Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1903-05-02
Sunderland's Idea of Honesty.

Sunderlaud's Idea of Honesty.
1t is generally supposed that when 4
mans honesty is in question it is in
better taste for him to give his neigh
bors a chance to testify, rather than to
occupy the witness chair all the time
himself. Making no point of this fact,
however. it occurs to us that while Mr..
E. Sunderland, democratic candidate
for councilman from the First ware,
Is breathlessly protesting his honesty
sell himself against the municipal water
works proposition if elected, it would
be well for him to go somewhat more
deeply into the question of his own in
TO avow his purity, we are disposed 10
waive the fact that the man who pro-
tests most loudly that he is honest is
the man who should be watched the
most closely. and We suggest that Mr..
Sunderland enlighten an interested
public as to what are his ideas of hon.
esty.
For. really, this question of honesty
hinges largely on a mans point of
view. 1t would be very unfortunate
for Phoenix should Mr.. Sunderland as
councilman manifest no better concep-
ton Of honesty than has been exhibited
by the democrats in control of the city
government during the past few years.
Some of the democratic leaders can be
dismissed as crooks. of course, without
further consideration. Other democrats
prominent in city affairs have been
merely densely ignorant. and in real
ity incapable of distinguishing readily
between right and wrong.
To which class does Sunderland be-
long?
It cannot be that Sunderland is ig-
norant of the wholesale colonization of
votes in the First ward for his special
benefit. There is on foot a brazen ana
deliberate attempt to steal the election
through fraudulent votes for the demo
cratic ticket in the First and Third
wards. Throughout the civilized world
1t is accepted as settled that the re-
ceiver of stolen goods is no better than
the thief who stole them.
Moreover, Sunderland-and be it un-
derstood that we also include Dunlap
and the entire democratic ticket in this
category-cannot be SO dull and ignor
ant as not to know the reasons for this
conspiracy to steal the election. Sun
derland knows that the democratic ring
is desperately fighting FL its life. He
knows that if elected he will be re-
quired to do the bidding of this ring.
He knows that he will be required to
stand in on the looting of the city
treasury for the benefit of the bosses
and ward heelers of the Young Mems
day the city is being robbed recklessly
in the employment Of street gangs for
the purpose of electing him to an Office
which carries no salary. He knows
that he could not escape returning all
these favors If he would. He knows,
in short. the work that is laid out for
him.
We do not care to hear Sunderland's
own opinions of his honesty. He is an
interested witness, and in the absence
OF supporting testimony the jury of
voters will not receive his declaration
But the voters would like to hear how
Sunderland squares the stealing of an
election with any principle of honesty
They would like 10 hear how Sunder-
land squares the democratic record of
the past four years with honesty. In
deed, the people are impatient to learn
how Sunderland figures any element of
honesty into taking thousands of dol
lars from the treasury for the dishonest
benefit Of a political ring.