The Political Reckoning in Spokane
A landslide victory for Republicans in Spokane signals a growing wave of public frustration with Democratic city administrations across Washington state.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The Republicans have won a sweeping and decided victory in the city of Spokane. At the municipal election held yesterday, the entire Republican ticket was elected by majorities ranging from 300 to 600. The result was a foregone conclusion, as it was generally conceded before the election that the people of Spokane were disgusted with the absolute failure of the Democratic city government to redeem the pledges made at the time of their election. The experience of Spokane is the experience of Seattle. The present Democratic administration was swept into power on the strength of promises that have not been fulfilled. The mayor, a man from whom so much was expected, the man who had such fine notions of morality, such exalted ideas of official duty, has shown himself to be incapable, incompetent and thoroughly unreliable. He accepted the responsible position of mayor only to desert his post of duty and enjoy a vacation of several months. The day of reckoning will come in Seattle as it has come in Spokane.
“The day of reckoning will come in Seattle as it has come in Spokane.”
Municipal political turnover is a constant in Washington history, echoing today's frequent debates about the performance of Seattle's city leadership versus voter expectations. The call for a 'businesslike' government run by 'competent men' remains a staple of civic discourse, regardless of the era.
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