The Political Brawl for the Second Ward
A scathing letter from W. H. Reed exposes the business alliances and legislative record of city council candidate John M. Bell, setting off a local firestorm.
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 political pot is warming up in the Second ward. Four candidates originally thought they would like to occupy the seat of Alex Reed, but Mr. Chambers pulled out several days ago in a letter boosting John M. Bell. Now Bell has followed this with a circular to the voters, and as a result, he has drawn the fire of the opposition. They are investigating his record when he was councilman during Campbell's term. Bell is said to have the support of corporate interests. W. H. Reed today opened his batteries on Bell: 'Mr. John M. Bell has issued a circular letter. While Mr. Bell was councilman, an effort was made to compel the street car companies to pay into the city treasury two per cent of their gross earnings. Mr. Bell persistently endeavored to have the rate reduced to one per cent. The provision for two per cent carried against Mr. Bell's efforts. The sole reason the public failed to participate in the pleasure of paying for bridge building was because of a lack of sufficient votes to couple them up to it. Mr. Bell did his best. It is because Mr. Bell has requested that the voters of the Second remember his record that I am endeavoring to be of some service along that line.'
“When the public gets astride this economic skid, having Mr. Bell kindly swabbing the track with his latest improved grease, it will be useless for the passengers to ask for stop-over privileges.”
This 1909 campaign dispute over corporate influence in Tacoma city government echoes contemporary anxieties about the role of big money in local municipal elections. The tension between utility franchise holders and public oversight remains a perennial theme in Tacoma's civic narrative.
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