Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1911-11-16
OsdissssiKfasAsD
sos s5fsr
Aberdeen's Opportunity

Before the next issue OF the Her
aid appears, the election to determine
whether or not Aberdeen will adopt
the modern system of government, and
line up with the progressive cities
of the nation will be over. The Herald
has no doubt that the commission plan
will carry by a large majority, if the
people will take the trouble to vote, it's
sole danger lies in the apathy of the
very people most vitality interested
This is especially true of the women
voters, many of whom have desired to
improve the moral conditions of the
city, but have always witnessed the
disappearance of their hopes, wreck
ed upon the rocks of the irresponsible
ward system. If the ladies will take
the trouble to observe, they will find
the saloon interests a unit in opposi-
ton to the commission law, and why?
Simply because under that law there
can be no evasion of the responsibility
for the enactment of law or the re-
fusal to enact one, and the advocates
of any measure will know just where
their proposition stands with the
three responsible men. They will not
only know this, but, if the measure
has merit and public opinion is be-
hind it, the Allen law provides a way
to either enact a good law or veto
bad one.
Other interests are opposed to the
Allen law for various reasons and al
legged reasons, some of which the Her
aid admits an inability to fathom. Of
course, there are many who really be-
lieve the people incapable of self gov
eminent, just as there was in the
days of Alexander Hamilton but their
number is rapidly melting before the
sunlight of universal education, and
the newspaper. Equally of course,
some of those interests may fear
danger to certain privileges, but so
far this paper has not heard of line
in the Allen law that threatens in the
most remote way any legitimate en-
terprise-others have to take care of
themselves.
A big scare is said to be under way
for appearance Saturday in the Grays
Harbor Post, in the form of state
ment signed by corporations and bust
ness men giving alleged reasons why
the commission plan should not be
adopted. The Herald has not seen
the statement, but was informed this
morning by one who declined to sign it
that every single objection raised
therein had been refuted in this paper
We greatly underrate the intelligence
Of this community if the intended
scare does not prove a boomerang.
The present city council could not
possibly have devised a more efficient
aid to the adoption of the commission
than the present unseemly wrangle
Without prejudging, and disposed to
await the promised investigations, the
average ctizen-he with no axe to
grind-is disguised with the antiquat-
ed system that permits such proceed
ure without a possibility of definitely
fixing the blame. Under the Allen
law, there might be a wrangle be-
tween the commissioners, who will
be no better than the people decide
but the three men will be in the spot
light, and the public will have no diff
ficulty in rightly assigning the blame.
The question will be up to the vot-
ers on Monday, and, while the Herald
believes the Allen law will be adopt
ed, it cautions the voters against
feeling of over security, and urges
every man and woman on the regis
tration books to vote, so that the re-
suit will be full expression of the
citizenship of Aberdeen on this i'm
portant matter.