The Topeka state journal., 1899-04-03
ELECTION HERE.
City Campaign Closed and Polls
Open Tomorrow.
Final Vote on Municipal Owner
ship of WaterWOrks.
RESULT NOT In DOUBT
C. j. Drew Will Be Elected
Mayor by Big Majority.
People Should Be Careful in
Selecting COuncilmen.
Auditorium and TOpeka's Fu-
ture Greatness Are Issues.

The people of Topeka will vote tomor-
row. The election is an important one
in more than one respect. The voters
of Topeka will place their final seal
upon the municipal ownership of the
waterworks system by electing Charles
J. Drew mayor. His nomination direct
ly upon that issue by an overwhelming
majority seemed to stupefy the opposi-
tion and it has not manifested itself in
the campaign preceding the general
election.
G. c. Clemens, the Populist candidate,
has treated the matter as a joke from
the start but there are many who be-
neve that he will receive a larger vote
than the Democratic candidate, DR..
Taylor. Both men have talked about
municipal ownership but nothing
could be said to counteract the tremen-
douS endorsement received by Mr.. Drew
at the primary for he has been tried
and it is conceded that his majority
will be large.
The submission of the new city hall
proposition to the people also makes
an important factor in the election for
it includes the question of an auditorium
for the accommodation of the large as
SemblageS which Will naturally come to
Topeka. Topeka must relinquish its title
of THE Convention City of Kansas
unless an auditorium is provided at
once and there is no one who is ready
to see the capital city of Kansas take a
retrograde movement. The Commercial
club prepared the proposition which re-
ceived the unanimous endorsement of
the city council and there is little doubt
that it will also receive the endorse
ment of the people of the city of Topeka.
The women are to be allowed to vote
on the auditorium proposition which is
the first time in the history of the city
that they have been given a voice on Il
question which involved the expenditure
of money for public improvements.
Nayf n ba Of he IA
selection of a council which will give
him unqualified support is important.
Five members of the legislative depart
ment of the city will be elected tOmor-
row and the people can not be too care
full. In the First ward J. B. Belts,
well known contractor, was nominated
at the Republican primary because he
stands fairly upon a platform which
favors the municipal ownership of the
water plant. An effort has been made
to defeat him by warping the issue but
the people of the First ward know that
Mr.. Belts is a public spirited, relia BILE
citizen and the indications are that. he
will be elected by safe majority. 1t is
3. compliment to the ward in which he
lives that a man of Mr.. Belts standing
will consent to serve in the city council
and there ought to be no question about
his election.
In the Second ward Councilman J. W.
Morgan is a candidate for reelection.
He has served the ward one term and
has made a record of which any man
might be proud He has taken a bold
stand from the first in favor of the
city ownership of the water supply. He
has also been champion of the work
ing men who are such a large part of
his constituency He is workingman
himself and understands their wants
perfectly. The Second ward never had
a better representative than Mr.. Mer-
gan.
In the Fifth ward Councilman Round
tree was renOminated. He is a colored
man and is principal of the Monroe
street school His al n
cOlOred man. Councilman ROundtree is
/ the only cOlOred man who has ever oc-
cupied seat in the city council and he
has been an excellent representative of
his race and the city at large. No one
need be ashamed of the record made
by Mr. Roundtree and there should be
no question about his election. He has
taken a bold stand on the waterworks
question. He will be returned because
the people have found that he can be
trusted, and his majority should be
large.
No effort has been made to defeat
Councilman Elliott in the Third ward
| though there is a candidate on the Pop
uliSt as we'll as Democratic ticket. Mr..
Elliott will be reelected easily and he
should be because in his long service a s
a member of the city government he
has never been false to the trust which
the people of the city have imposed.
In the Fourth ward w. S. CLANCY has
practically no opposition. Mr.. CLANCY
is an exponent of the younger element
pecially active in politics. He is a prom
Using young business man and there is
no reason why he should not be an ex-
cellent representative of this prosperous
section of the city.
The people will elect the officers of the
city court for the first time. Arthur J.
McCabe, who was nominated at the Re-
publican primary for judge of the court
is conceded to have an easy race. He
is a young lawyer of ability and is all
ready presiding over the court by an
pointment of the governor. Ed. L. Good
is the regular Republican nominee for
{ clerk and Fred Stonestreet for marshal
/ of the court. An effort has been made
/ to defeat Mr.. StoneStreet by drawing
! the color line, but his friends are con-
fident of his election, with the other two
regular nominees
Through the instrumentality of one
! or two people, a fight was started on
F. the candidates ofthe Commerce al club for
park commissioners and it was neces-
/ sary to place them in an '.Independent''
column. They are the only candidates
/ which appear in this column. 1t was
originally intended to have the names
I placed on all the tickets, but the par
/ tisan prejudice of a few individuals pre-
vented the arrangement. The CONNER
| cial club is the father of the park bill
| which gave the city the authority to
| elect the commissioners and there is no
reason why the organiza ton should not
| be allowed to make selections without
| reference to politics.
] There IS little interest in the fight for
! city attorney, city clerk and city treas
urer, and the Republican candidates
will be elected without a doubt.
| The candidates for the various offices
For mayor-Republican, Charles ].
Drew: Populist. G. c. Clemens; Demo-
| cratic, DR.. w. T. Taylor.
For city clerk-Republican. ]. H.
| Squires; Populist, Frank Collins; Dem
| ocratic, Major A. P. Shreve.
For city attorney-Republicau, W. A.