Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-11-12
FOR WARDS!
LET US DIVIDE THE CITY IN
TO WARDS.

1 $3.50 80 80 SSsM = A@S S@SA SSN
TO WARDS.
! A recent census of the city showed
that there are abotit 5000 people in
lIopkinsvllle. In population, in APP
pearance and in business importance
the place is no longer small town,
but wide-awake, progressive and
growing city. Many years ago the
local government was established and
the legislative department was made
to consist of Board Of seven Coun-
cilmen elected from the town at large.
AS the city grew II began TO appear
from year to year that what suited a
country town did not suit a flourish
ing city. We have frequently seen
the spectacle Of FIVE councilmen liv-
ing on one street and almost within
a stones throw of each other, while
other sections of the city have never
had councilman. There has been
much complaint about the matter and
a few years ago a book was opened
at regular election to take the sense
of the voters OH the subject Of wards
and the proposition was carried with
but few If any dissenting votes. For
some reason the will of the people
was never carried out and the same
old system of past generations still
prevails. We have agitated the sub
ject from time TO time, but so far with
but poor success. We are convinced
that the time has come when the di-
vision of the city into wards cannot
longer be postponed, If the good of
the city and the expressed will of the
people are 10 be taken into consldera-
ton. The power to do this rests with
the Board of Councilmen. The 18th
section Of the charter Of Hopkinsville
reads as follows:
"The Board of Councilman shall
have power within the limits of the
city, in addition to the other powers
granted to and vested In them by this
charter
LIST. To lay off and divide said city
into wards, and establish the bound
aries of each ward by an ordinance ;
and when so established, may sub
divide, change and alter the same,
whenever in the opinion of said
board the interests of said city shall
require II: Provided dltcdys, That
ia laying of, establishing, dividing,
changing or altering said wards,
when established, due regard shall
be had TO the number of voters in
each ward, so as TO make them as
nearly equal in the number of voters
In each ward Of said city as practi-
cable"
This section shows that 1t was not
contemplated that the government of
the city should always remain I'M
changed. 1t was expected that Hop
kinsville would grow and would
some day want legislative body
elected from the people to represent
all parts of the city alike. There are
l,lS5 voters in Hopkinsville and there
ought-to be at least three wards in
the city. And there is no reason why
tho Council should not authorize the
division of the city into wards at
once and let the newly established
wards elect their own Councilmen at
the nextregular election, which trans
pires December 9Th,
| We have talked with large num-
| Der of our citizens and we are salts
fled the people want the change,
There are too many voters in the city
TO vote at one poll and the result il
that many voters prefer not TO vote al
all rather than crowd in and take
their turn, and sometimes wait an
hour before getting TO vote. Ofcourse
this is not so much the case In city
elections as in regular elections, but
1t is a matter that must come very
coon and why not at once? We have
a suggestion to make 10 the Council
which we believe will settle the mat.
ter and make q division of the city
satisfactory 10 all. Let Main street
and 7th st. from Main to the eastern
limits of the city be taken as the di.
viding lines. This would make three
wards, one west of Main and two
east of Main, divided by 7th street.
Each ward could elect two council.
men and one could be chosen from
the city at large. This would max,
the required seven as now and every
ward in the city would elect its owl
members. To show the necessity o.
this we have only to note the fact tina
all that section of the city west O
Main street is at present without rep
resentatiOn on the Board. The nortl
ward has two councilmen and tn,
south one five. The present Boart
with two changes could be made
an entirely representative body. /
two new men from west of Mali
could be substituted for two of th,
: members from the south ward, theI
=, no portion of the city would hav,
: cause to complain. The presen
0 Board has donc mucn good work dur
: ing the two years of It's service AM
: we hope they will take this matter il
: hand before another election is to b.
/, held, even if they have to call a spec
8 ial meeting TO establish the wards il
: time. fslHlti .iiii
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