The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-05-06
Opposition to Non Partisan Or.
ganization Seek To Break
Down Organization
HARBAUGH CHANGES HIS MIND
Alderman From Fifth Starts Movement
to Rescind Action of Council But
1t is Lost After a st
Bitter Struggle


The City Council pulled off one Of
those, all night vaudeville stunts Mon
day night when a bitter effort was
made on the part of some of the alder
men to undo the work that had been
done at the former session of the Coun-
Gil when a partisan organization
was effected, The efforts failed and
committees appointed at the former
meeting with few minor changes
finally passed even the muster of the
mayor and it is thought that the Coun-
Gil can now get down to working order.
The meeting was record breaking
one in many ways. 1t lasted until half
past one in the morning and during the
evening there were fierce clashes be-
tween the aldermen which were charac-
terized with profanity and obscenity
the like of which was never heard even
on the floor of the Common Council
Of Kenosha. Some of the aldermen who
had voted for the bipartisan organi-
cation proved themselves heroes dur
ing the evening as they were forced to
give up some of their own personal
perquisites IN order to keep the organi-
cation intact, but he it said to the
honor of these men that they stuck
to their guns and Notwithstanding the
fact that the opposition used the most
unprincipled methods. to defeat the
will of the majority Of the Council
nine Of the aldermen, including Alder
men 0 'Brien, Tmme, Marlatt, Simons,
Hegeman, Disch, Swift, Stemm and
ASaffig- held farm to. their purpose and
prevented the organization of the Coun-
ell from being disturbed. Alderman
George O. Harbaugh of the Fifth ward,
who had been elected as a protest
against Scholey methods, turned tail
and fed to the opposition and it is
generally supposed that he had been
given the assurance that his father-in-
law John B. Ellison would be elected
to the position of street commissioner
of the north division. If this were
true Alderman Harbaugh sold his birth
right for mess of pottage for when
the vote came on the election of a
Street Commi ssioner Barney Hermann,
the old time commissioner was elected
by a vote Of ten to six
The trouble all started after the petit
tions had been received by the Council
and Mayor Scholey refused to call the
list of the committees declaring that
they had been illegally elected. The
city attorney declared that all the com
mittees, with the exception of the
sewer committee were legal, but he in
sisted that the Council could rescind
the action by which the vote was cast
for the list of committees. The attor+
ney was asked to put the opinion in
writing that 1T might be used in case
of an appeal to the courts from any
action Of the Council, but this was not
ordered by the mayor. Then Alderman
Harbaugn moved to rescind and either
permit the mayor to name the commit
tees or have the Council elect new
list. The discussion was more force
able than elegant and it showed a bit
ter feeling between some of the alder
men. The lie was repeatedly passed
and in fact the passing Of the lie got
SO common that it attracted no com
ment as there was so many other pro-
fame and vulgar phrases brought into
play that the passing of the lie became
like sweet music.
The matter was finally put to a vote
and Aldermen Pirseh, Higley, George
Wade, Harbaugh, Werner, John Wade
and Willems voted in favor Of rescind-
ing, while Aldermen O 'Brien, Marlatt,
Timme, Simons, Hegeman, Swift, Disch,
Stemm and Saftig voted against it.
The clerk announced the vote as tie
eight to eight--and before there was
any chance for challenge of the re-
suit the mayor voted in the affirmative
and declared the motion to rescind car
ried while smiles of JOY wreathed the
the contenances of the men who had
contested the organization. The smiles
were soon wiped away as the challenge
of the announced figures of the clerk
brought out the fact that nine had
voted against the resembling and the
motion was declared lost by the mayor.
Then started long list Of filibuster-
ing expeditions by the opposition. A
few of the aldermen who had been
placed on more than three committees
desired to right this matter and they
asked that they retire in order to divide
the places among the other members of
the Council. This offered chance for
delay for the men who opposed the or
ganization and for more than two hours