The Daily Alaska empire., 1928-03-15
THE SEATTLE ELECTION.

The result of Seattles municipal election thh weeks was not a surprise to those familiar with the situation in the Puget Sound metropolis, Since the primary election last month specula- ton has been confined mostly to estimates of the size of the majority that would be cast for MT. Edwards.
 However in spite of their disappointment in the result of the primary where 63,o0o votes were cast against a continuation of Mrs Landes s administration to 2SoOO for her, the supporters of the Mayor launched a campaign that was marked with zeal worthy of more hopeful cause The circumstance that she received H. 900 votes in the election than in the primary indicates the effectiveness of the fight in which were enlisted all three of the daily newspapers and very large element of the business interests. Their bitter fight against MT. Edwards, in which former Mayor E. j. Brown finally joined, caused many of those who had voted against Mrs Landes in the primary to sup port her as, in their opinion, the lesser of evils
 MT. Edwards undoubtedly expended lot more money in his campaign for the Mayorality than is healthful for the public welfare. However, it is not likely that it many votes from Mrs. Landes. It simply sold him to the public the logical candidate upon whom those opposed to Mayor Landes might concentrate with hope of success. Had almost any of the other seven can didates been nomina~ad the final result would have been against Mrs. Landes.
 The unpopularity Of mayor Landes's admin istration at the present time might seem incon- sstent with her election two years ago But it is explanable by the fact that her election in the first instance was due to the circumstance that Mayor Brown had served two terms and made political and business enemies and there had been grating in the police department. These conditions brought strength which, added to the dry votes gave her majority. The fact is that Seattle almost overwhelming opposed to vosteadism and meddlesomeness by various blocs and faddiss then as now Mrs. Landes's ad- ministration has been coorless. She has not been radical. She early recognized that it would be impossible to make Seattle dry to make il wholly good She consulted able business men and started nothing extreme. But Seattle is SC strongly opposed to bone dry laws that she only waited favorable opportunity to discard Mayor that is even theoretically dry.
 Mayor-Eleet Edwards is admittedly a man oi good character. He is clean in business and per sonal conduct. He has been successful He wal accountant originally and as such was audi tor for James Clemmer then Seatte's leading theatre man, when he failed few years ago With the little money he had saved and wha he could borrow Mr. Edwards purchased MT Clemmer's stock in the Winter Garden Theatre one of the Clemmer houses. It was loaded witt debt and its stockholders had placed a value o b cents on the dollar on their holdings In tn next three years MT Edwards had paid off thi debt and earned large dividends for his associates He then purchased their holdings. paying then 70 per cent above par value for them ant organized new company that added othe theatres to his string. Something more than : year ago he and other owners sold clever theatres to the Laemme interests. He realized quarter or million dollars for his share mos Of which he invested in Seattle real estate in eiuding apartment houses, etc. His investment DefOrp ha a1a of l, interests were well made, and he has becom wealthy.
 Ipe re-election of Councmen O. L. Erickson E. L. Blaine and Otto B. Case was expected and admittedly, deserved though they were oppose by well known, capable and worthy candidates