The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1903-01-20
M assiilonP Politicians are
Given to Und derstand
This at the Outset
HEARING OPENED IN COURT TODAY
West End Counciimen Present
With Various Plans up Their
Slesves for flashing
up the Town.

The hearing of the application to
the common pleas court for the redis-
tricting the city Of Massillon was taken
up today before Judges Amber and
Harter in court room No. 2. City So
l,citor Howells, City Engineer Howald
Clerk Seeman and CounciImen Johns,
Miller and Wefler were present to give
their testimony as to the population
and other data which the judges re-
qu,rc.
II developed early in the hearing
that there was a lot of politics in the
efforts to divide the city according to
some of the plans, and the judges rath-
er emphatically informed the council
men who are looking after the polit-
ical end that they did not propose to
take politics into consideration. The
manner in which the statement was
made indicated that the judges will
evidently block anything that looks
like a gerrymander.
There are three plans for dividing
the city presented. The first was ac-
cording to an ordinance which was
dcnominated as No. l. 1t has been
prepared and introduced in the council
and for time seven members fav-
ored it. Councilmen Johns, Democrat,
was on the witness stand. He was one
OF those, who favored the first plan
and he made the statement that the
reason come Of the members went back
upon it was that it would weaken some
of the Republican wards, especially
those in which Councilmen Miller ana
Wefer were located Johns claimed
that the first plan had no politics in
it, although it reduced the Republic
can plurality in the First and made
the Fourth Democratic.
Councilman Millen then went upon
the stand and argued in favor of the
second plan of redistricting. He ac-
cused Jones Of having political
scheme up his sleeve in the first plan.
There was some controversy over the
political phase of the question, when
Judge tiartr rather sharply stated that
the court was not seeking for political
Information.
Councilman Wefer also went upon
the stand and made a statement in fav-
or of ordinance No. 2. He also touched
upon the political side of the question,
denying any personal interest in the
movement. II was evident that there
was considerable bitter feeling exist
ing over the matter of dividing up the
city.
Mayor Bell was present as a disin-
terested spectator. He stated that he
had no interest in the matter except
to see that there was an equitable
adjustment of the lines.
One OF the statements made by
Councilman Johns was considered
rather significant. He said that Coun-
Gilman KILLER and others who were
standing with him, hired man to as |
certain how many Inhabitants there
were in certain sections OF the city
which il was proposed TO annex to 9TH
er wards, and that at the time the CEN
sus was taken the political Affiliations
of each voter was ascertained. After
this information was obtained, the op-
position to the ordnance arose, as II
was found that 60 or more. Republi-
cans would be taken out Of the ward
in which Miller resides and from which
he expects to be a candidate for re-
election.
The judges took the matter under
advisement 1t is known that they
have been collecting data for soma
time Independent OF the interested
al.