The Paducah evening sun., 1910-01-08

threat of a Democratic alderman that, if there
was a Republican chairman of the finance com
mittee, President Foreman, of the board of
lcouncilmen, would appoint three partisan Dem
locrats tie up the committee and block all the
administration policies. President Foreman
has had since last Monday in which to name his
committees, and has not yet done so. This is
what they call playing politics.
1t might be well to go back to the shuffling
and the deal to understand the situation. Every
Republican candidate for alderman was elected
at the last election and a majority of the Repub-
llican candidates for counclmen and all but one
of these Republican aldermen were reelected
Ito the general council, thus showing that the
people were satisfied with the Republican ad
Iministration, and gave heed to The Evening
Sun s appeal for a general council in sympathy
with the administration. How necessary this
was is proven by the News-Democrat's threats
These Republicans compose half the board OF
aldermen. They have just as much right to the
offices and committees as the four Democrats
who might or might not have been reelected
had they gone before the people last fall. The
administration being Republican, the Republi-
can aldermen desired a Republican chairman
of the finance committee more than they did the
presidency of the board President Hannah had
never appointed a Republican chairman of that
committee. So the Republicans proposed an
by the Democratic aldermen. Is there anything
in that, at which the Democrats could take
umbrage!
The only Democrat, who could possibly feel
Iaggrieved would be Chairman Lackey of the
finance committee, who has made an excellent
chairman; but there was nothing personal in
the matter, and we would be greatly disappoint-
ed in our estimate of Alderman Lackey's cali
bre if he should let personal pique mar public
record so mertorious thus far and so full OF
promise As for the threat of the News-Demo
crat and its pig-brained political allies that
they will "pay politics" and interfere will
every plan for the welfare of the city, in the
name of the good citizens of Paducah The
Evening Sun takes up the challenge and dehes
them to try it. Is it thing so rare as to merit
boast that Democratic officials have for two
years had sufficient regard for their oaths OF
Office that they aided Republican mayor IL
benefitting the cityg Is it such remarkable
boon conferred upon Republican administra
tion that they did not play politics" and block
all its plans for the public veal! Did the coun
cilmen promise their constituents that as soor
as they entered office they would set about pre-
venting the use of public funds for public
works and the best management of municipa
affairs, in order to spite their political enemies
Or did they promise that they would cooper
ate,in good works If they promised to do then
duty, will they do it, or are they dishonest, a:
the News-Democrat would nave them to be.
We don't believe we have enough of that kinC
of men in the general council to interfere Will
the city's welfare.
| AS far as keeping hands off politics is con
cerned, in the appointment of the seven or eigh
officers, which lies within the authority of tn,
general council, every Republican was made tc
walk the plank, including men recommended by
Democratic executive boards for their faithful
ness. Mayor Smith has the appointment OF
some sixty officers, and nearly all of them are
Democrats reappointed by a Republican board
Let the Democratic Legislative department &C
to the deck again and match that, before they
talk about ''playing politics. That is hand
full of trumps in this game.
Now-if the general council blocks legisa
ton, and President Foreman arbitrarily refuses
to appoint his committees in order TO dominate
them for partisan purposes, they will not injure
the Republican aldermen but they will niure
the city and mar the administration of Mayor
Smith to a certain extent. We have approved
Mayor Smiths conduct in following a non-par-
tIsan merit system in his appointments; but il
the suggestion of the News Democrat is carried
out and the general council undertakes to "pay
politics IN the name of the Democratic party;
then, in the name of the good people of Padu-
cab, The Evening Sun will call upon Mayor
Smith to lead back trumps and discharge every
Democrat, who now holds office undSr the exec
utive department of the city.
The people of Paducah are watching the con-
duct of the general council. As President Han
nan remarked at the final session of the last
board of aldermen, more was done in 1908 in
Paducah than in any one preceding year, AID
the general council claimed its fair share of the
glory. 1t will bear the blame if this year does
not match last year. " These same councilmen