Putnam patriot., 1929-10-24
Will Come Before The Voters On Efficient Economical
 Record
Has Stood on His Own Feet Regard
 less of Criticism

Mayor Charles A. Richard will be a candidate Co succeed himself In of flee at the biennial election in Decem- her Mayor Richard consented. We'd nesday evening Co allow The Patri- ot to announce his candidacy. He said he would go before the voters on his past economical. efficient record.
 The mayor said nothing further as regards his feelings in the matter He is net a public official who Is prone to blow his own horn. He feels that his two.year term as chief executive speaks for itself. The fact that the city has progressed in conservative and economical manner should appeal to the voters and taxpayers Of both political parties
 No Opposition In Sight
 Whether there will he any opposi- tion Co the candidacy of Mayor Rieh- ard is not known at this time On the street one hears insinuatinns and iuuendos which portend an over throw of the present city govern ment. But this Is heard every two years on the eve of the city caucus es Owing to the water works tang le. which Mayor Richard inherited when he took office. he has made poli- teal enemies of those who did not sec the problem as he saw l.. Whatever else may be said of Mayor Richards conduct of his office even his political enemies will have to admit that he did not play politics"
 Had Mayor Richard been looking forward Co reelection during tho period of strife he would have quiet ly acceded to the opinions of those substantial citizens Whn were oppos- ed te the plan of procedure which the Mayor and members of the wat- CT eommitte of the common council favored lt would have been much easier for the mayor to have aeeeded tn the demands of this faction. He would have made less enemies He would have saved himself much hard work and he would have avoided eaus tie criticism. But he would have been abandoning his own honest convict ions to "play politics and advance his own interests.
 Mayor Richard however, preferred to stand squarely on his own feet. In this he must be admired. He was fully convinced that the city was not m financial position to spend sl30, GOO for the improvement of the wat CT system. He felt confident that the problem could be solved without the expenditure of such large am- ount of money.
 He had pledged himself to an ec- onomical administration and he felt hot Is. safff tfs lat pledge Co allow the larger axpendi- ture Co go through.
 This stand. while admirable. as matter Of course. made him politi- cal enemies. No one realized this more than did Mayor Richard him. self As he might be heard to say 'ft isn't right and that's all there is to it" He was not thinking of the fall election; he was not thinking of votes. He was thinking of the fnan- ces of the city and of the taxpayers pocketbooks Whether the indivi- dual citizen regards Mayor Richards opinion as Co the solution Of the water works problem fer the best in- tercst of the city or not, none can truthfully deny that the mayor stood firmly on his own feet at time when 1t would have made his future easier and safer and without question made his reelection absolutely assured, if he had been willing to abandon what he believed to be right for what others believed to be right.
 To Garry Out Their Plan
 The water works problem Is now on the eve of solution. The work has long been delayed It was brought before the common council and the citizens before Charles 4 Richard became mayor As the subject has developed it is in keeping with the Mayors idea lt has his endorsement and that of the committee of the common council. + would seem that if for no other reason those who have favored the plan now being put into effect should be retained in office un- til the work is accomplished
 All of this talk about the over throw of the personnel of the city government has been heard before. It's echoes have grown less and less as the time Co nominate city officials has come nearer and nearer. It will probably be the ease in this election of 1929. However the caueuses are soon Co be held and 1t is time for the citizens of Putnam to give the matter of city government for the years of 1880 and 1881 earnest thought and calm consideration.