Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-04-12
#'ashin9tun Standard.
OLYMPIA. SATURDAY MORNING. APR. T., 1873,
THE TOWN ELECTION.

Monday was spirited contest and re-
suited in the selection of board by
bare majority over the competing can
didates. In the First ward, the fight
was triangular one, between Messrs.
Coulter and Burmister, the wharf CAN
didates, and S. D. Howe, the leaven-of-
the-whisky-ring candidate; Messrs.
Coulter and Howe polling 20 and II
votes, respectively, and Mr.. Burmister
IS votes. Although the last-named
gentleman was defeated, it will be con-
coded by those witnessing the maneuves
of the elements arrayed against him,
that he really made the best race of all
the candidates in either of the wards ut
the recent election. The personal in
fluence developed in his favor was truly
surprising, when it is considered that a
portion of the whisky ring and almost
the combined vote of the temperance
organizations was against him. The
saloon interest recognized the weighty
obligations it was under to MIR. Howe
for services rendered them as grand
Juror, a year or more ago, and to repay
him was acknowledged by the most
active worker to have been the main OBJ
ject of the ring. The Good Templars
chuckled with delight over the prospect
of beating saloon man. by voting
for Howe, totally oblivious of the fact
that by so doing they were giving their
order and the cause they profess to have
so much at heart the most direct and
dangerous blow. Besides, it is not al
together improbable that the common
feeling of petty jealousy, which the sue
cessful prosecution of business enter
prises sometimes arouses among those
engaged in the same calling, may have
had great deal to do with the oppo-
sition to Mr.. Burmister Be this as it
may, it is true that those who should
have been foremost in his support were
Indifferent to the result or actively ar
rayed against him, yet he polled vote
almost as large as his opponents, who
received the united support of the ring
and the lodge. We do not envy Mr..
Howe his dearly bought honors, nor the
glory of contest won by deception or
fraud. If his conscience does not up
braid him for becoming a candidate af-
ter the most positive pledges to the con-
trary, it must he impaired by other acts
equally heinous in his checkered polit-
ical career. We assign him the task of
reconciling his conduct with that sense
of fairness, justice and consistency,
which is the pride and boast of man
hood.
In the Second ward the contest was
even closer than in the First, the sue
cessful candidates leading Mr.. Blinn
only two votes. The result was: Nc
Elroy GO, Ellis 60, Blinn So and Swan
Al. We have no fault to find with Mr..
McElroy, except in relation to his posi-
ton on the wharf enterprise. He pred
icates his support of that measure upon
conditions that we believe will never
exist. Be that as it may, he has made
very faithful and efficient trustee, and
will doubtless discharge the duties as
we'll the ensuing year. Mr.. Ellis is, as
yet untried, but is reported to be sound
on the question of public improvement
The objection We find to him, is based
upon his conduct, or the conduct of his
friends, during the election. The votes
that it is boosted he controls by virtue
of his position as employer, in the Third
ward, were promised for the wharf can.
didates, and to this i" trade" he un.
doubtedly owes his own election, but
late in the day they were marched to
the polls and voted against one if not
both the wharf candidates. What ex
cuse can be made for this violation Of
faith, or whether any has been attempt
ed, we have not heard. If their motives
are satisfactory to themselves, theil
dupes must of course rest content.
The defeat of Mr.. Blinn will be re-
GREETED by those who have placed pro
per estimate upon his sterling bushes.
qualifications and enterprising DISPOSE
ton. Possessed of ample wealth, and
generous in all his impulses, the voters
should have weighed carefully the ques
ton whether they could afford to dis
pense with his services. Mr.. Swan was
likewise too good a man to be knocked
down, but the voters have been induced
to set him aside for one who has neithe,
1abored SO long nor SO faithfully te