The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-02-12
MUNICIPAL PARTY POLITICS.


A local Democrat was reported, not
many generations ago, to favor party
lines in the selection of candidates for
the Office of mayor 1t was "A rational
proposition, and so, being Democrat,
he was swift to Iepudiate the idea.
In the State and nation party gov
eminent prevails, has always existed,
and in republican governments will
probably be always the course of
things political. In the municipal
government, also, for the most part,
political lines are sharply drawn.
The party is responsible for the wis
dom or unwisdom of policies adopted,
the success or unsuccess of admins
tration, the use or misuse of power.
Therefore the party, ambitious to abide
in power, has vital interest in put
ting forward its best men as candi-
dates for public office, and the candi-
date elected, being the trustee of his
party, having in his keeping the in
terests of the party organization, as
well as that of the public at large,
feels charged with a responsibility that
is far more direct and weightier than
does the individual who represents
himself for the most part whose can
didacy may lave been the product of
the easy good nature of IA coterie of
personal friends operating successfully
-. ~: al "
aggressive elements.
These truths seem to be self evident.
They are the truths or opinions of
St9te and national politics, they are
applicable to municipal politics, and
to municipality of the size and char
aoter of Montpelier.
Some people are doubling the wis.
dom of city government in this com
munity. Large results, in one direc-
ton, have followed; expenses have
grown apace and the public debt. has
grown with the growing cost of a
city administration. In these respects,
and some others, the experiment Of II
city government has been a success, "A
somewhat appalling success-so great
that the example and experience Of
Montpelier were "A controlling influ-
ence in determining the people of st.
Johnsbury, recently, by very en-
pathic vote, rot to accept the city
charter provided for that community
by the Legislature at its late session.
With wisdom they decided to keep on
with vhe old order of things till the
superior advantages OF city govern
ment are more apparent than at the
present stage of the demonstration.
With the experiences of eight years
of administration in view, and the
growing trend of things municipal it
hardly seems to be debatable ques-
ton that it could be desirable to stir
up the stagnant pool of non-partisan-
ship and immense the patient in the
aerated waters of a lively canvass on
a strictly political basis, for aldermen
as we'll as mayor.
A change of policy in this respect
ought to be followed by the remedying
of defects in the charter-one vast
weakness in particular, the denial of
the veto power to the mayor. Why
this wise and wholesome and custom
airy power was not originally lodged
with the chief executive, why it was
not put into the charter when the IN
strument was overhauled in 1898, are
among the things that "have never
been fully explained, "and are inexpli-
cable on any rational ground. No
citizen should be asked to take the
office of mayor and be held personally
responsible for the doings of body
of officials over whose actions he has
no restraining power, or whose sole
restraint is vote when the council
is tied on any measure or proposition
it is considering.
These, and many things besides, are
meet for serious consideration in the
opening canvass for a new city govern
ment,