Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1899-11-03
COUNCIL LIBELED.
Charged WITH Conspiring To
Commit a Fraud.
By Men Who Helped With Votes
and Money To Do The Same
Thing Five Years Ago.

In the petition filed by the plant
J ifs, E. M. Flack, T. J. Tate, A. E
\ Bentley and others, in the iniunc
ton suit set aside oy Judge Cook
last week, seeking to destroy the
wards of the city, it is charged
that the ordinance changing the
ward lines W as the result of "a sc.
cret corrupt and fraudulent con-
spiracy, confederation and bargain
on the part of the defendants" the
city council. They alleged that it
is San unjust discrimination
against the great body of the peo-
pie of the city and brings about an
enormously unequal representation,
the Fifth ward embracing about
$50 voters"
| A principal instigator of this
suit, E. NJ. Flack, was a member
of the Council when d similar ordi-
nance was passed few years ago
taking about so votes out of other
wards and putting them into the
Fifth. He presided as Mayor pro
tenn and approved the ordinance
and when the Republicans went
into court he subscribed $40 to de-
fend the contest growing out of the
succeeding election. The paper
containing this subscription can
still be seen by any one who thinks
the love of office will not change
such a man S principles.
This time only 20 or 80 votes were
taken out of the river colonies and
placed in the colored ward, and
this same man risks his standing
IN a community that has honored
him far beyond his deserts in the
past, by joining with Republican
partisans to obstruct the business
of the Council, for the insignificant
Office of Councilman paying $24 a |
year. This is the man who asks |
the honorable voters of the Sixth !
ward to return him to the position
he was turned out of two years ago.
Some of the best men in Hopkins
vile are charged by him with be-
ing parties to "a corrupt and
fraudulent conspiracy" men whose
shoe-latches this plaintiff is not
worthy to unbuckle.
Let us turn to the charge Of "un-
equal representation. " The bus
mess interests of the city are to be
guarded always. The taxable
property of Hopkins,llle is listed
at S2,12l,O00. Of this the colored
people, all of whom do not live in :
The Fifth ward, pay taxes on only
Sl49,9 45. In actual taxes the white
people pay 31,265.35 and the 5
;olored people S1,124.58 and last I
rear $500 of that amount was re- 1
urned to them for school support. c
Why should taxpayers paying 5
300 taxes complain because they |
lave less representation than con- o
paying $1,000 or So, 600? n
AS matter of fact, the complaint d
oes not come from the voters t
f the Fifth ward, but from "
disappointed and defeated ward y
oliticlans i'll other parts of the city. II
The cOlored Councilman of the II
fifth war; so well understands q
be motives of these worthless that n
c has caused a publication to be Il
lade in the city papers repudiat- II
10 any connection with them and k
them that he will not have de
nything to do with them, but will tn
AXE his own race independent of
alliances. If Ed Glass
links 1t necessary to deny his af-
iation with this ticket, the white e,
eople at least ought to act with
e same prudent clrcumspection.
Men who will charge such citi-
ms as represent the people in the
esent Council with being 'cor- err
pit and fraudulent conspirators" KIN
ould be buried so deep under an CIR
aianche of votes that they will aft
yer against seek Office at the pa
nds of Democrats. the
co,