The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-01-29
OPPONENTS keep UP 4 FIGHT
New Form of Government Is Declared
to be Highly Favored by Majority of
People of GAINESVILLE, But it Was Not
Popular With the Politicians.

GAINESVILLE is one of the leading cities
in Wisconsin and it is city governed
by commission rule. Much has been
said in regard to GAINESVILLE in Keno
sha and in order to find out some real
facts in regard to the commission form
and its workings in that city, I'll. f.
Bliss, editor of the GAINESVILLE Gazette,
was asked to give a statement in re-
gard to conditions there and the sue
cess or failure of the commission form.
Mr.. Bliss has sent the following letter
which is published with his permission:
Editor of the Kenosha Evening News:
My Dear Sir:-Replying to your
favor of the oath inst, would say, | am
glad to know that you people are in
terested in commission form of govern
ment and trust that you will succeed
in establishing it for it is by far and
away in advance of the old system.
The Gazette conducted the first cam
paign for commission rule two years
before its final adoption. Then the
citizens took the matter up and won out
by a good majority. and the commits
sion was installed in the spring of 1912.
The opposition was composed of the
saloon element and their sympathizers
who favored wide open town encour-
aged by some of the public utilities,
companies who preferred to do business
with political council rather than
with non-partisan commission.
Gar +ho ,A1ap Iuoc odoptaJ tho ala
ment which opposed it sought to con-
troll the commission by electing two
members. Finding later that they were
disappointed they started q movement
to recall the entire commission, and
when they learned afterwards that this
could not be done, they concentrated
their efforts upon the mayor and the
fight was made on him about a year
ago, ex-mayor Nichols being the can
didate selected by the opposition for
mayor. The contest was the hottest
ever conducted in the city and the is
sue was clearly defined as law and
order issue. The churches the societies
and the women s clubs became actively
interested and, in spite of four humid
red new voters which appeared on the
surface, many of them difficult to &C
count for. the law and order element
won by margin of ninety votes.
The disgruntled element have never
been satisfied and there are still rum.
ors of another recall. In the mean
time, the commission is making good.
The city was never so well handled
from business standpoint and the tax
payers feel that every dollar expended
represents value received. We have
built more streets and made many
other improvements during the last
year and have just completed one of
the best bridges in the state Our
taxes are lower than heretofore and
the business men are well satisfied.
So far as the morals of the city are
concerned, they show a marked i'm
provement. Our saloons have been re-
duced from SIS to Al and are now con-
fined to segregated districts. This does
away with the outlying groggeries
which caused us so much trouble. The
houses of i'll fame have been closed,
the slot machines barred from saloons.
the laws concerning minors enforced as
well as the Sunday and eleven O'Clock
closing ordinance.
The best endorsement that can give
you for the commission form of govern.
ment is that in my opinion, if left to a
vote today, commission rule would car
ry by at least seventy-fve per cent of
the voters and possibly eighty-five.
Mr. Nichols is successful business
man, manager of harness factory do
ing large business, but his term of
office as mayor seems to have left him
with an ambition for Office which he
seeks to satisfy. am at loss to under
stand why he should interfere with
your matters in Kenosha. imagine
if you sift the matter down that YOU
will find local parties responsible for
the circular you mention.
You are liberty to use this letter. if
you SO desire. With best wishes, I am,
Cordially yours,
H. F. Bliss.