Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-09
Next Mondays Election.

I
liens of Augusta will again go to the
POLLS and select the men who will man.
age the affairs Of the city for the COM
ing year and by their selections deter
mine the policy and the character of
our municipal administration for 1913.
Last year. for the first time in Is years.
the city election was carried by the
Democrats. The result was not due to
any inefficiency, dishonesty, extrava-
| gance or mismanagement of municipal
| affairs in any way on the part of Re-
| publican administrations. Their ad
ministrations had been honest. eco
| nomical, progressive. business-like and
| clean. Financially and in every respect.
the affairs Of the city were in splendid
condition and there was only warmest
praise for the work of the retiring ad-
ministration.
The Democratic victory was due to a
| variety Of reasons, one of the most
prominent reasons being the presence
/
deputies. Their presence was warmly
| resented by the citizens generally. who
| felt that the law had been well en-
| forced in this city before their arrival.
| and that its faithful enforcement could
safely be trusted to those here whose
| sworn duty it was to enforce all law
| and who We're paid from the public
| treasury for that service. This issue,
| however, has no bearing on the present
been in Augusta during the present
year. 1t is now up to the Democratic
sheriff to enforce the prohibitory law
and he has assured the public that he
will do this fearlessly and faithfully.
Then last year, there were factions
| within the Republican ranks and the
feeling on the Fart of many that a
| change for the sake of a change would
| be desirable. Anyway, the change was
| government elected. And now that an
| other year has gone by and the time for
| another election is at hand. can any
body say that the city gained anything
/ by the change? Have city affairs been
managed any better than they have
been in the past dozen years?
Have the streets been better
| cared for? Has the police department
been any stronger or more free from
scandal? Has any city department been
any better managed than it was in
earlier years. or better than it would
| have been had the Republican party
| continued in control? We think not. We
have no disposition to belittle the good
work of the present city administration,
but we do feel that the same work
would have been done just as we'll and
| Just as honestly. had the Republican
voters Of Augusta kept the Republic
can party in power in our city. for no
administration ever made a better rec
ord than that of Mayor Hichborn.
The financial showing which the pres
ent administration is able to make is
due largely to the strict economy prac-
ticed by the preceding administrations
of Mayor Hichborn and to tn" happy
circumstance of the payment of about
SS1 900 in back taxes by the Edwards
company after litigation successfully
carried on under Republican admins
Itrations. A leading factor in this liti-
cation during the past year by the
way, has been the work of City So!ici-
tor +. L. Dutton. now the candidate
for mayor on the Republican ticket.
There is no good reason why Angus
Ia should remain in the Democratic
column: it is naturally strong Repub-
lican city. The Republicans present a
strong ticket for next Monday and il
the Republican voters will do their du-
ty a rousng. oldfashioned majority
will be rolled up. and the city will take
its place in the Republican ranks
where it belongs. once in Il years is
often enough for the Democratic party
to be trusted with running Augusta af-
fairs. In 1921 it will be all right to al
low them another opportunity. but this
is a Republican year.
Auburn. Rockland and Waterville
which were carried by the Democrats
last spring, have stepped back into the
Republican column this year. and in
Hallowell. Bath and South Portland
where the Democrats elected their may
ors. Republican city governments were
chosen. Let the Republicans Of Angus
ia. therefore. get together shoulder TO
| shoulder and elect the full ticket next
Monday.