Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1911-03-06
CITY ELECTION
TOMORROW
Municipal Campaign Without
an Issue Drawing to a
Quiet Close
PARKS HAS STRONG LEAD
Counc;lmanic Contest in the
Various Wards Excite
Deep Interest
PARKS HAS STRONG LEAD

ITO CllS UIdWS U d CLOSE
with the largest registration OF vot-
ers in the history of Aberdeen, 1t be-
ing estimated that when the books
close at o'clock this afternoon there
will be about $500 registered, of whom
nearly 1000 will be women. The ex-
tension of the suffrage to women will
result in larger vote being pOlled
tomorrow, but it is doubtful if it will
alter the eeltcion result in any ward
During the campaign the mayOral-
ty contest has Overshadowed that of
the councilmen, although the latter
are really of the most importance.
No man in the mayors chair can ac-
complish anything with an opposing
council, yet to hear the talk on the
streets one would be led to think that
the election of Parks or Beam settled
matters which ever way the talkee
desired then settled, regardless of the
councilmen who sanction must be OBJ
tanned before the mayor can effect
any substantial reform.
Between the candidates for mayor
the line seems pretty clearly drawn,
Parks appears to be the choice of the
business and commercial interests
who chief concern in municipal at.
fairs is to have them managed along
conservative business lines, with all
the progression that can be paid for
without overburdening hose who pay
Beam. on the other hand, is being
cordially supported by some for SEN
timental or hysterical reasons in
which business has no place; by 9TH
ers who imagine his election would
change the entire city government.
| forgetting that six councilmen remain
over, and but few of the candidates
are ready to admit cooperation witt.
him. A few of the loudest of Beam s
supporters have real or imaginary
grievances at the present administers.
tion, some over defeated political as
+ pirations, while some are said to hc
laboring to secure promised positions.
The Beam organization is so diver
} sified as to lack the cohesion requis-
lite for effective service, and some
Of its efforts are amusing. For in
stance, last week Finn woman, un-
/ able to speak the English language
intelligently, made house to house
canvas in the Third ward, distribut-
ing Beam cards, and attempting to
sound the praises of the candidate,
with the result that might well have
been expected.
| The action Of Beam in the county
division scrap has weakened him as
nothing else could. Regardless of his
attitude on that question-which had
not the most remote connection with
city politics-his sudden change of
front at the behest of Montesano par
ties, has given an impression of his
instability that it will take long to
remove. One who can be so easily
swerved on public matter would
prove a very uncertain proposition in
the mayors chair, is the way this ac-
tion has been sensed. and it has turn
ed votes to Parks by people who bit
terly opposed the division measure.
After carefully glancing over the field
on the eve Of election, the Herald has
no hesitation in predicting the cleo.
ton of Parks by majority of from
500 to 800.
OF the six retiring councilmen, three
are candidates for reelection: d. c..
Crivyea, in the first ward; A. H. New.
ell, in the fourth. and c. c. Quacken-
| bush, in the fifth. With their elec-
tion-not an impossible matter-it
will be readily seen how futile is the
talk of having "a complete change"
in the city government. Many. know
ing that the Allen bill. providing the
commission form of government for
cities like Aberdeen, has passed both
houses of the legislature and will un-
doubtedly receive the approval of the
governor. are supporting Parks
with the idea of changing the form of
government should the policy of the
incoming administration be disap.
pointing in any particular.
The Socialist party has called a
convention for tomorrow night for the
purpose of nominating a full muni-
cipal ticket, headed by Max Korn for
mayor. so that we are sure to have
two tickets in the field at the April
elections.
ELKs ELECT OFFICERS.