The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1913-12-31

Mayor Tom Knots of Gary last
night fell before the steam roller of
the council majority which passed over
his head the ward redistricting ordi-
nance thereby creating three new
wards and increasing the council
membership from nine to thirteen.
Knots Flags Steel Company.
But Knots did not let the occasion,
which was the last time he will pre-
side over a council netting go by
without delivering a red hot message
in which he charged the stel corpora
tion with tr--fng to get complete con-
troll of the city government: the at
tempts of coterie of men to dis
franchise" many voters; and the
hand picked" candidates OF the citi-
zens. ticket in aiding the movement
When the council learned that the
mayor had failed to sign its redis-
tricting ordinance of December Is it
proceeded to pass 1t over his head and
also to name the new aldermen. City
Attorney Curtis informed the council
that 1t could not do this last night as
the law specifies that ward vacancies
must be filled in not sooner than four
days nor later than fifteen days after
the vacancy exists But this advice
fell on sterile ground as Alderman
Hess maintained that, the vacancies
existed since December Is, when the
council first passed the ordinance.
The names OF the four aldermen
mentioned above and those of John
Egan of Ambridge fer the eighth
ward. Joseph Sands of Ridge road for
the ninth ward, and Max Bernstein of
the South Side for alderman large
were also included in the nominations
but none of these got more than three
votes. The council majority generally
voted either to or to 2. Only
Aldermen Walsh. Gallagher and Engle-
hart stuck to the Knots colors.
Also Pass Works Bill.
! Upon learning that the mayor hadn't
gned the ordinance creating 8 board
of works of three members. excluding
the mayor and city engineer, the coun-
| ell also passed this measure over his
lhead.
/ Text of knotts' Veto.
/ To the Common Council of the
city of Gary:
/ Gentlemen
In vetoing the ordinance Great
ing additional wards. l am prompt
| ed by regard for the funda-
mental principle of true demo-
cracy. the local government shall
remain representative of the will
of the majority.
In redistricting the city so as to
give north side two additional
wards and at the same time in
creasing the number of aldermen
at-large, It is quite obvious that
an attempt is being made to dis
franchise permanently a large and
| representative class of our citi-
gems.
Legislation by city or state
which aims at the disfranchise-
| ment of either the voters of a
party or the working classes is
vicious under any conditions and
subversive of the welfare of the
body polite.
scores the "Pot Hunters
Realizing that a veto in this in
stance will act only as deterrent
, In preventing the steel interest"
on one side and rabid crowd of
political pot hunters on the other,
| from accomplishing their purposes
Il to disfranchise a large proportion
of our citizens, I am the more de-
/; termined that the municipal annals
: Of Gary shall contain no record
i; which shall lay the responsibility
:. for such perfidy to a democratic
} administration.
Il Charges steel Domination.
!. Quite recently the people of
I; Gary witnessed the extent 10
Il which a so-called citizens move