The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-07-22
THURSDAY, JULY %, 1915.

The special election on the bond issue
for parks was the most important that
the city has held in many years, if not
the most important in its history and
the light vote polled was surprise
and discouraging one to many OF the
people who have the best interests Of
the city at heart and who realized the
tremendous influence this election must
have on the future of the city. Less
than thousand votes cast Indicated
little interest in the project. In the
discussion following the election light
has been thrown on many of the in
fuences that moved voters to vote
"no" or stay away from the polls alto
gether and taking everything into con-
sideration the majority in favor of
the bond issue does not seem so small
after all. To begin with many of the
men who are heart and soul for the adj
vancement Of Kenosha, but who as yet
own little property, could not consci-
entiously impose burden upon others
stayed away from the polls and cleft
it to the property owners to decide. -
This class numbers hundreds of voters.
Perhaps it is just as well to say little
or nothing about the large numbers of
people who announced their intention
Of voting for the issue and then forgot
all about the election, the people whose
intentions are always so much better
than their performances. This class is
disgracefully large one, but it can
be said for them that they would have
been sincerely sorry had the issue
failedsto carry through their neglect Of
plain civic duty. Had there been
organized effort to get out the vote,
most of these people would have been
looked, up and persuaded to go to the
polls and their votes would undoubt-
eddy have swelled the majority in favor
of the bonds. In figuring on the results
iof the election, the attitude of the al
dermen and city officials generally
should not be overlooked. The ma
jority ofSthese men whose duties make
them familiar with the needs of the
Icity were heartily in favor of the bond
tissue for parks and they undoubtedly
exerted powderful influence on the
voting. The negative votes are easily
Accounted for. There is always a GER
tain percentage, and this percentage
AS almost fixed one in every communi-
Ity, that is congenitally opposed to all
improvements. They were born that
way and can't help it. Then there
were the people who did not like the
selections Of lands made by the park
commission. They could not sink their
personal prejudices for the common
good and so voted against any parks at
all. Some, Of course, honestly felt that
they could not afford to pay any more
taxes. So much for the influences be-
hind the voting. The main thing after
all is that the vote was favorable and
that the issue went through When
the plans of the park commission as
approved by the voters are carried out,
Kenosha will have secured lands of
great natural beauty for park purposes
which can be developed into one of the
finest park systems in the state. And
this action was taken just in time.
Most Of the land to be bought would
have been subdivided within a year or
two and there is no other land any
where near as well suited for park pur-
poses to be obtained. And the people
are going to use and enjoy these parks
to such an extent that they will won
der that they ever thought they could
get along without them. In five years !
time most of the people who voted
against the park bonds will be glad
that they failed to defeat them.