The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-04-15
MILWAUKEE'S NEW
 MAYOR 4 DANDY Boy Executive Fights and is a
 Hustler HE HAS PLENTY OF MONEY After Graduating at Harvard He Mar ried. Went Twice Around the World and Started In to
 Win Glory.
HE HAS PLENTY OF MONEY

World and Started In to
 Win Glory.
 Special Dispatch to the New York Herald.
 chicago.-lt was the green colt aganst the tried campaigner, and the green colt won in a canter. The stake was the Mayoralty of Milwaukee. When it was all over another La Toilette had arisen in the political councils of the metropolis of Wisconsin. Those who took the colt m jest have learned to look upon him With most serious eyes, and there is already talk that he will some day romp around the state track and win as easily as --e did in the Milwaukee political race course
 Sherburn NJ Becker is the boy who kicked the dust in the eyes of Mayor Rose. five times at the head of affairs Tn Milwaukee, and left the old boss in the "also ran" class. Becker is only 26 years old. They called him the Kid Alderman and laughed at him for his political am bition.
 .It's really shame for the boy to spend his money that way" said the wlse oid owls who have sat for years in the hotei Hobbies and fixed up elections in advance, "It's a five to one shot that Rose Will snow him under
 That is what the Rose henchmen thought. Mayor Rose showed his con tempt for Becker by calling him a brat in one of his speeches. The stalwarts' the half-breeGs every class Of politician whose fealty is to one or the other or the old factions. talked of Beckers can ddacy in tones of dersion-before he got into his campaign. They came to the young man and sageiy admonlshed nm that his campaign methods were ali wrong.
 you are too frank, my boy they said. ''rhere are some things you must not say in a campaign even if you do believe they are right Don't show all vour cards. Do some bluffing, and little polite deception will do no harm. It is always expected in politics.
 That was not Beclers idea. The naked truth was good enough for him-the truth as he saw it. If he felt like saying thing should be or should not be he said so. He did not mince his words or try to cloak his meaning,
 No Ready-Made Platforms.
 "Tm no Half Breed and no Stalwart don't want any readymade platforms, he said to all corners. Just keep your counsels and your admonishments to your selves I'm just candidate for Mayor on my own platform and with no strings tied to me. I'm not considering who IS rich and who is poor, who Is democrat or who is republican, There is no class for me except the class of grafters' and I am after them.
 q am out for the votes of good Ameri- can citizens who believe that honesty in nublic life is the thing needful above all other things There are 'grafters' in this town and they ought to be routed. I'm not fin politics for the money there IS hit I happen to have enough or this worlds goods to see me through without going to the public crib. and just to let YOU know that I'm oil the square I'm willing to serve as Mayor of this town without salary. if I'm elected
 Becker is a man who will do to watch. If he makes no mistakes in his admins tration of affairs in Milwaukee he is in a fair way to become governor of the state before he is thirty-fiye years old. All the trend of politics in this part of the country is in favor of the man of his stamp, say the careful observers of events.
 Doesn't Need the Money.
 Becker is a Harvard man and the son of q bank president. S. s. Merrill, his was a millionaire of the St. Paul railroad. The young man fell Tn love before he was half way through college and married the daughter of Ira k. Smith He was just over twenty when this event took place. He took his young bride and with the money lavishly furn- ished to him by his father started around Inc world on a pleasure trip. He saw nearly everything there was to be seen and lest he might have forgotten some thing he made second circuit of the globe. ,, ,a
 Then he came back to Milwaukee and Immediately began to blaze his way to He was nominated Tor super visor from a blue stocking ward ihe town began to laugh at Becker expense If was. of course, ridiculous for nm 10 +ry for the place. but he campatgned honestly day and night and talked rlgnt out in meeting about what he would oo tf be were elected. There were Notes enough to pull him through
 Refore he had been in office a week ne had all Milwaukee taking notice, 'eehel had an idea that the bills Tor county nr,ntins- were entirely too large. He en- tered into detailed inVes.lsa'io' .t,ona u s,,tiact uarshalled his facts In strong away nresented them to the board ana hro,ght about a reform that IS now saN- inc inc county $S5Oo0 annually on the one
 
 item of printing.
 He was buttonholed by the traditional noltticians and warned that It was not well for his future ambition to stir up ,hings There was more looking straight fin the eve and more defiance or the cus- tom that had become unwritten law
 ..Theyll have to quit being crooked than" was all the satisfaction Becker gave the graybeards
 Elected Alderman.
 On the strength of his career in the county board the young man was elected alderman from his ward. One of the ouosttons before the City Council was that of municipal lighting plant ..Sherbie's' friends had moro advice to volunteer They were allied with the in terests which had private contracts for lighting the city The old story of the sacredness of capital and the dangers or socialism was preached to him and dinned into his ears. hour after hour.
 ..pm not voting for my rich friends. he replied. Pm here to represent the inter ests and the wishes of the people of my ward I'm going to find out just how they stand on this question. Whats the matter with my having a little referen- dunn vote in advance? I'll send a postal card to every voter In this ward and ask him if he is in favor of municipal light ing or private lighting
 Becker carried this plan into successful execution. The postal card poll gave him