The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-02-19
WHO RUNS
THIS TOWN?
4 Fourth Open Letter 10
the Municipal League

Gentlemen: In tho premature
"committee's- report. which wss
given out for publication trush~d
into prinp before II was considered
by your LsaGns Itself. your commit
toe states a. follows.
Mr. Brown In = man OF ability.
but II opinionated-"
why. gentlemen. DO you object 20
a man % ABILITY having opsnionsf
Would you not expect . man OF sbii-
ity to have opinionsf IL II not .
fact. Eenticmsn. that the people Of
Seattle need In public office. above
all, men with ability and optnsonsr
A. you find that I am = man of
ability. II must necessarily be rny
opinion. that you object 90. 10
tie seeking their suffrage upon the
following platform.
!. The employment OF isoor b.
tho city direct.
:, a department OF economy and
efficiency.
a. A city general hospital
4. A municipal hons for men and
women. reading room and public
baths attached.
8; a ei,y-ownsd undertaking es-
tablsshment
3. Home rule for tho City of
Z. Opposition TO the sif,y-ysar swe
limit in city employment.
Taking for granted. as you say.
that l am n man ~ ability. do not
those opinions make mo proper
candidats for the City Counciir
deny that tho plain people OF
Seattle are 80 ignorant and vaciilat-
ing that they need COMMITTEES OF
hand picked lawyers. doctors. bust
meas men and dentists 20 tell them
who they should have represent
them In public office. From whence.
~ n m aFl4r al
powers 20 dictate 10 the plain people
OF this city who are and who are not
the proper men 20 represent them In
the various public offices adminis-
tering the city government
Your League admits that ! have
ability and opinions Of my own.
ask you. In all candor. would you
expect n man Of ability TO be with
out opinions 40 that he could he
twisted and moulded by the mere
within of your Learue7 Does your
League desire man Of such ability
as can cunntngIy deceive the people
and misuse the powers placed In his
handsf
IL not ono OF tho requisites OF en-
dorsement by your League. that TO
be favored by It's recommendation to
the voters OF this city. n man must
have been a member and worker In
your League7 I note that the report
OF your committee as 10 one OF the
candidates before the people for
election was changed by your League
itself, and the reason given was that
he had been member Of the League
and had worked I'm It's behalf.
Do you. gentlemen. protesting and
assuming 90 dictate to the people for
whom they shall vote. consider
membership and service In your
League as an attribute and neces-
sity TO merit your recommendation
Your League IL not content to en-
dorse such men rs seem 10 your
League to be best fitted for public
office, but you attempt 20 dis1uaiify
all except your choice by made-to-
order criticism.
Your methods were adopted ana
tried thousands of years ago by
those claiming 20 he OF royal blood
and chosen by God 20 rule the peo-
pie. and tho nobility tried your
methods. and today your methods
are used by the House Of Lords.
while the same methods have been
used by the ruling powers In Mex
leo for the last fifty years 20 insure
the election Of such as met with
their approval
Again ask, whence arises
your assumed authority and power
rs body and not AS individuals to
dictate who shall and who shall not
be elected to office in this city. IL
IL my honest Judgment that this
power attempted TO be used by the
Municipal League IL dangerous TO
the people. IL IN nm attempt upon
the part Of your League composed
OF but a relatively few individuals,
and all from one class or branch Of
citizenship, TO foist upon tho people
of this city Its representatives, and
they only. Your accommodation
should be disregardnd because II you
can control men before they are
elected. you will control them after
they are elected. III your League
can infiuencs candidates eiection
or defeat. your power In not limited
20 their election, but goes beyond
and influences the trust placed in
them by the people.
II IL an attempt on your part TO
exercise n power without any re-
sponsibility attached TO II. This is
fundamentally dangerous to our in
stitutions Of government.
have an ambition 10 be elected
10 Seattles City Council without the
aid or support Of n newspaper. and
without the consent OF boss, be-
cause 7 can then fulfiil my pledge
and platform. and ms 30 many can
didates are adopting my platform in
condemning tho fifty-year age limit.
municipal ownership and economy
and efficiency. l have no fear or
doubt that I will be able to accom-
piish a great deal for tho plain peo-
pie whose candidate am