The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-14
OFFICIALS READY
BUT GONE ARE THE
DAYS OF TRICKERY
Chance for Election Crooked
ness Belong to the Recent
Past, But The Are Gone
Forever.

The quality Of Joy described as The
tnre- and unconfinec variety that per-
vsded the ranks OF ,ae city admins
tration Wednesday, following the nam
ing Of three election commissioners
committed to Mayor Monteverde S
brand OF vendetta politics, found no
counterpart OF gloom III the opposition
faction.
What the state board OF election COM
miss.oners had in mind in making the
appointments Tuesday AFTER a%dtourning
Monday afternoon with the announce
ment that no appointments would be
made until July is not difficult to sur
mise, and therefore it rs not prema-
ture to that candidates not
accorded representation In the conduct
Of elections are entitled to watchers at
the polls and IL is the consensus of
opinion that the conduct of the cleo
TONS not only should, nut will be
watched with well-merited suspicion.
In the past few years there has been
a wholesome trend Of public opinion
favorable to an honest ballot and an
honest count. The day when election
machinery is more powerful than he
expressed wish Of the voters Is passed
never to return.
All Memphis is familiar with the pro-
cedure that formerly marked the con-
duct Of the elections In the First, Sec
ond, Third, Fourth ana Sixth wards.
Those were boom days IN the big up
town wards. They are no longer the
big wards. The First, at one time,
could be relied upon to produce around
l,5O0 votes II the requirements OF the
occasion demanded. Now the First will
poll only $50 to 800. The Second ward
was famous also with its 1900 TO 1900
votes OF the good, bad and indifferent
variety. Now the Second a be re-
lied upon for not in excess OF 800,
The Third ward was good, also, for
$50 votes and now it has dwindled to
a scant ITS. The Fourth has dropped
from It's former eminence OF 1900 to
$50, and the Sixth, with is former
boast of 1000, can yield at best not
more than $50.
Aside from these few wards there
will be but little necessity for unusual
%precaution. Take the old Fifteenth.
now divided into three wards, the Fiji
teenth, Thirtieth and Thirty-first. They
are good for a round 1000 and but
slight chance for irregularity regard
less OF who holds the election or who
does the counting.
There was a time wnen the Sixteenth
could not do better than $50, but 1t has
grown until II can be expected to yield
7 800, and the Seventeenth that had to
lusttt W pTOuuCt sou Cdl DIllk up
1000 without difficulty.
1t will be recalled ina the victories
that have emblazoned the banner Of
the mayor have been secured in Nash
vile and not in Memphis, So far the
people have had no detailed account
Of the state OF the finances Of the city
government for the year ending Dec.
81. 1918. The annual budget for 1919
has not been made up and the year is
nearly half o lne appointments
due to be made Jan, /, 1919, are still
hanging fire, awaiting perhaps. the eff
forts Of the mayo and Commissioner
Quinn to get Commissioner Miller out
Of the government, or at least out Of
the police department so the mayors
brother, Pete, can have full sway. with
the desire to relieve the administration
also OF the influence and association
OF Commissioner Mason as a secondary
consideration.