Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-04-09

the following letter from a we'll
: known Harrisburser of inde-
pendent political views;
read. with great deal of pleas
ure, your recent editorial headed
Purpose of Attacks"
To my mind these, straigh from
the shoulder, honest, sincere and
absolutely plain-t truth editorials
have more weight than columns of
partisan argument in favor of or
against anything or condition.
The ultimate result of such un-
reasoning and unreasonable criti-
cisms as have been indulged i'm
against the present Council can
only result in one of two things,
and probably both-that the quail
iications of the candidates who offer
themselves as city COuncilmen will .
not be up to the standard the city
is entitled TO. or those who do offer
themselves will have beforehand
made up their minds to pay no at
tention to criticism and when we
have elected this last kind of a
man, the trouble is that he is not
open to criticism OF argument, good
or bad. In fact, ii is the old story
of wolf! wolf! WOLF! until both the
wolf ana the lamb become hardened
and accustomed to the cry. with
results disadVantag gcous to both.
The foregoing is published with no
vain-glorious notion of scif-Iaudation,
but to emphasize what this newspaper
many times has insisted is a stumbling
block TO efficient public service and a
grave peril to good government.
The Telcgraph's correspondent sets
forth what is unquestionably true
when he says that much of the criti-
Cism directed toward the Republican
majority in City Council is "unreason-
able" and that it's effect cannot be
other than disastrous upon the minds
of voters who accept it as truth, If
there be any SO thoughtless.
Figures that anyone may verify
show that the Republican councilmen
Olor the three Republicans alone are
responsible for the constructive por-
ton of the councilmanic program)
have saved to the city over and above
the salaries paid them, about $50, 900
during the first year OF their terms in
office. In addition, they have made
many improvements and there is no
point upon which lthey have not done
all in their power to conserve the in
terests and the moneys of the tax
payer.
Every attack that has been made
upon them has come from one-quarter
and has been made with the sole pur-
pose OF so discrediting them in the
eyes of voters that it will be possible
for the Democratic machine to elect
majority of the counclmen to be
chosen in November. There is no
other reason for the course that has
been adopted by the mouthpiece of
the Democratic bosses in this city.
At every turn the councilmen have
done their best for Harrisburg. They
have performed their work conscien-
tiously, and as the figures will show
anybody who desires to consult them.
very efficiently. 1t is discouraging to
he adversely criticised in any case but
much more so when one has done
his utmost The whole tendency of
this policy is to force upon public Off
cials the thought that conscientious ef-
fort is not appreciated, and that they
may as we'll be slaughtered for wolves
as for lambs. Fortunately those now
in the service of the city are not weak
enough to take that view of the sitlI-
alton but who shall say how those who
succeed them, whoeN er they may
be, will view the matter?