The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1906-08-09
Fifty Citizens Band Together to
Secure Better Enforcement
ofLaws and Ordinances
WILL GET STATE CHARTER
Organization to be Fearless One in
Fighting for Better Moral Tone
for the Young Men and Wo-
men of the City

Fifty citizens of Kenosaa impressed
by the fact that the laws of the state
and city we're being ruthlessly vio1at-
ed gathered at the Y. NJ. c. A. audi
forum Friday evening and organized
The Civic Federation of the city of
Kenosha. The meeting was not as
large enc as the promoters Of the
federation had hoped for but it was
an emphatic protest against the pres
ent conditions in Kenosha and the
enthusiasm shown at the meeting
seems to indicate that the federation
will be decidedly lively body.
1t was decided that the organization
of civic federation would be COM
pleted at once and in order to give the
federation a better standing it was
decided TO incorporate under the laws
of the state. The work of incorpora-
ton was left in the hands of com
mittee and as soon as the charter is
secured the officers will be elected
and the federation will be ready to
get down to work. The purpose of
the organization as expressed by a
vote of the men present at the pre-
liminary meeting was ''to demand the
enforcement of present laws and Sc
cure the enactment of better ones
and to promote good citizenship"
There were few men of great
prominence at the meeting but the
men present we're earnest IN their
efforts. There were half a dozen
ministers in the company but they
urged that the 1aymen take the initia-
tive in the organization at the same
time giving promise of heartiest sup
port from the church people of the
city.
The meeting was called to order by
Horace H. Maddox, of Prairie ave
nne, who was selected as temporary
chairman, and Frank Symmonds was
elected as secretary. Chairman Mad
dock stated that several meetings had
been held at his house to arrange for
this meeting, but that there was to be
nothing secret in regard to the Fed
Grafton or the work to be done by it.
DIR. ]. L Cleary was the next speaker
and he gri1led the city adninistra-
fion in great shape for the manner in
which laws we're violated and de-
clared that he was ready to stand out
IN the open to demand that the city
officials do their duty and see to it
that laws and ordinances were in
forced. Chairman Maddocks spoke
in the same vein declaring that the
saloons and gambling places of the
city were proving a menace to the
yOnng men and women of the city and
that it was time that people IN the city
called halt.
On motion of the Rev. Chris Han
sen it was decided to proceed with
the organization of the Federation
and a committee consisting of Mr..
Hansen, Edward ]. Ercambrac and
Lynn D. Fox was appointed to draft a
constitution and by laws for the or
ganization. A committee composed
of H. H. Maddox, Frank Symmonds,
]. H. Karnes, DR.. j. L. Cleary and
Charles H. Goodman was named to
have charge of the incorporation of
the organization. The work of an
nonncing the purpose of the Fedora
tion was next taken up and this
brought the first debate of the eve
ming. Some of the men present were
in favor of making the organization
one which would take part in politics,
but they held that the work of re-
form in the city should be the first
work of the Federation and that poll
tics should be a secondary considera-
zion. An effort was made to make
one of the purposes of the organiza-
fion ''the election of best men to
Office, y but this was voted down and
the amendment to make the league
only a worker for civic reforms was
substituted.
The meeting was adjourned until
next Friday night by which time it is
expected that the state charter can be
secured and the committee formulate
ing the constitution and bylaws will
be ready to make their report.
The meeting last night shows that
there is being a decided change in
ahe population of Kenosha, as most
of the men who took an active part il
the reform work were new corners te
the city and had not been connected
with the similar movements in the
past.
1t is understood that this movement
started among the factory men of the
city. H. H. Maddox, who is leading
in the work, is one of the best known
employees of the Thomas B. Jeffrey
company. He is a man of firm cor.
victions and of ability and he viii
probably be selected to head the per.
manent organization.