The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-28
CAPACITY, CHARACTER,
 SErRTsHNEss.
LIN


 no matter what turn action may take. The fact is that municipal campaigns in Montgomery need to be given a new turn. They have been on too narrow a plane. They have been confined for the most part to a mere choice of persons. There have been no issues presented, no appeals made for support on a basis of principles or policies. The campaigns have. therefore. been petty and uninter- esting to the mass of serious people. This is all wrong. It does not conduce to the betterment of municipal government, to the advancement and development of Montgomery.
 Take the present situation. There are over a half dozen candidates for the Mayoralty. All Of them are business or professional men, who have had more or less experience in city affairs. Yet not one of them has made any sort of public utterance to indicate that he has any dis tinct plan or purpose to better Montgom- cry. Every one of them appears to as- sume that the City is in a sort of nnilen- nium of comfort, prosperity and happi- ness. Their silence indicates lack either of originality; or of conviction, or of agsressiveness Personal ambition. desire for the ,office for individual satisfaction, or prospective benefit in some way, would appear to be the motive impelling en- trance in the field. Of course, this infer ence Is more or less unfair, but as long as all of them keep their counsel to them- selves, they will appear at a disadvant- age. They can't afford to appear So dull, so timId, so weak. If they want the people to follow them they should show themselves leaders.
 The same thing may be said of the dozen or two gentlemen who are seeking to be Aldermen. They are as dumb as oysters. Either they have no ideas. or else they are too timid or wary to let the people know their views. They are in the attitude of being in the middle of the stream with mouths wide open, to catch whatever may come their way There Is very general suspicion on the part of the public that there must be good things afioat, and there is an opportunity for candidates with brains and backbone to dlspeI this impression. The candidates themselves, or some of them who may be unselfish. patriotic citi- gems. can change this situation. They can come out for some concrete idea or other, no matter how small or remote. They can make 1t the fashion to stand for something explicit or tangible, beside a mere yawning mouth eager to swallow a nice office. One or few could set the pace: the rest would have to follow or drop by the wayslde.
 But whether any of the candidates get their brains or backbones in voluntary working order or not. the people are do- ing a mighty lot of thinking, and, if we are not mistaken they are going to find out which of the candidates have ideas. purposes and backbones. They are not going to fill the offices on basis of good looks, nice manners or personal begging for votes They are going to look deeper. and are certain to be insistent in their demands for solid merit, for clear-cut purposes, for tangible reforms. Candi- dates cannot expect to slip through by looking wise and saying nothing. -S'
 The people are going to insist upon men for the offices of Mayor and Aldermen who come up to some such requirements as these:
 l. Capacity. It is no time to put ordi- nary commonplace men in offioe, much less ne'er-do-wells or incompetents. The city's finances require as fine ability as any firms business.
 2. Character. Men of force, of convic- tions, of firmness, are needed both in the Mayoralty and Council. There has been too mucht go-easy, slip-shod, indifferent administration in recent years. The time has come for work, for action, for determination.
 3. Unselhshness. No man should be elected to the Mayoralty or Council who has a personal axe to grind. a business end to serve, an interest to protect. There has been too much of that sort of thing. The gossip has been too frequent that this or that man belongs to so and so, that he is there to serve that corporation, or to protect that interest. or to watch after some contract or other. Of course. men will look after their business inter ests, and in q certain sense they are not to blame if they do it decently. But the people should look after their own inter- ests first, and not put men in office who are liable to give individual or corporate interests first importance. The time is ripe for unselfish. patriotic men to come to the helm-men who will study the in- terests of the whole City and do some thing for the whole people.
 Capacity, character. unselflshness are the prime requisites for public servants at all times. and Montgomery stands in dire need of Mayor and Council of such attributes for the next term.
 It is with the people. Win they demand these things? We believe that they are aroused already. and if so, there need be no doubt of the result.
 
 The Huntsville Tribune has little pa- tience with its Republican brethren who