The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-09-05

TONS new city charter, Is worked
out on the basic theory that q ma
jority of the voters must show a
preference for some one candidate.
1t rests on the theory that the man
to whose election majority as
sents l sthe choice of the commun-
ity, rather than the man who re-
ceives the votes of plurality as
their first choice, but who may be
wholly repugnant to a majority Of
the citizens.
In the nominations, party politics
are eliminated. Candidates are
named by a petition signed by so
voters. The names go upon the bal
lot in alphabetical arrangement,
without any designation as to poll
tics, religion, race of previous con-
iition of servitude." The aim is to
bar partisan considerations alto
gether.
Under this system. every voter
casts a ballot for the man who rep
resents his first choice. He can
then register his preference, from
among the other candidates, as to
the man he would prefer, should
his first selection fail to receive a
majority of first choice" votes. "A
third choice enables him to register
his assent to the election Of one Of
the other candidates, limiting his
whole number of votes to one less
than the total number of candi.
dates.
When the votes are counted, IL no
one candidate has received ma
jority of all first choice" votes
cast, the lowest candidate Is
dropped, and the second choice
votes for each candidate are added
to his first choice" vote. If this
addition gives majority of the
total vote to any one candidate, he
is declared elected.
If this still fails to show ma
jority. the lowest on the second
choice count Is dropped, and the
third choices" are added to the
total of the first and second. AS
a mathematical proposition, some
one candidate MUST receive ma
jority on this count, and the highest
majority determines the election.
Under this system. every citizen
is allowed the widest expression OF
his wishes. We find the common
basis on which the majority will
unites. Our officials must DO into
office with the consent-not the
partisan adherence-Of a majority
of the people," says James w. Buck
lin. who drafted the charter.
Where but two candidates are
running for an office. the second
and third choices are of course
eliminated. When there are but
three candidates, only a second
choice Is registered.
1t took four elections to carry the
charter fight through It's various
stages. The big interests were al
ways against the charter. but the
people finally won. Then. having
failed to stop the progress Of re-
form. the machine resorted to tho
old trick of attempting to choose
its servants to enforce" It, to null
lify It's provisions and to appropri-
ate its power.
The old method Of playing upon
the prejudices Of its enemies was
used. The charter fights had de-
veloped numerous prominent lead
ers. To each OF these was whis-
pered the ambition to be mayor.
The result was that four OF the
man who had been prominent In
the fight for the charter were nom.
mated under the petition system.
The machine put In nomination
as its candidate. w. H. Bannister, a
business man, whose record was
one of fidelity to the old regime.
Later II induced a working man.
named Lutes. to permit the use OF
his name. But at the election the
machine centered on Bannister.
The friends Of the charter were
divided, as expected. Aupperle.
prominent in church affairs, drew
the largest vote. Todd, a socialist.
backed by large portion of the
union labor element, was second In
favor, with Slocomb, the representa-.
tive of the extreme prohibition sent
iment. third. and Tough. a new.
conner. last among its favors.
There were 1899 votes cast for
mayor. 1t took 900 votes to elect
under this majority rule.
Bannister, the machine candidate.
got COS on the first ballot. with
Lutes. the secondary cn,nd date Of
the machine. getting but II, sncw.
ing the cohesive power OF political