Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1914-01-06

patronage.
There is nothing new or "freaky"
about the Commission Form of Gov
eminent. IT IS the business lcdy to
govern any municipality and every
where people ere rebelling against
political bosses and they are regard
ed in most places as mere Sapro-
phytes preying upon decayed man.
hood. | know of no other word |
than Saproyhyto which so fully de-
scribes the rapidly disappearing |
bosses, because these bosses can ex-
list only where courage and pride and
ambition are disintegrating With de-
cay.
To put Hopkinsville in the third !
class cities and give her the privilege |
of deciding for herself whether or
not she desires to have Commission
Government is not political ques-
ton. 1t IS a business question and
one entirely proper for the H. B. M.
A. to advocate. The conduct of the
affairs of the city of Hopkinsville is
a business proposition. There is
approximately six million dollars
worth of property within the corpor-
ate limits of Hopkinsville and to in
telligently safeguard and tax this
property and then get a dol ar in
value for every dollar expended of
the peoples money is big business
proposition.
The people of Hopkinsville do not
eve any man any political office. If
they everowed any debts of this kind
they have been long since paid l0itb
atsuTy. 1t is of little concern to the
people as to the individuals who hold
the offices, but unless | mistake the
sentiment and spirit of the people,
they do propose to be seriously con-
ceTned about hOt0 the affairs of the
city are to be administered in the
future.
Every citizen is beginning to feel
his responsibility as stockholder
and director in the Corporation of
Hopkinsvile and they can no longer
be fooled by the tricks of a Csgliostro
nor the audcity of CatRline.
/ notice that the New Era has been
claiming that this movement is in the
interest of Republicans. This is too
absurd to merit notice. There is
some talk going around on the
streets, no doubt inspired by the Boss,
that if we do away with the present
system the city will go Republican.
Such claims are too ludicrous to merir
serious consideration. Every intel
ligent man knows that II opkinsville
will never again have any negro pc !
liceman. The day has passed in the
South when the cry of negro rule
frightens any intelligent man. 1t is
universally recognized that the af-
fairs of municipality. county. state.
and nation will be administered only
by white people and the man who
raises the cry of negro domination is
appealing to issues and passions long
since dead and buried and which no
earthly power can resurrect.
There are hundred good reasons
| could give for making Hopkinsville
3rd class city-and when this is
done we will have made long strides
in advance land then when the issue
of Commission form of Government
is presented for the consideration of
our citizens. | think can give hun
dred good reasons for this form of
government-aDd | will have some
thing to say at the Mass Meeting at
the Court House tonight which |
think may interest you-but whether
you want to hear me or not. come
out and hear the Hon. G. C. Gilbert.
Of Nashville Tenn. who is thorough
~ posted en- the subject and most
enter aiming speaker.
The days of the Gum Shoe" pol
itician have been numbered. The
people are everywhere demanding
that all public questions shall be dis
cussed in open meetings There must
be no more big Four States" in
Hopkinsville. The principle is in
herently wrong it matters not how
good the men they se'ect. Such
methods are in violation Of every