UNIONS AND CHARTER FORM OF GOVERN

MENT.

The city of Grand Junction, Colo., on November 2, elected five commissioners under the new charter recently adopted, who will for the next four years administer the affairs of the city. The new commissioners, under the charter, will have to devote their whole time to the affairs of the city.

In the election of commissioners in Grand Junc tion, union labor fared handsomely. Thomas M. Todd, the new commissioner of public affairs, was endorsed by the trades and labor assembly and is exceedingly friendly to our cause. Our own Charles K. Holmburg, vice-president of Grand Junction Typographical Union, is the new commissioner of health and civic beauty. He made a runaway race, easily defeating the other two candidates. Commissioner of Waters and Sewers Vedder is a strong railroad man and was endorsed by the railroad organizations and the assembly. He had no opposition, winning hands down. The commissioner of finance and supplies and commissioner of highways are both friendly to organized labor and got a large union vote.

The election just held was under the new preferential system-the first of its kind in the United States and it worked very satisfactorily. The preferential system operates as follows: In case there are more than two candidates for any one office, the voter has the privilege of voting his first choice for one man, his second choice for another and his third choice for another. A man to be elected must have a clear majority. In case A, B, C and D are running for office, we will say that A's first choice vote is 440, B's 415, C's 392 and D's 155. D is now dropped and the second choice votes of A, B and C are added to their first choice. Say that this brings A's vote up to 710, B's to 620 and C's to 630. B is now dropped and the third choice votes cast are added to A and C's totals and the high man wins. Under this system the voters can vote their preferences, the man elected musthave a clear majority and a tie vote would be ex

tremely unlikely. The system worked well here and everybody seems to be satisfied with the result. It is the writer's opinion that the charter form of government should be endorsed by union men all over the country where the matter is being dis cussed. Take for example the new charter under which Grand Junction is now working: Twenty-one men were elected to draft a charter, and union labor made its desires known to this charter convention in no uncertain terms. We got about every. thing incorporated in the new charter which we asked for.

The new charter does away with wards, makes it an impossibility for a candidate to receive the endorsement of a political party, provides for the recall of a commissioner by vote, makes it obligatory that all franchises granted by the commissioners must be endorsed by a vote of our citizens before becoming effective, has the initiative and referendum, and contains many other provisions of merit.

Any qualified elector may run for any office, the only stipulation being that he must have twentyfive petitioners to get his name on the ballot.

We

Under the old ward system of politics political parties and saloon interests predominated. endorsed this man or that man, and after election, if he was the fortunate man, he straightway for got all about us and our desires. Under the new system we can bring out our own men, if desirable, and by conscientious work elect them to office. Union labor in Grand Junction went after what it wanted, and as a result we can point to two strong union men as city commissioners and the other three very friendly to our cause.

Members of the International Typographical Union should give this system of government deep study. Our organization has always been at the front when it comes to fighting for the uplift of the people, and the writer believes that more may be accomplished for our cause in a year under a commission form of government than in fifty years under the old ward-saloon-political party system. T. B. LINDSAY.

Grand Junction, Colo.

J. W. HAYS, Editor and Publisher

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ADDRESSES WANTED.

The address of John Todd is wanted by his relatives in Lima, Ohio.

J. E. F. (Texas) Smith and C. H. Finney send address to E. G. Smith, Kirksville, Mo., care Daily Express.

If Ed Lunny will send address to M. V. DeVor, box 262, Leadville, Colo., he will forward lost memorandum book.

W. E. Carter is requested to communicate with his mother, Mrs. Maggie Carter, 1027 Elliot avenue, St. Louis, Mo.

Frank B. Brown, employed on Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, wants address of O. C. Harper, supposed to be in Chicago.

A. A. Rhoads is requested to communicate with W. N. Kepley, United States ship Minnesota, care postmaster, New York, N. Y.

John D. Hall, believed to be at some point in Oklahoma, will please communicate with his father, Joseph Hall, at Wheeling, W. Va.

Any one knowing the address of George H. Quigley will please send same to E. S. Bell, 214 Macheca building, New Orleans, La.

B. R. Collery, who left Chicago on September 23, 1907. is requested to communicate with J. Wainwright, 4153 State street, Chicago, Ill.

John R. Werner, formerly of Camden, N. J., is requested to communicate with Mrs. John R. Werner, 709 Chestnut street, Camden, N. J.

L. R. Edwards, or any one knowing his address, please communicate with Joe H. Payne, Parsons, Kan., and learn something of interest to him.

E. G. Warner, last heard from in Washington, D. C., is requested to communicate with Mrs. E. G. Warner, 6 McCann place, Providence, R. I.

Any one knowing the address of W. H. Doughty will confer a favor by notifying his son, J. W. Doughty, 713 Lafayette avenue, Terre Haute, Ind.

Any one knowing the present whereabouts of Hector Paul Lemery, formerly a member of Bangor Typographical Union, please notify President Lynch at once.

J. D. McKay, last heard from in Cairo, Ill., is requested to communicate with T. B. Peterson, at Kerrville, Texas, and obtain information concerning his daughter.

Frank A. Hall, machinist-operator, who once worked in Marshall, Texas, and who held a card for thirty years, but was expelled for working in his own office, is requested to communicate with