The Clayton citizen. [volume] (Clayton, Union County, N.M.) 1906-19??, 1916-04-06

VICTORINWARM
LOCALELECTION
Democrats Fail in Ruse to Swipe and
Elect Civic Leagues Suggest
ed Candidates

N
In a lively contested election the
Citizens non-partisan ticket was VIC
torious in the aldermanic division OF
the election, losing only the mayor,
H. J. Hammond, to 7. H. Rixey, demo-
crat, by three votes and H. c. Nc
Fadden, Independent candidate for city
treasurer, won over R. W. lsaacs,
non-partisan, with a vote Of 1872 to
1888. NJ. R. Jones, unopposed candl-
date for city clerk received 317 votes
out of total 3214/
Other winners are T. H. Rixey,
mayor and Chris. Otto, Carl Eklund'
M. Herzstein and F. c. de Baca, al
dermen. The defeated candidates are
II. ]. Hammond, for mayor, and j..
M. Gonzales, Geo. H. Wade, Allen
Wikoff and John Spring, aldermen.
Very close to complete vote was
gotten out and more than just interest
was manifest during the day. A
crowd was always in evidence near the
polling place and many motor cars
flying banners proclaiming their ina
tionality" searched every corner Of the
city for voters. The weather helped
to make the event interesting, being
a typical election day, chilly enough
for an overcoat and damp enough for
cars to skid.
The Alleged Reasons
Many wise ones profess surprise at
the result, others just as wise say the
outcome could not have been other
wise. Still others declare that the
result would have been different had
it not been for certain events Monday
night and still others wag their heads
and solemnly declare the undercurrent
that turned the cork to home and safe.
ty was "wet and dry" issue. Pseudo
gamesters were offering as highly
colored an assortment of bets as one
could wish to find-but few were taker
each seeming to have fixed idea o.
his own as to the outcome.
People Didn't Want Politics
Viewing from various angles tht
stirring events of the short campaign
it appears that the paramount issue
so far as the people were concerned
was to dodge the political side of tn
affair and elect ticket that woul,
not play petty politics but give tn
city a just business administration fo
which there will be a demand thi
year.
Democrats Sprung Trap Before Re
moving Their Fingers
1t was the consensus Of opinion, i
all factions, if there were factions
it was a toss-up relative to the merit
and capabilities of the candidates
Nobody except the editor of anothe
Clayton newspaper intimated that onl
one set of men were fit to conduC
the affairs of Clayton, even thoug
that set of men not be the choice O
the majority. Everyone recognize
the merits of the ticket which tn
Civic League suggested and which wa
later bodily purloined by a certai
element in the democratic party fo
the purpose of making the city affair
under the rule of politics knowing tina
the civic league had made special et
fort to select men above criticism
, The better class of democrats wer,
it seems, strong for this ticket, an
naturally having the best interest
of Clayton at heart and knowing tha
politics is not always a desirable re
gime for city affairs they wanted car
able men on the ticket if politics wa
forced in as ruling factor. Inasmuc
as the town has slight democrati
majority the result of Tuesdays eleC
tion tends to show that many demo
Gratis deserted their own ranks for tn
purpose of defeating that element c
their own party that tried to thro'
the city under political rule. Other
are of the opinion that men in tn
Civic League did not fancy the ide
Of having the democrats steal the