The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1911-01-13

There is talk of law that will make
1t felony for any employee of a cor
poration to serve as member of the
common council. In South Bend the
common council majority is tied up
with special interests. especially the
traction interests. Terre Haute has
corporation council almost exclusively
and every one knows what capers that
council is cutting all the time. At Ft.
Wayne 1t is the same thing-the rail-
way corporations and the traction in
terests control the members of the
common council. The members are
generally selected from the shops and
Offices of the railroads.
The liquor interests we'll repre-
scented on the Evansville council and
the Evansville & Terre Haute Railroad
Company is almost the managing di-
rector of that body. and those members
that are not controlled by the brewing
associations, the saloon interests and
the Evansville & Terre Haute Railroad
Company are looked after by the trac-
1 ton interests.
| At Michigan City.
| The traction interests and the rail-
roads-but more especially the trac-
ton interests-control the commo.i
\
interests control the Gary council-six
of the nine members of that august
body are saloon keepers. The Penn
sylvania Railroad Company looks after
the Logansport council The railroad
and corporation interests have a death
! club on the common council of Ham
mond. and although some members of
the Hamond council once in a while
put up a night against the grab" game
that is going on in that city. the ma
jority of the council hands over to the
railroads about anything in the way OF
streets that the railroads desire in their
business.
There used to be pretty good coun-
ell at Lafayette. but. it has changed
The gas, electric lights and traction
interests assured control and they dc
} just about as they please. The same
thing is true of Peru and a large num-
Der of other cities.
There is considerable opposition te
. the changes in the law proposed by
, the so-called Indiana State Association
LOT Councilmen because the law tina
Organization proposes does away with
responsible heads In the cities ant
divides the responsibilities among
lot of men. some OF whom are within
!
affairs.
! The association. however, is wfllins
to meet the mayors half way in SOM
instances--as for illustration. some o
the councils are willing that the mayo
shall appoint. but the appointment
must be confirmed by the common
council.
Sentiment Against plan.
There is a sentiment against thi
plan, due to the class of men who ge
into the common councils of indians
cities. Just imagine what would hap
pen If council composed mostly o
saloon keepers should have the powe
to reject the appointment of a polio
board by the mayor. Or to bring
closer home. suppose that a lot OF coun
4 cilmen like Fred Owen. of Indianapolis
paymaster of one of the traction lines
should have the power in the appoint
ment of board of public works tina
: transacts business with the very cor
, poration by which Owen Is employed
What the people appear to be demand
4 ing is that the shoemaker stick to hi
last: that common councilmen be wha
. they are supposed to be-municipa
. legislators and not the executive head
of the cities To be sure, there ar
. mayors in Indiana of whom the peopl
o are not particularly proud. but Their
q is a way of getting rid of an obnoxiou
q mayor-he may be impeached in tn
q circuit court if conditions warran
"a But it is hard to get free from a
a obnoxious councilman unless he fall
F, out with his fellows and the corpora
tions that have their representative
in council always see TO 1t that the
g stick c,asely together
r. Many members OF the 1egisla ture VIII
It have discussed the proposal of I'll
e members of some of the common cour
! ellis say they feel inclined to shear the
IT lof some of the power they have nov
instead of giving them more power.