The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-22
THE COUNCIL MAJORITY.

| Unless the City Council act in complete harmon.
| with the Mayor the Mayors administration canno
| be an suspicious success. He needs a Council en-
tirely in sympathy with his policies; otherwise hi
policies will fail of contamination. and the public viii
witness cessation in important work that has beer
| planned.
| Two years of the Wells regime have passed. and
although obstructive tactics have been resorted to
| notable advancement has been made in all branches
of the public service and in all kinds of public i'm
provement. System has superseded chaos in all de
partments, the revenue has been increased, public
funds have been invested to do the most good
waste has been stopped and the laws have been al
tered to restore the power Of the city pub
licservice corporations.
The Mayor has reason to feel proud Of his efforts
and of those Of his assistants in these two years
The taxpayers have reason to feel grated over the
reformation that has taken place in municipal affairs
and they necessarily feel that it Is emlnently
to their interest that the policy defined by Mayor
Wells should remain fixed in the concluding years
OF his term.
Without the City Councils steady, earnest support
he may not be in position to achieve all that he has
outlined and striven for in the ctys advancement.
Council believing in and pledged to the policy of
progression, as laid down by Mr.. Wells, is impera-
tive for the general good
Next month five members of the Board of
Public Improvements will be appointed by the Mayor
These appointments must according to law, be ap-
proved by the City Council. If the Council of
different partisan complexion than the Mayor it would
be disposed to make political squabbles the ap-
pointments. and the consequence would be that the
Mayors efforts would be frustrated
All appointments which the Mayor has far made
have been in recognition of merit; all the work which
be has done has been done with the object Of serving
the public best he could regardless of party plans
riV that
tency will be the qualification necessary for any one
enter the Board of Public improvements The people
can trust the Mayor to appoint who Will be rel
able and capable and who will aid in building up the
city
Therefore. the good work should not be opposed
Progress and reform should not be obstructed The
policy which the Mayor has defined should be ratified
by the voters and should be continued In order to
do this the voters should elect the Democratic Eoun
ell ticket next month A safe majority. upon which
the Mayor might rely is necessary for the full shccess
of the policy Of advancement.
Machine organs in sympathy with the old gang
have indicated that it is the purpose of the Repub
lican machine to have the Republican Council NOM
inees, If elected. give beneficial opposition to the
Mayor. The taxpayers understand what beneficial
opposition Is. They realize that opposition to this
progressive administration would be antagonism to
public interests In order to insure the the
Mayors plans the voters should elect the Democratic
Council ticket. The Mayor Is entitled to a safe ma
jority in the Council He deserves strong support
AS the case stands. there some Democratic
nominees for the House who should be defeated. In
some wards the Republican House nominees should
be elected in Others independent candidates. No
where is it party question The Democratic Coun-
ell ticket should be elected because the city would
profit therefrom. That Is the reason which should
acruate voters.