Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1910-07-23
MAYOR SEIDEL IDEAS|
SOCIALIST OFFICER GIVES HIS
VIEWS ON civic AFFAIRS.
Gives His Views to Press AS to How a
City Should Be Governed-Wants to
Make the Children Happy-Says
Mayor Gaynor Of New York Has Best
Governed Police.

Mayor Emil Seidel, the first mayor in
the United States to be elected the
executive head of frst-elass city upon
the socialist ticket, bears upon his
shoulders a burden which will either
set socialism ahead a score of years
in America, or retard it for that length
of time. Mayor Seidel has compiled
for the press some of his views. He
says;
"Lots of people have mistaken
idea of socialism. They think that
all leaders of this party should rant
and rave and attempt some kind of
revolution. This is nonsense of the
rankest kind. For instance, Mayor
Gaynor of New York is also social
list at heart, although he would not adj
NIT it, yet 1 dare say he considers
himself one of the most conservative
executives in America.
Praises Mayor Gaynor.
"To my mind, one of the biggest
things Mayor Gaynor has accomplished
is the abolition of the useless combi-
nations that eat up the people s money
without doing them any good. I wish
L could reform the Milwaukee police
force the way Mayor Gaynor has re-
formed the New York police force; in
fact, socialist as l am, Mayor Gaynor
has done many things which L intend
to initiate in my chair if 1 can. When
l get out of the mayor g chair, would
rather have it said of me that Emil
Seidel was the children 8 friend; that
he had made children happy and
healthy and tried to give them a good
start in life, than 1 would to be called
the greatest mayor in America.
City Gets Moneys Worth.
81 want to see home rule for Mil
waukee. 1 want to see every man.
woman and child happy. L want to see
public officers get decent pay and
want the city to get every cent that is
coming to it. We are not running this
city for any one class of people. The
man gets the job, no matter what party
he is affiliated with. One of my experts
dug up an old ordinance which gave
the city authority to enforce all health
ordinances against public utility com.
panies as well as against private com
panies. The rest was easy. We just
placed health policemen around our
barns and would not allow a street car
to be drawn out until it had been
cleaned out. A list of saloons against
which complaints were entered was
carefully made. Every arrest was care
fully noted, every violation of the state
or city laws has been put down. When
the proprietors of these places have
applied for a renewal of their respect
i've licenses the license committee has
refused to grant the necessary permit
In this way more than 100 saloons have
been closed.
Saloons Are Orderly.
"This has had marvellous uplifting
effect on other places where liquor has
been sold and today no city in the
country can boast of such orderly sa-
looms as Milwaukee.
81 believe in personal liberty. l be-
lieve that the saloon, when properly
conducted, is a benefit rather than a
detriment. 1t affords a place of amuse-
ment and relaxation from the cares
and worries of every day life. Here in
Milwaukee none of our saloons fur.
nish really classic music. Nearly all of
them furnish cheap and good food. They
may be called the poor mans club.
l want to see Milwaukee and every
other city adopt some form of opening
up public territory where the people
can grow and keep healthy. My idea is
for the city to buy all new lands, plot
them and put them on the market. You
may think this is Ethiopian, but tell
you, sir, nothing is more practical.
Expects Larger Revenue.
''The city of Milwaukee is not afraid
of any corporation, no matter how big
- tc MO Mill r,ok ,,0ro ,r,oroxv f~1,,,