The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-01-01
TO Be OR NOT TO
Be, THE QUESTION
A CANDIDATE FOR REELECTION
AS MAYOR OF CITY is A
QUESTlO As YET UNSOlVED.

As has ben said heretofore, the
political pot is beginning to simmer
and the Ardmoreite. seeking light
upon the subject, interviewed the
mayor yesterday with the following
resut.
&" 1t is rumored that you will again
be a candidate for mayor at the ap-
preaching election, how about it?"
well. ! had not heard that the
race was on; it will be two months
before an official announcement can
be made, and two months time
often changes the fate of nations.
They say that you want to be
viEdicated from the charges set up
in the recall petition. What have
you to say to that"
The recall petition was never
filed. and the record this admins
tration has made is sufficient vindi-
cation for anyone who has been a
party to it. When We went into
Office we found that the city had
defaulted in it's payments of inter
est on its bonds, that thousands of
dollars worth of o!d warrants which
had little commercial value We're out.
standing, that a bond issue voted
was tied up in a legal tangle,
fire department wholly inadequate
being equipped with borrowed or
hired horses, lake of muddy water,
sewer outlets that were causing un-
tod trouble, a docket full of dam
age suits, and countless other en-
barrassing conditions that had ac-
cumulated during the year when
We were adopting the new form of
municipal government, and upon the
change to state government.
1T was a serious condition, but
this administration took mold of il
and without any fuss of feathershave
brought order out of chaos, the in
terest on the bonds was paid, the
city's credit at home and abroad
restored, the city was put on a cash
basis, no warrants were issued un.
less the money was in the bank
to pay them, a bookkeeper was EN-
ployed, and thus we were enabled
to see exactly what our financial
was at all times.
More work has been done on the
streets in the past two years than
was done in five years proceeding
that time, the fire department has
been brought up to a much higher
standard, the bond tangle was very
satisfactorily unraveled, the bonds
sold for god premium, the public
works done as well and at prices |
below the cost of any like work |
ever done in the city. Septic tanks |
are now purifying our sewerage sc |
there will be no further damage |
suits in that direction; a filtration |
plant now insures against muddy |
and impure water; a new dam in |
sures supply of water that sur
passes in purity and quantity any
thing in the southwest, and storm
sewers have been rebuilt SO over
flows will not occur again.
With all these improvements
and the increased bonded indebted
ness we this year reduced the as
sessment valuation twenty per cent
and the city levy three mills, which
reduced city taxes, and
before this administration goes out
of office every old warrant will be
paid. The damage suits have been
disposed of with vigor and dis
patch and with signal success on
the part of the city"
That sounds to me as if you
were grooming yourself for the
race" was suggested.
well, no, not necessarily: bui
when you suggest the question OF
city affairs am full of it and
have to explode"
Don't you think any mistakes
could be found by the opposition 10
this administration"
Certainly; you know the critic is
ever present, and he has found, in
his search for faults, that even
Moses made mistakes. Yes, we have
made mistakes, of course We have.
but feel that the good we have
accomplished far outweighs them
But you have not answered my
question. Will you be a candidate
for reelection"