The reason is plain
enough Although the good and true
men in the community are largely in the
majority, they do not take the interest
in public affairs that they should take.
1,hey are frequently Indifferent and DO
NOT trouble themselves to attend meet
inrs and vote. and so they leave the
matter very largely in the hands Of the.
professionals. The professionals. on the
contrary. are always on the alert This
Is an invitation to designing men to buy
Shelr way into the Council and men who
get In through the use of money are
very apt 20 use their position In the
Council IN one way or another to reim-
burse themselves. We do not mean to
make sweeping charge and of course
we do not mean to make the charge
mean to say that every man who has
spent money for his election is a corrupt
man and has used his office corruptly.s
But VIC do say that the tendency is
logically in that direction.
Members or the City Council receive
no salary for their services and a seat
IN that BODY involves a great deal Of
work and care without compensation
and usually without thanks. In that
state Of the case why should man
wish to bug Ids way into the CounciI'
1t is true there is some honor attached
and all right thinking men like to be
honorcd by their fellow citizens But
the nonor is very small as compared
with the work and trouble and annoy
ance Of the position. and SO we must
conclude that a citizen goes into the
Council either from purely patriotic mo-
tiyas or for selfish reasons. He goes
there either TO serve his people or to
serve himself. II he stands Tor election
Tor the good Of the community 1t is hard
TO understand why he should spend
money and hobnob with political trick
stc.s 10. the sake OF getting an empty
honor. Therefore, when man buys his
way in he certainly lays himself open 10
the suspicion that he has some selfish
Or sinister purpose 10 serve.
n has OFTEN been argued that men,
bers Of the Council should be pad for
the city can have is from members who
give free will service. for the love
which they bear their city. II the COCO
and true men OF the community You'd
exert themselves to elect such men and
such men oals. there would be no
scandals in our Council and no occasion
Tor investigat,on.
-=------
AN UNJUST CHARGE.
On Sunday last the National Moments
1-pio~ {,,5s SaSsior