Denver labor bulletin., 1917-05-19
CITY HALL BI- PARTISAN
MACINE IS GIVEN A
HARD JOLT.
Roady Kenehan Leads in First
and Second Choice Votes for
City Auditor, But Is Nosed
Out by Thirds Given
to Stackhouse.

Organized labor in Denver won a
notable victory Tuesday when the
wage increase amendments to the city
charter were adopted by an over
whelming vote of the people. OF the
six amendments on the ballot, three
had the Endorsement of organized labor
and were adopted. Three were op-
posed by organized labor and they
were defeated.
Amendment No. 1, increasing the
wage of city fremen and policemen
S1o per month, carried by vote of
17,136 for to 10,572 against. This
becomes effective January l, 1918 and
applies TO all fremen and policemen
year.
Amendment No. 5, increasing the
wages of city laborers from $3.50 to
50 per day and city teamsters from s5
to Sc per day, carried by even a larger
vote, 17,776 for to s,467 against. This
law becomes effective June l.
Mayors Joker Junked.
Amendment No. ,, ''joker" initial
ed by the mayor and city council, au-
thorizing these officials to increase
wages of all city employees conditional
upon the high cost of living, was de-
feated by vote of 10,093 for and IT,
COO Inc dllSUlpL Lne NAV
or and the council to defeat the move
ment of firemen, policemen and la
borers to gain an increase was thus
repudiated by an overwhelming vote.
The single tax amendment, No. 4,
was completely buried, the vote being
5.453 for and 20,556 against The sim
gle takers polled less proportionate
vote this year than two years ago.
Bipartisan Machine Dumped.
The big issue in the election, amend
nent No. 6, fathered by Mayor Speer,
the city council and bipartisan ma
chine, to amend the election law and
take the selection of commissioners
from the people and place it in the
hands of the Democratic and Repub-
hcan machines. was overwhelmingly
crushed, the vote being 1881 against
to 1905 for.
Amendment No. 8 to provide for ac-
QUESTION of the water plant by the
city,. carried, 1S,05s for and 1881
against.
The proposition to issue s15o,00o
bonds for the purpose of erecting a
new West Side court, was defeated by
vote of S,542 against and 5,295 for.
Kenehan Was First Choice.
There was an exceedingly close race
for city auditor, the only important
bAlASN " OS AlllSN lIlls eleC-
ton. Roady Kenehan, who had the
Endorsement of organized labor. re-
ceived more first choice votes than any
other candidate but is apparently de-
feated by Fred D. Stackhouse. whose
total of first, second and third choice
votes exceeds that of kenehan by only
g., the totals for three choices being
as follows on the four leading candi-
dates: Stackhouse, 10,750; Kenehan,
10,6s6; Mulnix, 10,4s7, and Crowley,
9,SSs.
Stackhouse was swept into office on
the third choice votes, having polled
1,T25 as against Kenehan's SCI. Kene-
han, on combined first and second
choices, was leading Stackhouse by
500 votes. MulniN, on first and second
choices, also was leading Stackhouse
by 26S.
Returns on auditor showed that
Stackhouse received 6,399 first, 1926
second and 1,725 third choice votes:
Kenehan, 7.541 first, 2,2S4 second and
Sol third choice votes; Mulnix. 6,4S6
first, 2,S02 second and 1901 third
choice votes. and Crowley 7,1S1 first,
1,734 second and 1923 third choice
votes.
Roster of New Council
William H Wright was elected to
succeed John R. Williams as election
commissioner June l. Williams was
appointed to fill the vacancy when
Bruce Teller resigned to become a
candidate on the bipartisan amend
ment No. 6 scheme TO control the cleo
tion machinery. Wright received
total of 1915 votes against H. .749 for
Miss Bessie Walker, and 1882 for H.
J. Peacey.
The following councilmen were
elected, being voted on in their respec-
tive districts:
District No. 1-E. V. Holland.
District No. Eugene Madden.
District No. S-J. Il. Rees.
District No. 4-H. Zimmerhackel.
District No. 5-J. A. Burnett.
District No. 6-L. +. Bartels.
District No. Louis Straube.