The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-06-24
VIEW POINTS OF THE PRESS.


Denver held a municipal election
the other day. and when the ballots
had been counted it was found that
the people had decided:
For municipal ownership of the
water plant.
For the initiative and referendum.
For the recall.
For the citizens ticket, as against
the two machine tickets.
Against certain fake amend
ments introduced to puzzle the vot-
ers.
Against the renewal of the water
company's franchises.
Against local prohibition.
This was perhaps the most signifi-
can't municipal election ever held in
America 1t was a finish fight be-
tween Privilege and the People. On
the side of Privilege were arrayed
all the Powers that Prey-the dem
ocratic machine, the republican ma
chine, the public service corporations,
even the city administration. On the
other side were Judge Ben Lindsey
and his co-workers, the League for
Honest Elections-and, as the tally
shows, THE PEOPLE.
No stone was left unturned in the
endeavor to defeat the popular will.
Money was spent lavishly with a view
to corrupting the electorate. Men
and women were hired to boost"
the water franchise on the streets and
on street cars.
Women were hired to canvass the
city, and then authorized to offer
men SIS down and $50 more If the
franchise carried, to act as their "as-
sistants" on election day-with moth
ing to do.
The democratic mayor called the
recall measure a vicious instrument
and denounced direct legislation as
pernicious. The republican boss did
the same thing.
Corporation newspapers said that
the election of the citizens ticket
would be a popular Endorsement OF
the charges made by Judge Lindsey
in his book, THE Beast and the Jun
gle."
There We're two issues before the
people-a real one and a fake one.
The real one was whether or not
the water company should be given
a new franchise.
The fake one was the saloon ques-
ton.
When the people showed signs OF
studying and understanding the fran
chise business, the water company
started the liquor issue to divert
their attention and divide their
forces. This is the usual method OF
franchise seekers.
The water company and its allies
spent close to 100000 on the cleo
ton.
The people spent something like
$500. They had no general organi-
zation-no poll workers. Yet they
won.
This sweeping victory is triumph
for the cause of good government. Its
prime significance lies in the fact
that it was a victory won in the cap
ital of Colorado, in a machine-rid-
den city in state in which bi-par-
tisan corruption has been rampant
for these many years. -
1t is evidence that the@rank and
file of the American people are sound
at heart; that no community Is so 4
corrupt that its people will not vote
for good government when the issue
is put squarely before them.
Denver folks have at last been en-
abled to see clearly the Beast" long
so cunningly yelled. Once having
seen the enemy for just what 1t u.s.,
they have lost no time in bruising
it's bipartisan head.
1t is especially encouraging that
the people of Denver decided to set
tie the water question at one election
and he liquor question at another.
If the cloak of moral issues no
longer hides graft and grab, It's as
big an advance for good morals as 1t 1
is a setback for grafters.-Los An
geles Record.