Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-04-02
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THE CITY ELECTION.

the republicans will control the coun-
Gil, having surely six of the nine alder
men. The republicans also secured the
city auditor, assessor and engineer. The
democrats elected mayor, police judge,
solicitor, treasurer and possibly three
aldermen. The contest between
Messrs. Hoglund and Withall, candi--
dates for aldermen at large is
still in doubt at this writing. The
largest plurality received by
a republican was 2S5 for ]. T.
Smith, assessor, and Samuel johnson,
republican alderman-at-large came
next with 252. The largest plurality
received by democrat was 3O1 for E.
G. Moon, police judge. Mayor Pick
lers plurality is 246. Two years ago
Moons majority was 562 and Mayor
Pickler's majority was SIG The most
notable victory for the republican tick
ct was the election of Alderman
O'Malley in the first ward by major
ity OF rs, though the democratic candi-
dato for mayor came out of that ward
with a majority of 225.
The result of the election is a dis
tinct republican victory, giving the re-
publicans control of the council and
reducing the democratic majority for
the head of the ticket to less than one
half what it was two years ago. There
were some great surprises in the re-
suit, notably the defeat of Keefe, dem
ocrat in the first ward, the defeat of
Hagberg, republican, for treasurer and
the defeat of all the democratic can
dictates for park commissioners. The
recollection of Mayor Picker is a per-
.sonal triumph for him, as the republi-
cans put up the strongest kind of a
fight for the election of Mr.. Dysart,
whose personal popularity and
strength as candidate was demon
strated by the greatly reduc-
ed democratic majority May
or Pickler will nave the appoint.
ment of the police force and while
these appointments must be approved
by the council, nevertheless the whole
matter with reference to the police is
practically in the hands of the mayor.
The fight of the campaign was sharp,
clearcut and vigorous. 1t was devoid
of personalities and notwithstanding
the defeat of the republican candidate
for mayor, we believe that the result
indicates wide disapproval of the pre-.
yailing system OF licensing gambling
and bawdy houses by means of month
ly fines. 1t is we'll known that there
were other distinct elements in the
campaign which brought votes to
the head of the democratic ticket
Mayor Picker knows and the demo-
cratic campaign managers know that
the one thing in the campaign which
they found most difficult to meet was
the widespread disapproval of the poll
cy of the present administration with
reference to the matter referred to
above. The Courier fought this sys-
tenn as a matter of principle, and we
just as firmly believe today that it is
moral sense of the community reyolts
against it and from mere money
standpoint, it is calculated to lead to
great Decentralization, because of the
impossibility of surrounding the sys-
tenn with proper checks and safe.
guards. Mayor Picker has received
a majority of the votes cast, but we
believe that it was in spite of the Ii
censing system and not on account of
it,. Certainly the result of the election
should cause Mayor Picker to remedy
the most fiagrant eveils with reference
to this matter, which evils have for
some time, made themselves manifest
on the main business street of this
city. The Courier believes in the right
Of the majority to rule, and it is the
policy Of this paper to accept the will