Abuse, Not Argument

A writer In last week's Democrat closes u amuie uu tue waier-works questlon with these sentences: The great mlstake was that Oov. Felch and Mr. Kiniie dld uol oall to thelr aid Aldermen Poland and Blggs. Il Is posslble that the ai. vice of Puland mlght have been dlspensed uil lis he la a carpenter, a stranger In the clly, and knows more about the milllnery business In Morris than he does of the city's luieresl, bul Blggs would have been of greal service In preparing the contract- that flne legal raliid ol hls would have been an Invaluable ld lo Klnne and Mr. Kelch In preparing the nlcelles ol the contract, and In protectIn ih. city agalust fraud. Blggs Intended, a few yeari. ao, tu enter the mlnlsTy, but was persuaded lo become a wood-butcher by hls lrlencl. Biggs and hls frlends both made a mlülake- he Khould have gone Into the legal prolei.lou. Bitï would have made a great lawyer. Wliile the two aldermen referreil to are undoubtedly abundantly able to cope wit li the writer who has tlius attacked tliem in the above paragniph, yet we do feel like proteMinf against any niore of this soit of "arfrument." It is neither honorable nor manly to stoop to persona] abuse a aquestioti of thig kind. If Mr. Poland Mr. Bigf?s have done anytliiug in their official capicities as aldermen for wlncli tliey sbould be subjected to criticUra and censure, let the writer point out sneu actiou and teil the public wuereio they have done wrong, and let them receive just censure U-.erefor, it' deserving of it. But to assail a man personally; to cali him a " wood-butcher," or a "man milliner." or any such tliiug, is coutempU Ible. It is adopting llie tuctics of the blackguaid in the hope of brlnging ieproacli upon these men for actlnji at their concciences dictated. It is an cffort to gubstitute billing8gate for convincing proof. A course seldom adopted by men who have a good cause wilh the right upon tlicir sicle. These aldermen may have been wrong In the stind they took, and they mav not have been wrong. The future will teil Thu future wlll also teil whether those who have insiisted upon knowing soinethinj; about this contract shoukl be ceu8ti red or not. The future may tlevelop the reason why such hot baste was necessary in forcing this contract through the councll before any of the tnembers (aside froni thrce or lour) had au opportunity to even read It over. The future may develop many other things that have been carfully coiuealed from the public view. The members of the common council are chosen to look after the interests of the people of the city. They are elected for the purpose of scrutioizing and criticlfing any propontion or contract that niay come before tliem. Theyareexpected to woik for the interests of the people and not for the Interest of a private corporation seekiiiir to secure valuble fruiiclilses from tlie city. Now if Messrs. Poland or Biff!s have exceeded theirduty In Dy particular they should be condemcU tliertlur In an honorable manner. But if they have slmply trled to do thelr dutv they deserve praise and not censure. We do not believe that evrry niember of thut council who favoied the contract and worked enrnestly and nersistcntly to aecure its ratiflcation dld so froin mpure motives. Ntitber do we believe thut the metsten whn insisted n pon knowing something vbout that contract based their HCtiou upon anylhinf but the bcot of motivea. Tliem ure two sides to all ques(ions, and anything that is right will bear the closest scnitiny. TbOM who are successful ran afford to be generous. It is the one who ure de ictiicil that should be sour and II teinpered and cal! nauies - if sucli tilinga are to be indulged in. It is ostimatod that Aun Albor piiysont for iiifiirancc 125,000 per aiinum. Nw whilethe advent of w:iter works probably will not lower the rates, it wlll, by Klvini additional protection, fncourage the owners of buildings to insure for one-half the valiiatlou rather tlisn for the hijfliest they can get. Tliis will be becnuse t will bt fotnid thattlic buildings will seldom burn completely down.