Denver labor bulletin., 1917-04-21
The neOptinistic
Philosopher

WAR has cast its shadow athwart
w the municipal elections scheduled
for next month. However, the
o. P. is reliably informed that petit
tions for the recall of Hilliard, Jones
and Guyer are being signed in suffi-
cient numbers to insure this PROPOSE
tion going to a vote of the people.
Preceding this event comes the regu-
lar school election, when three men,
bers of the board are to be chosen. Up
to present writing the candidates sup
ported by the legislative bureau of
the Civic and Commercial association
have comparatively clear sailing, as
no organized opposition has yet de-
veloped. The first municipal election
under the Speer charter is to be held
Tuesday, May Is, when city auditor
and nine councilmen are to be elected.
The auditor will be voted on at large,
while each councilman is chosen from
his respective district. So far about
twenty-five candidates have taken out
petitions for the nine councilmanic
jobs. Mrs. Augusta J. Frincke, pres
ident of the Bindery Women's Union,
is the one candidate of the fair sex
announced up to date, entering the
race from District 2. Councilman
Thomas o. Spacey, appointed a year
ago by Mayor Speer upon the recon-
mendation of the Denver Trades and
Labor Assembly, has entered the lists
from District 8. John D. Salmond, a
member of the United Laborers I'm
ion, has entered as candidate in Dis
trict 1.
THERE will be numerous chartei
amendments submitted to the vot-
ers at the city election. Two of
these have been initiated by Mayor
Speer and the city council. One is
water option agreement leading to the
purchase of the plant of the Denver
Union Water company at future cleo
ton, and the other an amendment en-
powering the council to increase wages
of employees in times of necessity.
These petitions were filed last week,
the former containing 6,774 signers
and the other 6,S19 names. Under the
percentage required by law to file.
charter amendment petition in the
coming election, only 1886 signatures
are necessary. The water option
amendment, if carried, will establish
the right at a future election of tax
payers to vote on a bond issue for the
purchase of the water system. This
election will probably be held about
the first of next year, after the Unit
ed States supreme court has fixed the
plants valuation in deciding the water
rate suit to be heard next October.
The bond issue will be based on this
valuation, which cannot exceed $13,.-
Master W. J. Chinn in the federal
court, and which may be reduced by
the supreme court decision.
4 4. e.
AS announced in The Bulletin, the
"A city fremen and policemen have
filed their petitions calling for an
advance in salary for all those en-
ployed in these departments now re-
ceiving under 81 300 per year. Salar-
les of these employees are fixed in the
city charter and it is therefore neces-
sary to amend the charter by vote
of the people before any increase can
be secured. This proposition is prov
ing very popular and will no doubt
carry by large majority. 1t provides
for fiat advance of $15 per month,
which is modest enough in view OF the
sky-rocketing prices charged for all
the essentials of life.
A MOTHER charter amendment in
n which the working people of Den
yer are especially interested, has
been filed to increase the daily wage
of laborers and teamsters. This pc
tition contained 4,845 signatures and
ought to carry by an overwhelming
vote. 1t provides that the wages OF
street and park laborers be advanced
from $3.50 to SO per day and that
for driver and team of two horses
employed by the city from $5 to. Sc
per day. No one can question the JUS
tice of this increase under present high
costs of living The single tax char
ter amendment also was filed, bearing
4,224 signatures.
Upon assuming his duties as state
| printing commissioner, Samuel j.
Lewis wrote letter to Secretary
Frank C. Birdsall of Denver Typo
graphical Union No. 40, requesting a
correct list of union printing offices In
Denver Sam, who is an old-time
member of the Typographical union,
did not propose to make any mistake
by sending state printing to the
wrong place. AS a result, for the
first time in many years particular
stress is being laid upon printing by
union printers" by the printing com;
missioner. Sam Lewis represented
Kansas City at the I. T. U. convention
held at Milwaukee in 1893. For
number of years before being ap-