The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-04-05
CANDIDATES
COME OUT IN
FAVOR OF It
Question Though Out OF Pol
itiCs Is Very Much
Alive.
nv rbe POLITICAL Rcporterl

tfter the parties have selected Their
candidates at the primary and the cam
paIgn for ths November election begins
ne amalzamation OF East Chicago, In
diana Harbor and Hammond is ex-
pect.d to become a paramount issue.
II was originally intended that the
r.tsrendun vote FOR anal alsamation
vaouid be held at the coming primary
but II has been adroitly postponed
until November as more opportune
,lms On petition Of 70 per cent Of
he voters OF the respective cities Il
will be placed on the ballot next fall
and II carried Will 90 into effect at
me expiration OF the terms Of office OF
rhA incumbent officials which Will be
in 1925.
POPULAR SENTIMENT FOR 1T
Popular sentiment is so strongly in
favor OF amaigamation that no candl-
date dares come out against 1t. Ihe
desire to outstrip Gary in population
10 have a central government and the
economy OF maintaining only one CITY
ball. enter into the general demand for
amalEamation. In East Chicago ana
Indiana IIarbor, Mayor Leo McCorTnack X
and J. X Reppa, are for aTnal 5 ailla'' ION
with unqualified declarations. MayoI
r.o Rrown. Charles Friedrich and Ed
ward simon, leading Candidates lol
r,avor Of Hammond. arc friendly TO
.r,sf-a,,atfon. Although amalga gamation
- ont Of politics to all intents and
.. - viii be made an issue in
he campaign because the election ma
~
~,3r4strattons and the voter faVorinS
.-..4gsuat,on must be assured that
candidate for mayor Is favorable.
II holiave the time has come Ter the
a,g.mation Of East Chicago ana
LIar,rnond." declared Mayor Leo Nc
--o-r,acle ~ East Chicago. "Amelga-
nation must eventually come and
- ~ raa.on why II should be de-
lavad g, said his opponent. j Il Reppa
= -, heartily IN favor of amalgaina-
.9o1n declared James Johnston an
o.b.r ~ the republican candidates IN
East Chicago.
SIMON CHAMPIONS CAUSE.
Edrard Simon of whom 1t Is said oy
Hammond republicans that the demo-
Gratis have no other politician with as
p-reat a following. IS expected TO nay
fha Mayor Brown administration lo1
i+s alleged dilatory tactics with the
..I1sna+fon question. following the
Iead Of Reppa IN East Chicago VINO IS
quoting Mayor Mccormack as having
discouraged lalgamation a year ago
IN order 70 serve out his term ana run
for reelection.
simon Is in Hot Springs where ne
will remain fer at least ten days pc
fore pIunging into the Hammond prl-
mary. Before leaving, however ne l9t
il be known that anal gamation would
30 one Of the issues
ADVANTAGES OF AMALGAAHTloh'
The advantages OF aIlalganation can
not be disputed. One set OF city OIL
cisas and the maintenance of but one
oitv hall is the smallest item OF the
econo onny that anla1gamation Will bring
about. The united cities with popau-
Ia+ion OF $4,000 would have sufficient
borrowing power to rebuild and mod
ea-nize the water works. 1t would be
possible 70 plan and execute a system
Of parks and boulevards, create sn
adequate uniform sewage system and
make the needed improvements with
out Ilake-shift. Uniform contracts
with the public utilities would save
the embarrassment that was expert
enced when Hammond had an cent
street car fare and East Chicago q ave
cent fare.
The amalgarnated cities would have
a far greater prestige, an increased ad-
vertising value. and more political in
fuence at Indianapolis. They would
be larger than Gary and able to pre-
vent political dictation from the steel
city.
And the only Disadvantages OF
anal ganation are those which would
be suffered by a few office holders
compelled to sacrifice the convenience
OF the public pay envelope for the well
fare OF the community.