Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-03
THE ELECTION IN BUTTE.

me ELECIIUN nv BUTTE.
Under the conditions which existed in
this city the election of three out Of the
eight aldermanic candidates on the ticket
amounted to a victory for the republican
party. It prevents the democrats from
attaining a majority in the new city
will now comprise eight member Of each
party. On questions of party policy re-
specting municipal affairs, where there
may be an even division, the democratic
mayor will cast the deciding vote, thus
placing the responsibility directly and
sQuarely on the administrative branch OF
the city government. This places the re-
publican party in a much better position
Tor the future than would have been the
case had the democrats secured a decis.
i've majority IN the board Of aldermen,
thereby protecting the record Of the may
or from any direct responsibility in maxi
ing a decision as to inimical and unwise
policies which his party might see fit to
project.
The mayor. as the leading representa-.
tive of his party In the city government,
IS placed in a position where response
bilities Of a grave character rest upon
his neutrality-suspicious. which can
not be allowed to rest alone in the
keeping Of the council. Should the re-
publican side see At, for instance, to in
sist upon plans of action that will en-
sure the better observance of law in
this community, and the democratic side
takes opposite grounds, it would devolve
upon his honor to cast the deciding vote
as to whether he would or would not en-
force the law! Should similar conditions
arise as to the letting of important con-
tracts, or the ISSUANCE of valuable fran
cfises, 1t will rest upon the mayor to
finally determine the disposition of the
question in issue. Upon the record he
sees fit to make under conditions of this
character will rest his official reputation
for the coming year, for the circum-
stances will not permit him, as hereto
fore, to relegate all responsibility to the
body over which he presides.
From this standpoint, then, as we'll az
from many others, the election of yes
terday amounted practically to a repub-
lican victory. To come within one can
didate of breaking even'' in the face OF
a combined democratic party yesterday
"a party that used the election methods
characteristic of each wing of that or
ganization-was a record Of which the re-
publicans Of this city feel proud. While
the election of the entire republican
ticket would "a been gratifying to ev-
cry loyal member of the party, it was an
impossibility, as political affairs had
shaped themselves. The democratic ar.
rangement which placed four DAILY mer
and four Clark men on the ticket was
carried forward into the plans for cleo.
ton day, with the result that a specia'
effort was made to elect two of the
favorite Clark men and two of the ia.
vcrite DAILY men. Thus Bryant in the
second and Siebenaler in the sixth were
picked out as the two Clark men who
must be elected: while Dempsey in
the first and Gleason in the third
were selected by the Daily men as
candidates who must be pulled through
under the arrangements entered into b,
the two wings of the party. Mayo, VIII,
was elected in the fourth, poses as {
representative of neither wing, though
1t is understood hat he has an ace O.
" up his sleeve that belongs to tn,
DAILY crowd.
BY cooperation of. the two wings o
the party. and the expenditure of {
campaign fun that ''roped in" the in
dependent vote, and the riffraff VIII,
have been under police protection
the democrats were not only able Il
"break even" with the republicans blu
to get one other man, thus nablin
them. with five out of eight, to claim
victory on the face of the situation
With the exception of here and there
republican, who is susceptible to tn
well known campaign methods of tn
democratic party in this city, the part,
worked loyalty for success. Too mucl
confidence. however. in some of tn