The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-15
F0LKSWA NTREAL REFORM
Candidates Should be Explicit as to
What They Favor.
SHARP THRUsTs AT POLICE COMMISSION
The Attempt to Conduct City Politics by Legis-
laiye Enactment Received A Severe
Set Back From the State
Senate.

The 'Old C0dSer dropped IN yesterday
very soon after the editor had received
a call from candidate for a city Office.
The candidate had solicited the editors
support on the ground that he wanted
reform in the city administration, but
when pinned down to know exactly what
the reforms were he advocated, they
proved nebulous. While the editor was
thinking how some men wish to go into
office on reform and then not do any
reforming. the Old Codger knocked at the
door, and to the loud "come in" en-
tered the sanctum. 1t was the first time
he had dropped in since the November
election.
Where have you been keeping your
self-all this timer" said the editor as
the Old Codger drew out his corn-cob
pipe, preparatory to smoking during a
long and confidential chat.
.sWhy, | have been alternating" nc
said, Il always hug the fire in the winter
and rarely get about. The atmosphere
up at the capital during the Legislature
was rather discouraging to man of my
quiet tastes, and, not to speak of my
fear of the microbes, whatever they are,
| concluded to wait until the solons adj
iourned before coming out of winter
quarters. Now that the legislators have
returned to the bosom of their families,
l thought l would come down and fird
out what would be the next thing to agi
tate the public mind"
l told him of the visit l had received
Just as he knocked at the door, / was
Illuminating upon reformers who never
reformed and wishing for reformers who
cared more for real reform than for the
offices they were seeking.
sThat is just what l came to talk to
you about" said the Old Codger, as he
gave a long puff to his pipe and watched
the smoke as it curled up to ,the cell
ing. Il have not been about much this
winter. but ! have been keeping up with
the moves on the political chess board.
and rather think l know about as much
of the Raleigh politics as those fellows
who have been trying to carly the city
election in Raleigh by means of legisla
tive enactments. That Police Commits
sion bill was the funniest thing l have
seen in long time. 1t pears to me that
most of the fellows who were advocating
it upon the ground, as they said, to get
the police out of politics, were really
advocating it in order to put the police
in the control of their particular faction
of city politics, and thus get the police
into politics deeper than ever l watch
ed the papers every day and had my own
fun. thinking about the fellows who
thought they were fooling the folks. But
ii turned out all right, the Senate seemed
10 see through the whole thing and
buried the bill as deep as that Teller Nc
Ginty went down to the bottom of the
Sea. Now | am not ag'in the Police Com
mission, b, am mighty glad they did
not saddle a police commission on us
composed of either of the fighting fac
tions trying to control the city"
asked the Old Codger who he was go
ing to support for mayor. and he said,
Il dunno. I'm a-waitin' for the candi-
dates to announce their platforms So
far as l can see, they all say they are
for reform, but they do not say what
sort of reform. / want them to parti-
oularze. I will vote for any good man
for mayor who will come out on the fol-
lowing platform:
OLD CODGER'S PLATFORM.
1 CONSOLIDATE ALL TELEPHONE SYS
TINS AND HAVE ONE coon SYSTEM.
= Buy THE WATER WORKS AND LET THE
CITY OWN ALL SUCH NECESSARY THINGS.
. REQUIRE THE STREET CAR COMPANY TO
X. 10 THE DEPOT. THE SOLDIERS HOME,
AND THE CEMETERY
= REQUIRE ALL SALOONS TO CLOSE AT S
i. NJ.
D RIM OUT THE HOUSES or 'IIER WHOSE
FEEf TAKE HOLD on HE'LL"
q Kialt IRE THE ALDERMEN To PUBLISH
moN LILLY TENTED ACCOUNT OF ALL EX-
And then Old Codger, with loving
pull on his pipe, went on to say. zone
OF the things that ought to be done first
IN this city is to stop the internal nuis-
ance and expense of three systems of
telephones. I was in store the other
day of merchant, who is not making
any too much money. and he told me il
cost him over hundred dollars teIe-
phone rent and that it cost him a good
deal more than that il he counted The
wear and tear on his religion. for every
time the telephone bell rang he rarely
went to the right phone, and he had