Part 33 (1/2)

Counsel for the various gas corporations interrupted freely The u that there was nothi-winded discussions about the as plants in other cities, the cost of machinery, labor and the like, which took days and days, and threatened to extend into weeks The astounding facts concerning large profits and the present intentions of not only this but every other company in the State could not be dise corporation profits everywhere beca that after the committee had considered and re-considered, it finally, when threatened with political exterhty cents

It is needless to suggest the local influence of this decision When the mayor came home he received an ovation, and that at the hands of many of the people who had once been so fearful of hi Many disgruntled ele more and more stirred up His home life was looked into as well as his past, his least childish or private actions It was a case of finding other opportunities for public usefulness, or falling into the innocuous peace which would result in his defeat

In the platform on which he had been elected was a plank which declared that it was the intention of this party, if elected, to abolish local grade crossings, the maintenance of which had been the cause of numerous accidents and much public complaint With this plank he now proposed to deal

In this of course he was hampered by the law before rade crossings without having first sub three successive years and obtained their approval each time Behind this laas not noever, as in the case of the gas company, a small 500,000 corporation, but all the railroads which controlled New England, and to which brains and legislators, courts and juries, were mere adjuncts

Furthermore, the question would have to be voted on at the same time as his candidacy, and this would have deterred many another more ambitious politician The itation, and the enean theirs, but in the reat railway company endeavored to steal a march There was suddenly and secretly introduced into the lower house of the State legislature a bill which in deceptive phraseology declared that the lahich allowed all cities, by three successive votes, to abolish grade crossings in three years, was, in the case of a particular city ated for a terht not even be discussed politically

When the news of this attempt reached the mayor, he took the first train for the State capitol and arrived there just in ti taken up for discussion He asked leave to make a statement Great excitement was aroused by his timely arrival Those who secretly favored the bill endeavored to have the matter referred to a coo on with the consideration of the bill, and after a close vote the motion carried

The mayor was then introduced

After a fewhich he introduced himself impressed everyone with his sincerity, he said:

”I a to this measure because its enactment will remove, as a political issue, the one cause upon which I base s to vote for, there will be no excuse for voting for me Gentlemen, you mistake the temper and the intellect of the people of our city It is you who see political significance in this thing, but let me assure you that it is of a far different kind fro of this nificance to et down oncould electcould bury the opposition further fros to accohts of our city in this arbitrarydone I could absolutely ask nothing hed well these assertions and trifled for weeks with theto make up their minds

Meanwhile election ti interest of politics it was thought unwise to deal with it A great fight was arranged for locally, in which every conceivable element of opposition was beautifully harmonized by forces and conceptions which it is almost impossible to explain Deious circles, all were gathered into one harle idea, that of defeating the mayor From some quarter, not exactly identified, was issued a call for a civic committee of fifty, which should take into its hands the duty of rescuing the city fro policy of commercial oppression and anarchy” Democrats, republicans, liquor and anti-liquorites, were invited to the sa, nor able ed that a blank check was handed in to the chairer, to be filled out for any amount necessary to the destruction of the official upstart as seeking to revolutionize old methods and conditions

Asassertions contrary to facts Charges were now ue with the railroad to foist upon the city a great burden of expense, because the law under which cities could compel railroads to elevate their tracks declared that one-fifth of the burden of expensefour-fifths by the railroad

It would saddle a debt of 250,000 upon the taxpayers, they said, and give thee would be with the railroad ”Postpone this action until the railroad can be forced to bear the entire expense, as it justly should,” declared handbill writers, whose services were readily rendered to those who could afford to pay for theh poor, answered with handbills and street corner speeches, in which he showed that even with the extravagantly estimated debt of 250,000, the city's tax-rate would not be increased by quite six cents to the individual The cry that each man would have to pay five dollars more each year for ten years was thus wholeson proceeded

Now cae If he were not defeated, all reputable merchants would surely leave the city Capital was certainly being scared off There would be idle factories and empty stomachs Look out for hard times No one but a fool would invest in a city thus hampered

In reply the mayor preached a fair return by corporations for benefits received He, or rather his organization, took a door-to-door census of his following, and discovered a very considerable increase in the nu to vote for him The closest calculations of the enemy were discovered, the actual number they had fixed upon as sufficient to defeat him This proved to the mayor that he must have three hundred more votes if he wished to be absolutely sure These he hunted out froed before the eventualelection ended the calory, so to speak Dozens of speakers for both causes were about the street corners and in the city asoline-lighted band-wagons rattled froreat parade was arranged by the anti-mayoral forces, in which horses and ht in from nearby cities and palmed off as enthusiastic citizens

”Horses don't vote,” a ord handed out by thethrong, and set to laughing the hundreds of his partisans, who needed such encouragement

Next day came the vote, and then for once, anyhow, he was justified

Not only was a er vote cast than ever, but he thrashed the enemy with a tail of two hundred votes to spare It was an inspiring victory from one point of view, but rather doleful for the enemy The latter had imported a carload of fireworks, which now stood sadly unused upon the very tracks which, apparently,insult was offered when the successful forces offered to take them off their hands at half price

For a year thereafter (a mayor was elected yearly there), less was heard of the comhty cents a thousand A newschool, built at a very nominal cost, a monument to municipal honesty, was also in evidence The public orks had also been enlarged and the rates reduced The streets were clean

Then thehis first ter of the reform club, at which he appeared and talked freely of his plans and difficulties These s he now proposed tofor a year thereafter a spectacle of municipal self-consciousness itnessed, which those who saw it felt sure would redound to the greater strength and popularity of the s, awas held Every one was invited The uest, an individual who chose to explain his conduct and his difficulties and to ask advice

There his constituents gathered, not only to hear but to offer counsel

”Gentleist of his remarks on various of these occasions, ”the present week has proved aone I am confronted by a number of difficult problems, which I will now try to explain to you In the first place, you know my limitations as to power in the council But three members now vote for me, and it is only by mutual concessions that we move forward at all”

Then would follow a detailed stateeneral discussion The commonest laborer was free to offer his advice

Every question was answered in the broadest spirit of fellowshi+p An inquiry as to ”what to do” frequently brought the most helpful advice