“Alderman Chester S.
Walters has announced his intention of yielding to the requests of many
citizens who have been urging him to enter the field as a candidate for the
mayoralty.”
Hamilton Herald. December
4, 1914.
With a little less
than a month better the municipal election, an additional name was put into
contention for the office of Hamilton mayor.
After two years in
office, Mayor Allan had decided to not run again, and it seemed, at first, that
Controller Charles Gardner would face no opposition in his bid to be Hamilton’s
mayor for the year 1915.
Of the three Hamilton
daily newspapers, the Hamilton Herald was the most enthusiastic in welcoming
Alderman Walter’s announcement that he would not allow Gardner to be acclaimed
but would be a candidate.
In the lead editorial
for December 4, 1914, there was a strong endorsement for the Walters’ mayoral bid:
“It is now up to
those who have persuaded Mr. Walters to run to justify their advice by their
actions.
“He is an able,
high-minded and public-spirited young man; there is no blot on his record, and
there is to his credit a great and valuable achievement. “He ought to prove a strong candidate.
But if he is to be successful in this contest, he must be backed by an
efficient organization and supported by a large corps of voluntary workers –
for that he will meet with vigorous and skillful opposition is certain.
“If he is expected to
fight his own battle – if those who have persuaded him to take the field assume
that all that is required of them is to do some shouting – there will be
disappointment.”1
1 “Walter in
the Field”
Hamilton Herald. December 4, 1914.
The next day, the
Hamilton Herald, in large, bold type, printed a letter, “To the Electors of
Hamilton” in which Alderman Walters addressed the issues in the upcoming municipal
election, and his suitability as a candidate for mayor:
“Fellow Citizens –
Having been repeatedly urged by a number of citizens to become a candidate for
the honorable position of mayor of the city of Hamilton, I have decided to
accede to their requests, and beg to announce my intention of entering the
field as the Taxpayers’ Candidate.
“I am deeply sensible
of the cares and responsibilities which attend the position of the first
executive office of our city, and am fully impressed with the fact that the
welfare and happiness of my fellow citizens greatly depend upon the course that
I may pursue if elected; but I have the utmost confidence that the taxpayers of
Hamilton will elect as controllers and aldermen men who wisdom, zeal and
integrity will be a source of strength and encouragement to me in assisting me
to carry out the multitudinous duties connected with the position of mayor of
Hamilton.
“Not until I became convinced
that citizens in every walk of life desired my services as mayor did I make a
final decision to enter the mayoralty contest, preferring a less responsible position
which at any other time might reasonably have been deemed more appropriate for
me to aspire to; but I recognize the fact that present conditions in our
municipal administration are greatly unsettled, and I am fully convinced that
it is my duty to place at your disposal whatever time and ability I may
possess. You doubtless appreciate the fact that the neglect and confusion which
have prevailed throughout the largest and most important branch of the civic
administration have been due largely to lack of supervision and control on the
part of those whose duty it was to safeguard the interests of the taxpayers,
and knowing this fact you will, I trust, appreciate the importance of electing
as mayor one who will fearlessly and conscientiously render to every taxpayer
equal and exact justice regardless of class, creed or party. My earnest desire
is that the incalculable good accomplished by the civic investigation shall not
be undone, and that all unscrupulous persons who have been guilty of criminal
conduct will be brought to justice, and I trust that the efficiency of the
works department will not be allowed to become further impaired by retaining in
the city’s employ any neglectful, incompetent or dishonest servant.
“My constant aim and
policy will be to introduce and encourage business methods which will work for
economy and efficiency, to consider the needs of the wage-earners, and
particularly at present the difficult problems presented because of the
suffering caused by lack of employment for our working men; to emphasize the necessity
of providing additional suitable playgrounds in order that the rising generation
may grow up to be healthy and a help to the community; to endeavor to stimulate
the attracting to our city from the United States manufacturing industries, and
the proper encouragement of those already located here, and to co-operate,
where possible, with other municipalities in the building of interurban
highways in order that Hamilton’s tributary population may receive greater
encouragement to frequent our markets and business places.
I invite every
taxpayer who feels interested in the advancement of the welfare of Hamilton,
who desires an economical administration of the city’s affairs, who appreciates
the problems of the wage-earners and is anxious to improve their condition, and
recognizes the need for promotion of good government and the preservation of
the city’s credit, to vote for me for mayor on January 1, 1915.
Yours
faithfully,
CHESTER S. WALTERS
Hamilton, Dec. 5,
1914
No comments:
Post a Comment