Year: 1875

We never remember time when there
was less popular interest manifested in u
charter election than at present. otCOurse
there Is very decided interest in the result
as regards a goodly number Of candi-
dates for the various paying Offices Of the
city, but Us regards the Mayoralty and
members Of Council, voters generally are
asplacid as u asummer sea, This being the
case we have an excellent opportunity to
select officials this year with simple ref
erence to their qualifications to serve the
city's best interests, There is no pOliti-
cal CommOtion among voters, although
the Democracy have called primary meet
ings for tomorrow night to select candi-
dates, People generally are not disposed
to dragpolitiCs into municipal elections.
On the contrary they prefer to vote for
candidates on personal grounds We
trust this WILDE the case this year, We
want in the first place thoroughly good
representation in Council, for 1t Is there
that We are most exposed to mischief in
the way Of mal.udministration. We want,
Of course, good and efficient officers to ex-
ecute the laws, but in the first place we
want good men in Council to make laws,
and especially men who have the judg-
ment, character and experience necessary
to deal with the financial interests Of the
city. Wheeling Is in rather enviable
financial condition now, and such Condi-
ton always breeds temptation. There Is
u aconstant disposition and tendency to get
up schemes and projects for spending
money in the treasury or going in debt
because somebody will advance the money.
We have barely escaped two or three big
projects which, had they been carried
out, or rather had they not been repealed,
would have overwhelmed us with diSas-
trous debt all through these hard tines,
We maintain that city whose taxation Is
low and where there are reasonably good
transportation facilities, ought to be care
full howShc jeOpardiGes her future for the
sake of new projects, Low taxation lisa
great incentive Of itself to the establish
ment and extension Of business, All
capitalists look ut the rate Of taxation
when meditating Investments, Therefore
tis important to elect solid and substan'
tial men to council, nnd not visionary per.
sons who have no iearOf debt. II Ia we'll
to remember that ere long We must make
certain large expenditures and that to
these ends we should carefully husband
our resources. We must before a great
while expend at least perhaps one hum
tlred thousand dollars for new Water
Works, and before We get through with
the street paving necessary to be done we
will want two hundred thousand dollars
more, saying nothing Of one hundred or
one hundred and fifty thousand dollars
Tor sewerage.


These are large sulns OF money and are
to be added to our regular current out
lays. They will materially increase our
taxation when expended, and they are
appropriations that we are bound to
make. The city already stands in sore
need Of paving and sewerage improve.
ments, and will soon be pressed for water
works facilities. Such improvements con
not be indefinitely pstpOned except at
great public inconvenience. Therefore
in electing members Of Council we should
select candidates who will bear these
necessities in mind and who will pru-
IDENTIFY husband the City's resources with
reference to them. Our suggestion to
the Taxpayers Of each ward Is, to get up
good tickets without reference to politics.
InSo doing they will put money in their
own pockets and build up the city's
prosperity.