The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-02-18
MAYOR CORY.

Does any adequate reason appear
why Mayor Cory should be refused a
reelection, in accordance with the
practice in this municipality? The
Journal has heard none. Such oppo-
sition as is made appears to be largely
on personal or superficial grounds; it
does not appear to be fundamental.
AS the Journal stated on former
occasion, the facts of the city's fiscal
year appear to be conolusively on the
side of the mayors election. The
details of the annual report strongly
confirm this conclusion. Judged by
the practical tests, the mayors admin
istration has been highly successful
The business of the city has been
economically and judioiously man.
aged. The things that make for well
ordered municipality have been done,
and for the most part they have been
done we'll. There has been no hating
in internal improvements. New mac
adam streets have been made and old
ones repaired, and in every depart
ment of city affairs substantial and
progressive work has been done.
There has been neither retrogression
nor standing still. Nothing has been
done for show, nothing for keeping up
appearances
The administration has done its
work with the money provided at the
last annual meeting. There is not
only no deficit, but there is cash
balance of some "a, 600 to the credit of
the municipal debt is some $23, 900
less than it was when this administra-
tion TOOK office. That the govern
ment may not appear to claim credit
to which it is not entitled, the un-
usual revenue derived from the sale
of the old liquor agency is taken out
of the reckoning, and there is still
shown debt reduction of some $40, 600,
accruing Immediately to the credit
Of the administration of the past year.
Why turn down mayor whose report
shows results so gratifying aud sug-
gestive?
NO more than in personal conduct,
or in other affairs of the world, is
there perfection in municipal admins
tration, in many respects signally
difficult branch of affairs. The aver
age is the acknowledged basis Of judg-
ing. When this average is up to a
desirable standard of efficiency, an ap.
proving Judgment is the just desert
Of administrations as we'll as individ-
uals. On it's merits alone Mayor Oorry 8
administration deserves favorable
Judgment; on the customs and prece-
dents in the matter of reflections, ne
Is entitled to the renewed support of
his fellow citizens, and on the score
Of merit and custom combined the
mayor ought to be able to read his
title clear to triumphant reelection.
Any other issue of the pending con.
test for the mayoralty would be the
rankest injustice to good citizen,
one who has grown to manhood and
made his own unaided way in this
city; who has accumulated his for.
tune here; who has here freely in.
vested that fortune in labor. employ
ing industries, in investments that
have distinctly contributed to the
commercial progress and prosperity OF
the city; who has opened his purse
wide and ungrudgingly for every
worthy public cause; to whom char
ity or any proper object has never ap-
pealed in vain for help, whose gifts
often have not received outside sug.
gestion but have outrun appeal.
1t is proper to refer to these matters
at this time, not because there can be
any doubt in the matter of the final
action of the voters in the choice of 6
mayor, but as an act of common jus.
tice to the man himself-snd without
distinction of class or politics these
considerations, in the pending issue
ought to be uppermost in the mindl
of the people of this municipality.