The Montgomery tribune., 1909-12-31
REED REPUDIAED
IN KANSAS CITY
DEMOCRATIC LEADERS
REBUKED

REBUKED
Some Queer Election Figures of
1908 as Seen in the Light of
Honest Election Returns One
Year Later-A Significant
Election.
Last Thursday the people of
Kansas City defeated, by over
700 majority, a propo-ed fran
chise for the Metropolitan Street
Railway Company for az years.
While, under ordinary circum-
stances, this result would seem
to be of merely local importance.
yet it is in fact of the greatest
Importance, not only in state poll
tics, but also as furnishing an
explanation for the result Of the
election in Kansas City in 1908.
In that election, as is generally
recalled, the Democratic state
candidates carried Kansas City
by about 5000 majority, and even
Cowherd, who ran about 1900
votes behind his ticket, carried it
by 1850. And it was to this re-
markable vote that all the Demo-
cratic state officers owe their
election.
The surprising gain of this ma
jority is further evi fenced by the
fact that in Kansas City ths
Democrats increased their vote in
1908 over 1904 by 10000, while
the increase in the Republican
vote was only 5000. These fig
ures were entirely out of pro-
portion with the conditions in all
other parts of the state-and in
fact in adjoining states. And yet,
last July, when the Crittenden ad-
ministration submitted an g.
mendment to the city charter
taking away the control of the
saloons from the Police Board,
appointed by Governor Hadley.
and placing it with the board to
be appointed by the mayor, that
proposition was defeated by over
5000 majority, Notwithstanding
the fact that it was made prac-
tically strictly party issue.
Jim Reed, the mouthpiece of the
Crittenden administration, was
given the doubtful credit of hav-
ing planned this amendment to
the charter, and he was particu-
larly abusive of the Republican
Police Commissioners in his
speeches in its support.
The proposition to extend the
Metropolitan Street Railway
franchise az years was also pro
posed by the Crittenden admins
tration and actively favored by
the Crittenden-R Reed Cowherd
machine. Reed and Cowherd
were the leading orators who
advocated this most unusual
grant to public service corpora.
ton. In response to the direc-
tiohs of Governor Hodley the
Republican city organization
actively opposed the granting O.
this franchise, and the question
was ;,sain made a party issue
and with the assistance of mum
Der of the leading representative
Democrats of the city, the Jim
Reed -Crittenden administration
was again defeated, and this tim'
} by over 1000 majority.
There is thus presented th'
striking paradox that in Novern
: Der, 1908, the Crittenden.Reed
Cowhcrd machine, with Demo
: cratic Police and Election Com
, missioners, carried the city b,
, 5000 majority, and in two elec
/. tons in s9o0, held with the sam
, registration lists, under Republi
can police Commissioners, TIL
Crittenden-Reed- Cowherd ma
, chine was defeated the first tim
by over 5000 majority and tn
/ second time by over 1000 ma
jority.
incidentally, the results @
I these two elections assure tn
: election of a Republican mayo
S in Kansas City next April, an
E the retirement of the boom c
Tom Crittenden for governor
and will probably result in tn
+ withdrawal by Jim Reed of hi
f candidacy for United State