The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-03-11
S{|OtL LOOKS FOR
HIS REELECTION
Milwaukee Will Hold NUM-.
cipal Election on April
Second.
(Nntional News Assoclationl

NNOIlONal news .ASSOCi3tt0n1
MILWAUKEE,. Wis, March 1.-THE
lines are forming for the hottest poll
tical fight in Milkaukee's municipal
history. Tomorrow will be the first day
of registration for the coming munich.
pal election. The primaries will be
held on March 10. on March &c the
voters will have their last opportunity
to register and on April 2, the election
is to be held
The result of the election will be
watched with great interest through
out the country. for it will definitely
settle the question whether the citi-
zens of Milwaukee were satisfied with
their present administration, the first
Socialist government of the city in its
history. The Socialist administration,
headed by Mayor Emil Seidel. is in the
field for reelection and bases it's claim
to the support of the citizens upon the
record of the administration during
the past two years. The reelection of
Mayor Seidel will mean the practical
endorsement of the record of the So
cialist administration and will. it is be-
lieved, greatly strengthen the Social.
ist party in other parts Of the State
Mayor Seidel is of the opinion that
the record of his administration
speaks for itself and that the citizens
have every reason to be we'll satisfied
with it. In an interview he referred to
the prophecies of the calamity howl
ers who had predicted the most dire
calamities as the result of the election
of Socialist administrations; yet, he
said. none of these predictions came
true. The administration found the
city government with $216,OO deficit
and finished it's term with a surplus.
He pointed to the fact tha.. in spite
of the opposition of old party politi.
clans in the council, in the State leg.
islature and even in the courts, his
administration has built the frst pub.
lie lavatory in the city, is constructing
an electric lighting plant; is acquiring
a municipal stone quarry; building q
municipal hospital; has established a
consolidated fire and police alarm
system; is establishing city tele.
phone service and is steadily demand.
ing and working for the public owner.
ship of all local public utilities. The
mayor bases his strongest hopes upon
the municipal ownership plank in his
platform.
The Socialists claim on behalf of the
present administration that it was
thoroughly honest and made every eff.
fort to eliminate graft and corruption
nom every municipal department
Early in ofiice, 1t is claimed, the SO.
cialists uncovered and stopped a lone
standing paving graft. The cost Of paw.
ing was thereby reduced from $2.25
and $40 to $1.26 and $40 per square
yard, which alone saved the voters
more than 100000 in 1911. 1t is also
claimed that under the present admin
istration the wage of the common Ia
borer in city employ has been increas.
ed from $1.75 to So for an eight-hour
day, while the regular union scale is
paid all skilled workmen and, il OBJ.
tainable, only materials made by un
ion labor were purchased by the city
The Socialists also point with pride
to the citys system of factory inspec
ton and to the Inauguration of various
reforms intended to protect the morals
of young men and women; to combat
the spread of tuberculosis; to relieve
the unemployed: to bring about an i'm
provement of the city's harbor and the
establishment of public garden patch
es, model tenements and municipal
market places.