The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-21
GERRYMANDER IS MADE
REPUBLICAN VOTES THRoTTLED TO
PERPETUATE DEMOCRACY.
Suit VIII Be Brought to Enjoin-COn-
sidering Patrol Telegraph Sys-
tenn for the City.

contract between the Board of Public
Works and John r. Mccarthy, of st. Louis,
was not ratified, Republicans and Demo-
Gratis alike protesting against snap judg-
ment' in that respect Mr. Golfer, chair
man of the committee on contracts and
franchises, undertook to have it passed,
and, indeed, the special meeting was called
for that purpose, but inasmuch as the pro-
ceedings of Monday nights session have
not yet been printed and placed in the
hands of the councilmen who have, conse-
quently had no opportunity to study the
contract many members demurred to the
idea of voting for it. Over $500, 900 is to be
expended in the next ten years for the re-
moval of the garbage, and, in view of the
magnitude of the ordinance, quite a num-
Der spoke against its passage without more
consideration. Mr.. Golfer insisted that the
Council was familiar with the ordinance.
1t was in most respects identical with the
one made by the board some time ago, al
though it had been amended and made
more desirable by provisions requiring the
removal of every kind of refuse matter to
Sellers farm, instead of to the desiccating
plant on kentucky avenue.
After the ordinance was read by sections
Mr.. Golfer moved that it be considered en-
crossed and put upon its passage. This
precpitated a long debate. 1t was plain
that the ordinance would be defeated il a
vote were forced, and Mr. Golfer, therefore,
withdrew his motion to engross and the or
dinance will lie over until the next meet
ing A test vote taken showed that the
Council was evenly divided. Mr.. Clark
moved to table the ordinance. The motion
to table failed on tie vote of nine to nine,
Messrs. Allen, Clark, Cooper, Dewar, Dud-
ley, Kirkhoff, Madden, Ohleyer and Rauch
voting aye" and Messrs Golfer Montgom-
cry Murphy, OConnor, Shaffer Sherrer,
Smith, Wocott and Costello mo- This
showed the ordinance would not have the
necessary majority for it's passage. The
three members who did not vote were alb
sent. All of those who spoke against the
passage of the ordinance last night indi-
Gated that they were not opposed to it, so
far as they knew, but they wanted to be
certain that 1T contained no undesirable
features. Councilmen who spoke against it
contended that a few days delay would
work no harm. Mr.. Golfer said his only
reason for wanting it passed as soon as
possible was the fact that it was to be-
come operative July l, and the contractor
needed considerable time to prepare for DO
ing the work it provides. Naturally he
QOSo lOt WdHI 10 MAKE any expenditures
until the contract is confirmed.
Several hours were taken up with the
reading of the new ward and precinct
ordinances. Every Democrat was in his
place and it was foregone conclusion that
they would be passed and the Republicans
wasted no time in useless protests, al
though Mr. Allen told why he could not
support the ward ordinance which was
first considered. He said that he supposed
the ordinances purported to carry out the
provisions of Section 10 of the charter
which provides that the Council shall di-
vide the city into fifteen wards of the same
average voting population as nearly as
practicable. He declared that the ordi-
nance in no respects carried out the nten-
ton of the charter. Mr.. Allen had tables,
duplicates of those published in the Journal
last Tuesday morning, showing that the
ordinance was as unfair and unjust as it
could possibly have been and was of such
character that no court in the land would
uphold it, His figures showed that six
wards in the northern part of the city
have about $500 voters each, while in the
remaining nine wards there is an average
of only $500. The six wards first mentioned
have about 1854 votes based on official
returns of the last election, while the other
nine wards have but 2S47 votes in excess
OF this number, or total of 22,411. The
vote of the Third ward he showed, exceed
ed that of the Twelfth and Fourteenth
combined. number of other inequalities
were pointed out. For the. same reasons
advanced by Mr., Allen, Mr. Cooper de-
clared that he could not vote for the il
legal ordinances. Not a Democrat in the
Council had the courage to arise in his
place and defend the gerrymander, al
though a number of them declared before
the ordinances were introduced that they
were as fair as any ever passed. This
statement was completely refuted by fg-
ures compiled by County Chairman Young
and published last Tuesday; They show
l1IGix vGlN h0f iS Nos Gi6 70 no
ordinance approximating to the require
ments of the charter. 1t is admitted that
it is almost impossible to divide the city
into wards of exactly the same size, but
there is no reason nor excuse for such
gross inequalities as the new ordinances
contain. They now go to the mayor for
approval.
1t is the intention to test the validity of
the new ordinances in the courts and every
politics, believes that they will be declared
illegal and void The Supreme Court of the
State has established some very clear rul-
ingS on state gerrymanderS and the same
general principles set down in the rulings
in numerous cases the last four or five
years will undoubtedly apply to ward
boundries as to those of legislative districts.
At the proper time a suit to enjoin election
officials from acting under the new or
dinances will be commenced, probably IN
the Circuit Court Data is being gathered
by Chairman Young and when the suits are
brought there will be abundant evidence
to prove that both the letter and spirit of
the charter have been willfully and grossly
violated. Many Democrats are not in SYM
pathy with such illegal attempts to get
political advantage and this feeling is par
ticularly strong in regard to municipal
elections 1t is believed that in it's insati-
able desire to control everything the Coun-
Gil has oVerreached itself If a less unfair
ordinance had been prepared ii might have
been more difficult to have it declared il
legal: one that would have been harder to
overthrow and that would still have given
them an advantage might have been de-
Vised.
The ward and precinct ordinances were
both passed last night by strictly party
vote, Messrs. Clark, Golfer, Dewar, Dudley.
Kirkhoff Madden, Montgomery, O'Connor,
Ohleyer. Rauch Sherer, Smith, Wolcott
and Costello Q4) voting for both, and
Messrs. Allen, Cooper, Murphy and Shat
Puryear and Payne, Republicans. were alb
sent. To preclude any future action mo-
tion to reconsider the vote by which they
were passed was made and tabled by the
Democrats. 1t is not considered likely that
Mayor Taggart will veto the ordinances. as
he was cognizant or their character DeIore
they were introduced.
on the recommendation of Controller
Johnson an ordinance appropropriating
s. 500 to pay the city's share of the cost
of asphalting Kentucky avenue opposite
Greenlawn Cemetery was intr duced. The
ordinance for the Improvement Of Indiana
avenue did not come up. 1t is believed that
II can be passed at the next regular meet
ing as friends of the ordinance say that
Councilman Sherer will. vote for 1T. HES
vote would have passed 1t last Monday
night Remonstra tors to the Improvement
have been counting on Mr. Sherer to vote
against the ordnance. They have boasted
that they have enough pledges to defeat
the ordinance.