The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1909-02-27
what il Rest for the Town?


all probability determine who are TO
be the officers of the town government
for the next two years is to be held
day after temorrow-Mon March
lin accordance with the official no.
tees published elsewhere ia this pa
per, and it behooves the voters quail
fed to take part in this primary to
weigh well the question as to which
ticket is worthier of support.
The question the voter should ask
himself, and the test of his action at
the poll, should be, aWhat is best for
the town2''
The issue is not and should not be
one of Individual characters and per-
sonaf qualifications, for, as The Chief
has heretofore said, it would be diff
cult for many citizens to make choice
between the contending aspirants on
such a basis.
The only real issue is and should be
as to which ticket-which set of candi
dates-is most likely to give the town
progressive, up-to date, efficient ad-
ministration of it's municipal affairs.
There is no question of the relative
capacity or integrity OF the opposing
nominees. We take it that one set Is
as honest and capable as the other
that they are all honorable men. It
is what they stand for collectively that
constitutes the difference and issue be-
tween them.
Each ticket is headed by citizen
who has served four years in the Office
of mayor, and it is by comparing the
record Of the respective achievements
of the Kline and Maurin administra-
tions that the people can best deter
mine what kind of town government
they are likely to haye-what character
of policy will be pursued-if one or
the other of these candidates is elected.
And by this comparison also should
the decision be reached as to which
policy is the better calculated to serve
and advance the general interest.
All talk about oligarchies, the rule
of a few individuals, the parceling out
of the little town Offices for personal
benefit and in derogation Of the rights
of the people is mere froth and fustian
as applied to Donaldsonville, and is
calculated merely to muddy the water
and mislead the emotional and thoughts
less voter. The system OF choosing a
representative ticket in open mass
meeting OF the voters, without party
or factional distinction, has prevailed
in this town for many years and with
uniformly satisfactory results; and
this plan would doubtless have been
continued but for the formation of the
Citizens League with the avoWed OBJ
ject Of controlling the town at future
elections.
Mayors Pugh, Goette, Leche, Kline
and Maurfn, together with their col
leagues in the minor town offices, were
all chosen under the admirable sys
tenn OF bipartisan popular selection,
and it is great pity that circum-
stances should have led to the adop-
tIon of another and a. worse method.
The progressive policies pursued
and ex amples set by the Pugh, Goette
and Leche administrations have been
followed and emulated By the Maurin
Administrations; and it is only fair
and truthful to say that in no like
period of the towns history have as
many important public Improvements
been accomplished as during the past
four years, under the direction of
Mayor Charles Maurin and his Off
ctal associates. The most prominent
of these. improvements were enumer-
ated and discussed in these columns
last week and are briefly recounted in
another part of today's issue of our
paper. We are quite sure the sensible
and thinking voters of Donaldsonville
desire the n maintenance and continue
ance of the municipal policy that has
brought about such betterments.
The logical way to accomplish this
object is to vote the administr alton
ticket at Mondays primary.
That furnishes the Proper answer to
the question, What is best for the
town.