Everett's Election Fight Over Dance Halls, Slot Machines, and City Light
The Republican mayoral primary becomes one of Snohomish County's fiercest political fights, with candidates divided on the 'open town' question and on how carefully Everett should guard its light and water franchises.
The story, cleaned up
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EVERETT, Nov. 27.—The contest between A. A. Brodeck and N. J. Craigue for the Republican nomination for mayor is proving one of the fiercest political fights ever waged in the history of Snohomish county politics. It will probably be settled by the primaries Saturday night, although should the result be close, it may be prolonged until the convention meets December 2. Each side is now at work, and each claims to be in the lead.
The two leading candidates, as well as the candidates for councilmen, make known their position on the question of permitting slot machines, dance halls and gambling in the city: in other words, on the 'open town' question, and also their attitude on the question of granting franchises. These two matters seem to have been made the issues of the campaign.
All the candidates who state their positions declare themselves opposed to gambling and slot machines as contrary to law. Craigue declares against dance halls; Brodeck says he favors 'such places of amusement as are not forbidden by the laws of the city and state, and are not incompatible with the best interests of the majority of citizens.' Most of the candidates declare against the restoration of dance halls.
Opinion is more divided on the franchise question. Craigue says the question of granting a reasonable franchise 'is for the council to decide, but I believe Everett should guard its franchises carefully, looking toward ultimate city ownership of both light and water.' Brodeck says: 'I am in favor of entertaining any application for any municipality that will secure and insure actual benefits to the citizens and taxpayers of the city.'
“Craigue says the question of granting a reasonable franchise 'is for the council to decide, but I believe Everett should guard its franchises carefully, looking toward ultimate city ownership of both light and water.'”
Everett's mayoral primary turned on the same kind of questions that still shape municipal politics: how far a city should regulate nightlife and gambling, and whether public utilities should be kept under city control. The 'open town' fight and the franchise debate are local echoes of arguments about policing vice and who owns the infrastructure beneath a growing city.
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