Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-02-14
COUNCIL VD|[S
IO ELIMINATE
SIXTH WARD
Majority Vote on Final Adop-
ton Attained Monday
Night
PLEA MADE FOR RETENTION
Chaplain Cole, of Soldiers Home, as
Spokesman, Makes Eloquent Ad-
dress for Adverse Action on ordi-
nance-Adoption Carries Before
Many of sympathizers Realize What
Has Happened-The Vote.


a question that has been much dis
cussed and has absorbed the public's
attention to a great extent during the
past ten days, was accomplished Mon
day night, at the regular meeting or
the city council, without as much as
ripple of excitement to show that
anything out of the ordinary was
transpiring. Altho the audience sec
ton of the council chamber was filled
with spectators, residents of the ward
and sympathizers, and altho an earnest
and eloquent plea was made for the
retention of the ward, the ordinance
was passed to it's final reading ana
adopted by a vote of seven to five. Ihe
action was so very deliberate and mat
ter Of course, that at least a dozen OF
the Sixth warders and their sympathiz-
ers among the audience were heard
to ask What has been done?' and is
everything all over?'
Each member of the council was in
his seat when. shortly after O'Clock,
Mayor Jones called the body to order
ana WAS dDOul W ploNCSa WIN eAAS
regular course of business. Mr.. Web
ster moved that, by reason OF the fact
that in the Sixth ward ordinance was
centered the most public interest, ana
that because there was Such a large
crowd interested in the ordinance
present, that matter be disposed OF
first, in order not to keep the crowd
waiting. 1t was a regular meeting, and
a great deal of business was to come
I'D for cosideration, so he considered
that it would be doing the audience
favor to consider the ordinance hrst.
The motion carried unanimously, and
Mr. Webster was recognized tor the
presentation of substitute to section
No. /, defining the outer boundaries
of the city. 1t was explained that TINS
substitute was made on the recommen-
dalton of the city engineer, who had
examined the original section, and
found a few minor clerical errors IN
description. A report from Assistant
City Engineer Baushman, in reference
to the changes, was read, and on the
amendment to the ordinance all voted
aye.
AS the ordinance was open to de-
bate Mr.. Webster moved that any cit
izen present, who wished to present
the views of the Sixth ward voters, as
to cause why the ordinance should not
be adopted, should have thirty min
utes' time, the division of the time TO
be made as spokesman saw fit. Chap
lain Jesse Cole, of the Soldiers Home,
who has been acting as spokesman for
the Sixth ward during the controversy,
Iii, f1n
for the courtesy, begged leave to res
pectfully present the Sixth ward SIDE
Of the question.
Chaplain Cole launched into a most
earnest and eloquent appeal to the
council, covering in his argument
many of the same points that have
been used in his communications 10
this paper against the elimination OF
the ward. He said that the people OF
the ward felt as tho they would like
to continue as ward, and that can
vass of the ward showed the senti-
ment was unanimous He followed
with the petition to the council, which
contained practically all the names OF
the voters of the ward, together with
many sympathizers from other wards
who were in sympathy with the ward
retention.
Chaplain Cole continued with the
views of the sixth warders, and said
that they failed to see any reason now
why the ward should be abolished,
that did not exist when it was Great
ed. He referred to the political phase
of the question, as has been outlined
in these columns, and added that If
this precedent were established the
council might eliminate any ward, pro-
from that ward were not of certain
political faith. If the council had
good reason for the creation of the
ward, he did not see why the same
reason did not exist at the present
time for the continuance. He dwelled
upon the number of signatures to the
petition, and thought that such a ma
iority of the voters was worthy of con-
sideration.
The chaplain then referred to the
lack of conveniences in the new Sixth
ward, the absence of city water and.
sewage. and said that the residents of
most parts of the ward had nothing to
remind them of living in a city except
in paying the taxes. He thought that
they were entitled to the privileges en-
joyed by others, and thought that these
privileges would come more quickly if
the ward had representation. Politics
should not be brought into the contest
in any way. and because the ward was
small, and had a small voting popula-
ton. it should receive the same con-
sidersttion as larger ward. In pre-
senting this phase he cited the little
state of Rhode Island as having an
equal representation in the senate with
New York or Pennsylvania. The west
part of the city was the logical build
ing part of town, and new people in
the city would be compelled to seek
residence locat tons there. Again he
urged the rights of the voters of the
ward, and the claim that they had the
right to have their wishes respect
ed
Upon closing Chaplain Cole said that
he would not take all of the time all
lotted him then but Il little later in the
evening he might wish to say some
thing more in support of the claims
of the Sixth ward. This time never