The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1902-01-09
THE BONDS WILL GO.
OUR QUALIFIED FREEHOLDERS
Endorse The $I75,OOO Bond Issue BY Q
MuIOTIty Of 50.
LIGHT VOTE POLLED, OWING TO
Failure Of Many to Qualify.-TOtal
rs: For Bonds, 81; Against, IA.

hOs IVA NN~Sb y - ~-o~Nb
If there was any excitement over
the bond election on Tuesday it was
so well suppressed as to remain UNI
noticeable to the naked eye. At
nearly all the polling places inspect
ors sat around in a lonesome sort of
way all day and lost all that was
coming to them for the service by
wear and tear inthe subsequent sec
ton of their trousers.
Very many freeholders failed to
qualify and they could not vote.
MANY others were ladies, and ladies
don't go to the polls in this balliwick.
Susie Anthony has never been here
to fire them with desire for the
franchise. If she had she probably
would have gotten cold society
stare.
Palatka has a population of 1000;
there is a large fast black contingent
who hate to give up dollar for the
privilege of voting. Many city prop
erty owners live on the Heights and
other suburban retreats and they of
course could not vote. The result
shows that there was no attempt at
ballot stutting.
L
95 electors who measured up to all
the requirements for franchise. Sew
enty-eight of these got out and eX-
pressed themselves.
From observations made by the
News it seems fair to state that the
vote as recorded on Tuesday would
have been in about the same proper
ton had all the So votes been cast.
The result can therefore be taken as
pretty accurate expression of the
sentiment of the entire qualified free
holding population = the men who
will bear the brunt of the burden.
There seems to be no question but
that something should be done for
Palatka. When a fee dog with
scabs gets troublesome we accomp-
lish the forward movement by at
taching a tin can to his tail. This
city can scarcely be called flee dog
but it certainly has some scabs, or
other infallible ear marks of disease
which need a toning up. 1t is to be
hoped the result of Tuesdays elect
ion will prove the tin can application
marks the beginning of a forward
movement for the municipality.
Good men of course have been di-
yided on the now settled question.
They gathered in knots on the street
corners Wednesday and recapitulat-
ed; others were warm in the vicinity
of the collar. Generally, however,
like sensible good men, those who
favored the measure and those who
opposed it, will flow get together,
Their differences have largely been
over method and amount, but one
method and one amount have been
adopted with vigor and all that there
is of good in that method should be
squeezed out.
Here is what some of our leading
citizens have to say of the result:
Judge Vertrees. 81 think it is a
thing the town will regret more than
any thing we have ever done in our
lives. | am in favor of sewerage. l
am not in favor of appropriating half
enough money to do the work, and
this law does not give us more than
half enough to do the work properly.
L. NJ. Meyer-I am very much
pleased with the result.
@. Carman, jr.-Its the best thing
that ever happened to the place.
Thos. III. Keating.-I think it is
one of the best things we ever did.
Frank ]. Fearnside-It is the best
thing Palatka ever did, The city has
redeemed itself.
Tom Holden.-I have only been a
resident of the city proper about two
months and could not vote, though
am property holder; but | am sat
isfied. I am willing to pay my share
Martin Griffin.-I think it will tenn.
porarily do some good to the city.
believe the bond trustees are good
men and will see that the money is
properly expended. twill bea hard
ship on the tax payers for a time
but in the end it will result in good
Rev. n. J. Tilghman,-Economy is
admirable, but it is not always pro
gress. The debt will be something
of a burden but it will be worth all il
costs. 1t seems strange that a mar
owning $4,000 or $40, 900 worth of tax
able property should not be able tt
vote, but our property is all in the
firm name.
DIR. Geo. E. Welch.-So far as an
concerned L am well pleased will
the result. 1t will make times pros
porous for q while, if not permanent
@. e. Rowton.-I am satisfied.