The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH-IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 1914. THE MAYORAL FIGHT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 6, 28 April 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH -IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 1914. THE MAYORAL FIGHT.

At the outset the present campaign for the honor of occupying Stratford’s Mayoral chair during the coming year very quickly developed into a contest on purely personal lines, and it has by this time reached—or almost reached—express speed on that same track. It is the tendency nowadays to assume this bad attitude, and even in 'the greater politics of the country more time is wasted in personal wrangling than in earnest legislative work. There must, of course, at times admittedly arise an occasion for- impeachment on great questions, but the public parading ol any man’s private affairs is neither edifying nor instructive. Naturally the man whose coat has been publicly torn, feels compelled—hi most in-, stances—to mend the rent in public, and while so doing is, perhaps, tempted to muddy the garment of the fellow who ripped his seam open. The private affairs of Mr King or Mr Kirkwood really ought not to have any inllvumeo mi the burgesses in so far as the Mayoral election is concerned. It is rather with their public records that we should deal, for both/ are tried men who may claim to have beiielitted Stratford by their work in the Borough Council and in other public positions. Mr Kirk-, wood again addressed a crowded audience at the Town Hall last night, and in doing so replied vigorously to MiKing’s broadside of last Friday evening. Possibly the best point made by Mr Kirkwood was the allegation that Mr King in the most wholesale manner possible, appropriated his policy. in its excellence the idea is so akin to the attitude which the “ins” assume towards the “outs’ in the battle for office which is constantly going on in New Zealand, that one is moved to ribald laughter. Mr Kirkwood is to ho congratulated on 1 1 to gonarally courteous and moderat* attitude ho assumed, though his words were personal and in reply to par-

soaal attack. As Mr Kirkwood quite | rightly stated, this paper had no in-, tentiou of doing him any injustice in any of its remarks regarding this election, or on any other matter, but j it is quite possible to differ with him in regard to viewpoint, and a strong partisan seldom sees a position in its true light and bearing. Mr Kirkwood, actuated, we have no doubt, by the highest motives may, even unknowingly, be, as we stated, extreme. Whatever the outcome of the present election may lie so tar as the occupancy of the Mayoral chair is concerned we do hope that at any rate a reasonable and peaceful solution of -this wretched lighting question may he early "discovered. This evening Mr King will bring up his reserve forces for final engagement before the election battle, and to-morrow the poll will take place. When it is over some people will feel quite dull because there is no attractive wordwarfine proceeding nightly l in the Town Hall. However to-morrow’s ballot may result, we sincerely hope, that any friction which has arisen betweerr factions may disappear, and supporters of both sides unite in helping to make their town a bettor place to live in.