The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-03-17
Communicated
THE CITY AND ITS AFFAIRS.
"Honor 70 Whom Honor is Que

Honor to Whom Honor rs Que.
fredericksburg, Va, March 10th 1904.
Passing down the street lew days
ago. my attention was called 10 "a gath
ering on the corner, and out OF curiosity
| walked over 60 see and hear what was
going on. fJund, much TO my surprise,
they were discussing the present Oity
council. and other Otii ,ers oi the Cofpor-
alton, which II course they had rlght
20 do. thought some OF their marks,
however, were very unjust. The mel r.
ity OF this crowd, am sure, do not own
one dollaI e worth Of real estate and sew
eral OF them have not resided here long,
but like some unWisc newcomers, want
10 run the affairs At the city, "heiher
they are tsA- layers or not Since then
have been thinking over the condition
OF our old town since the close oi the
war. some forty years ago, aud trying
To refresh my memory Rs To the class ol
men who have b.en May or, members Oh
the City Council and 9th r officials VINO
have held respOnliOle places IN the city
from that time 70 the present an
glad 70 say do not believe that stu
gle one of them has williully misappro-
priated a dollar Of thu peoples money
entrusted &C. their csre. but believe they
have done all ia their power 20 a vance
the interests { I the ola burg Ol course
they have mape mistakes IN their otnciai
lf-. as men do every Gay ~ Their own
affairs What was Fredericksburg AT
the eco.e oi the war 4 batile-scarred
town. la ueht and withUut credit Now
let'- sec " hat hoe been 90 e by the city
officials silce lhe war fir old FfecericAs-
ourg. They hove built water "orAs'
bought as works. bunt An electro Hght
plant. erected IA ire bridge, bought iahd
aud built an aims house lhey nave
eJuipped the pubic schools 10y buying
aud erecting substantial buildings, bOlh
for white and black, and to-day We have
AS fine a school system as any IN the
state
In the last three years the present
Council has put ia Il rue sewer system
and improved six OF the business blocks
Of the city by paving them with granite
with granolithic eide walks whlcb IN my
intgmept is a first clss- 10 IN every re-
sp.et liz is true that our gas works
needed repairs, and the water WORKS
need enlarging. all Of which comes rom
the increased demand for gas and water
After ali this. learn that over han Oi
the bonded debt OF the town pays no"
nnly four per cent the bonds selling al
a premium. aud the city has tirst-ciass
credit The property y-holders nave NOT
haep burdened wi.h high taxes and high
licenses, as learn from good authority
that the taxes here On real and personal
oroperty are less than 10 any other city
in the State oi the same popuialloh.
am also glad 10 say the msnuiactuI-
ing interests OF the town are greater
than in any other town 10 virginia
of the came population | think we have
a corns of As faithful and honest Oihelais
Az apy town could have. refer 10 the
Judye Of the Corporation Court, Com-
mon wealth 8 Attorney, Clerk ci the COurt'
Mavor and City Council, Superintendent
Of las Works. Superintendent Oh NhOer
Works. Collector Of Taxes, Commissioned
Of Revenue and School Board. Not one
Of them has ever been charged WIN
dishonest act. 80 far as the corporation
il concerned aud I sincerely hope that
the good people Of this grand old town
will elect men at the next election gOOu,
true and tried, who own properly, sho
VINO are not willing to put upon anyone
a burden they are not willing To near
themselves.
Ia my judgment it will De a big mis-.
take TO elect men 10 OFF who do not
own dollars worth Of realty or interest
in such property, and have never maui
snceaaa in ANYTHING for themselves. 1
think it would be wise for this class 70
have a reserved back seat at present. IL
il time enough for them to come forward
when they have shown their isith by
their works. ! have lived in FredericEs-
burg for over tfty years, and am thank
fol TO say am no kicker ! oelleVe
evervtbioe has been done ior the best by
the otncisls. and sm willing to trust
again. the same class OF men as tn Sc
who have so faithfully served US in the
past. ~ ~
One Who Was Here Before The war