Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1913-02-04
CITY ELECTION
COMES APRIL 7
SENTIMENT SEEMS TO FAVOR
CONTINUATION OF THE NOM
PARTISAN PLAN.
It IS VERY IMPORTANT
Mayor, Treasurer, Police Magistrate
and Four Aldermen to Be Chosen
in Addition, Voters Will Pass on
Proposition to Bond City for Fiji
teen Thousand Dollars.

In AooltlOn, voters VIII FaSS on
Proposition to Bond City for Fiji
teen Thousand Dollars.
With the city election just two
months off, practically no attention
has yet been given to the matter, but
this is not for any lack of interest.
Rather it is the result of a general
conviction that the present plan of
non-partisan business administration
will be continued. There are a few
who are looking forward to the time
when LeWistown will adopt the COM
mission form, but probably the most
enthusiastic advocates of this plan do
not expect to see it adopted here i'm
mediately. The chief benefits of the
commission form are or may be Sc
cured under the non-partisan govern
ment, and a saving of several thou
sands of dollars year, that would
otherwise go out for salaries under
the commission form, is effected.
Considering Candidates.
A number of names are being quiet
ly discussed in connection with the
nomination for May. The incumbent,
Mr.. Marshall, has stated that he has
no desire for another term. The city
treasurer, Bert d'Autremont, has like
wise indicated that he does not seek
another term. In the latter's case,
the installation of a new system of
bookkeeping, together with the in
stallation of the waterworks system,
the east side sewer system and other
public improvements required of him
a great amount of work not antici-
pated when he assumed Office and he
has had to devote great deal of time
to the discharge of his duties, be-
sides making his store the treasurer's
Office
Police Magistrate E. w. Mettler has
not indicated thus far that he would
deeclin a denomination and it is as
sumed that he will accept it if ten
dered to him. In addition to the
mayor, treasurer and police Judge,
four aldermen are to pe elected, one
from each ward. They will succeed
Emil Saxl in the First ward, J. F..
Abel in the Second and Thomas Ber-
kin in the Third. The fourth alder
man will be chosen to fill the unex-
pired term of Dr. S. E. Brice, who
was elected from the First ward last
year and resigned because of his re-
moval from the ward.
Leaving aside individuals here and
there who may have some personal
raeson for dissatisfaction, the mass of
the people seem to be more strongly
in favor of a non-partisan administra.
tiOn for the next two years, or until
some such change as the commission
form is decided upon, because it is
argued that in small town better
class of officials can be secured on a
non-partisan ticket than, in most
cases, where partisan fight is waged
In the former case the candidates are
directly responsible to the whole cit.
izenship to do the best they can, with.
out being under any obligation at all
to any particular class or interest. 1t
| is further claimed that under non-par-
tisan rule here there has not been
even the suspicion of graft or unfair.
ness with the elective officers. A vast
amount of money has been expended
on permanent improvements and nc
one questions that it has all been
honestly expended. To secure con
tinuation of this confidence it is
argued that another non-partisan bust
ness administration be installed. The
strongest objection that has ever beer
urged to this plan is that the elector
aside from socialists, is limited to just
one candidate. He has not an oppOr
tunity to make any choice between
two men, and in the view of those
urging the point, is practically com
PEELED to vote for whoever Is put up
or not vote at all. This will be over
come, it is hoped, by having more
than one candidate before the conven
ton. Then all will have voice in
selecting the standard bearer and in
giving expression to that extent to their
preference.
Election April 7.
The municipal election falls this
year on Monday, April Z. Under the
registration law as it now exists, the
registration books will close thirty
days prior to election, but County
Clerk and Recorder Cunningham, who
attended the recent convention Of the
clerks and recorders Of the state at
Helena, states that the bill prepared
at the convention and recommended
to the legislature for passage would
permit the books to be kept open un
til ten days before election. In that
event they would close on March 81
The Registered Vote.
When registration closed here prior
to the election last November the fig
ures for LewistOwn were: First ward
377; Second ward, 402; Third ward
1913, total Of 1,1O7 registered voters
Since then a few more have registered
and Of course the city election would
result in q further registration, espe
cially as q bonding proposition will
be submitted at the same time.
Issue Of Bonds.
A has been previously explainef