The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1914-01-23

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WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR?
Virginias city election campaign goes rnerriy
on and wakes in warmth as it progresses. Despite
all that has been said and done it is still without
single issue of consequence. All factions to the
"struggle'' are freely indulging in personalities,
while it must be said to the credit Of most of the
candidates directly interested that so far they
have kept the affair clean and respectable
throughout. Not as much can truthfully be said
of certain of their overenthusiastc partisans but
that is the usual condition and is merely an incl
dent that will be soon forgotten after this
"crooel" war is over.
This election campaign is not without it's high
ly ridiculous features. It is spectacle royal and
it has reached the stage where IS per cent of the
people of the most progressive little city in the
middle west are amused and frankly confess it.
It has been made so by divers and sundry alleged
friends of the people, but it is indeed unfortunate
that the impression has gone abroad that this
city is rent by factiona strife and is house hop
lessly divided against itself.
Whoever the people choose for mayor on the
3rd day of next February from the three candid
ates in the field will serve this city well. The
stakes in the game are not of the life and death
variety. There is but one question for the voters
to decide and that is who is the best man for the
place. To those unbiased, disinterested citizens
who have an eye single to that end the choice will
not be easy, for all three of the candidates men,
toned amply capable of filing the position to
which they aspire.
The "ight," as certain intense partisans are
pleased to designate it, is typical of that between
political factions in cities of this kind where con-
dition of business prosperity exists that keeps the
business men of the town so fully occupied with
their own affairs that they have little time for the
consideration of the ambitious political of those
busy persons who take municipal politics seriously
Neither is the contest altogether to be deplored
Its intensity has accomplished one very good
thing. 1t has aroused good deal of interest," It
has put the spot light on city affairs. It will re-
suit in thorough review of administrations, past
present and prospective, relative to what they
have accomplished and what they propose to do in
the future. Virginia will not suffer by that It
affords the great mass of it's disinterested citi-
zenship opportunity to dispassionately consider
and fairly decide number of things affecting
city government that, while not vital in any re-
spect, are nevertheless now in the limeght for
C11cI COllSlueIdClOI, pldCeu CleIe NY pdtrlOCS OF
the common weal' variously disguised.
No matter who is elected mayor, no matter
who is chosen on the city's aldermanic board Vir-
ginia is not going to suffer. It will continue to
forge ahead in business way, it will continue to
be known as the ivest and fastest-coming city
in the northwest and shrewd observers of events
political are firmly convinced that that there is
dawning here better day, day when Virginians
will be more reasonable to one another and more
of unit for the welfare of their home city than
they are today.
The platforms of the various mayoralty can
dldates are interesting. AS a matter of fact
there is little difference between them and judg-
ing the future by the past here and elswhere we
will not get all Of the very good things that are
promised us, promised no doubt in the best of
faith
We are to have municipal gas plant, new
city hall, municipal this and municipal that If
we get half of the things promised us we shall all
be contented and satisfied and CORRESPONDENCE
benefited.
If this campaign is not entirely issueless it
has but one ISSUE it is the reputation of the "Ins
and the endorsement of the "Outs." Whatever
the outcome our municipal equilibrium will not be
seriously disturbed. There will be good many
sailings for Salt Creek on February 4, a good many
headaches and vast amount of distress that is
merely one of the incidents of political defeat. It
is the price. It must be paid and right now every
one whom it may involve should resolve to pay it
cheerfully.
AN UNDESIRABLE MIDDLEMAN