The Battle for How Seattle Votes

The proposed amendments to the charter have now passed both houses of the city council, and it is to the credit of the only Democrat in the board of aldermen that he voted for all he approved. Two points in controversy very clearly illustrate how honest and well-meaning men may differ. One of these is the question as to whether aldermen should be elected by the wards or by the city at large as now. Dr. Sweeney still thinks that electing by wards is the best way. He says it is more difficult for ward politicians to get pliable men on such a ticket and much more difficult to control them when elected. He is of the opinion that it is the character of the men which should be considered, not what district they live in. On the other hand, it is claimed that if any faction should get control of a convention, it could nominate the entire board from two or three wards. The Republicans say that a better representation both of the wards and of the parties can be obtained if the aldermen are nominated by wards. It cannot be that any serious ill can arise under either system because, although the charter provides that aldermen shall be elected at large, both parties at the conventions of 1890 selected nominees from each of the wards, and they would probably continue to do so.