The High-Stakes Fight for City Hall
On the eve of the 1904 municipal election, Republican and Democratic campaign managers trade barbs over the 'moral element,' slot machines, and the third-term candidacy of Mayor Campbell.
Ralph Metcalf, chairman of the Republican committee, said today: 'Mayor Campbell will carry the city by a majority of not less than 1,050 votes. We do not find any disaffection whatever, except among gamblers, slot-machine men and the dive element generally, which favors the Democratic candidate. This element in this city is solidly united and is making every effort to defeat Mayor Campbell.' J. B. Anderson, campaign manager of the Democratic forces, said: 'We are entirely satisfied with the situation. Wright will be elected by a majority of not less than 100. We will also elect Edelmann for treasurer and Hilferly for controller and a majority of our candidates for the council. The uncertain element in this election is the increased new vote of about 2,400. We will get at least half of this increase, which, together with a strong opposition among old citizens to Campbell in his own party, insures the defeat of the third-term candidate.'
“We do not find any disaffection whatever, except among gamblers, slot-machine men and the dive element generally.”
The rhetoric of 'moral issues' and 'dives' versus 'business-like campaigns' echoes through Tacoma's civic history, specifically the perennial struggle over who gets to define the city's character. The division between labor/progressive coalitions and business-backed machine politics remains a fundamental fault line in local government.
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