Two Tickets, One Town, and the Question of Who Can Run a Treasury
With the saloon fight settled by local option, Newport's December 7 municipal election turns on competence: bank cashier F. C. Krause against former Wisconsin mayor M. Fox, with both parties pledging to enforce the dry law and straighten out the town's tangled finances.
Newport voters will be given an opportunity to express their choice as to whom they desire to serve the town in official capacities for the next two years. At a caucus held Wednesday evening the following ticket was placed in nomination:
For Mayor — F. C. Krause. For Councilmen — A. M. Harris, Geo. Torreson. For Town Treasurer — Fred Phillips.
The only issue that will come before the voters at this election is one of ability for the position sought. In accepting the nomination Mr. Krause stated plainly his position as regards the enforcement of all laws, and particularly a desire to see the local option law strictly enforced and the new order of things given a fair test. The Citizens' Ticket nominated last week represents the local option party of the city, and the liquor question is thus summarily disposed of whichever ticket wins.
The Citizens' Ticket, nominated last week, all members of which have accepted and will make the campaign, is as follows:
For Mayor — M. Fox, Sr. For Councilmen — D. R. Lusher, Geo. Torreson. For Treasurer — Fred Phillips.
The nomination of Messrs. Torreson and Phillips by both caucuses insures their election without a contest. Both tickets are composed of men who are good citizens and have the welfare of the community at heart, and there is no occasion in this campaign for any ill feeling or bitter strife.
What the town needs is a good business administration, as there are many knotty problems in the handling of the town finances to come up in the next two years. Mr. Krause, as cashier of the Security State Bank, is one of the leading business men of the city, one who has taken an active part in every public movement that has come up during his residence in our city. He is competent to serve and represent the city in every way. Mr. Fox has been a resident of this city for several years, and until recently was engaged in the feed business. He has had previous experience as mayor of a Wisconsin town.
The election will occur next Tuesday, the voting place being the town hall.
“What the town needs is a good business administration, as there are many knotty problems in the handling of the town finances to come up in the next two years.”
Newport's 1909 race was framed exactly as small-town elections still are: not a clash of ideologies but a referendum on who can be trusted with the books. The paper's insistence that there is 'no occasion for ill feeling or bitter strife' is a reminder that the local option fight had just torn the town in two — and that both factions wanted to be seen as the sober, businesslike alternative. The two candidates' résumés, a bank cashier and a feed dealer, are the same credentials modern voters still scan for.
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