The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1952-11-20

wi. oWGtlity anu WI OluEl Llitii
addressed the Council on the sub
ject Of the city's finances, during
which they both disagreed with the
statement submitted to the Council
and further stated that, in their
opinion, the city not only did not
need to borrow 100000, but that
they didn't even need to raise the
present 50-cent tax rate.
As soon as Mr.. Urner, the second
speaker, had taken his seat, the
Council voted to adjourn since they
did not care to take, or even con-
slider any action, in the absence of
Councilman Elliott
$3.50
Nothing has pleased me more in a
long time than the filing of Paul OF
finger for the Office of Councilman
from Ward Five.
| | have long advocated that these
young men of our community should
take a more active part in our city
government and Paul has set an
example that ! hope many others -
both Democrats and Republicans -
will follow.
also hear that Lionel Sellman,
manager Of the Vogel-Ritt Company,
is considering filing from Ward
Three and that is another movement
in the right direction.
Every week in this column l will
let you know about men who are
seriously considering running for
either Councilmen or for Mayor, SO
that you can be considering their
qualifications and if you are favor
able to their filing, let them know.
AS far as the Mayoralty race is
concerned, l have not been told by
anyone that they are seriously con-
sidering entering the race. Several
responsible men have told me they
are thinking about it, but | don't
want to publish any names until l
know they are giving it serious
thought and are not just playing
around with the idea, as many of
them are at present.
&sa
l am glad to be able to report to
you that serious consideration is now
being given to the suggestion, first
made by me over a year ago, that
paragraph 10, chapter 2, of the City
Charter-Registration and Elections
be amended so that candidates for
| the office of Councilmen must be
nominated from the wards in which
they live, but that the Primary and
General Elections be on a city-wide
basis.
In other words, candidates filing
from Ward Five (both Republicans
and Democrats) must be bonafide
residents of that Ward, but every
voter in the city will have the right
to vote for or against them in the
January primary. Then the Repub-
! lican and Democratic candidates in
that ward, receiving the highest
number of votes, would become the
two candidates from Ward Five for
the general election in March.
The same procedure would be fol-
lowed in the general election, with
the candidate in Ward Five receiv-
ing the highest number of votes on
a city-wide basis, becoming the
Councilman from Ward Five.
The same procedure, of course,
would be used in the other four
wards.
If this procedure is adopted, each
ward will have its own representa-
tive in the Council, but the voters
instead of, as at present, being able
to vote for just the candidate in their
own ward, will be able to vote for
the candidates in all five wards.
The five men who make up the
City Council of Hagerstown govern
the city for the ensuing four years
Their sphere of action is not confined
to their own ward, for they all have
an equal vote and an equal part in
governing the entire city.
Isn't it only fair then that you, the
voters of Hagerstown, who are told
by the full Council how much taxes
you must pay; when you must lay
down curbs and sidewalks in front
of your homes; what type of build
ings you can put on the property
you own; and whether or not you
can get sewers and water in your
home, should have the right to vote
for all five of these men.
1t is my understanding that a pc
htition, calling for the above amend
ment, signed by at least ten per cent
of those voting for candidates for
the Office of Mayor in the 1949 city
election, according to the provisions
of the Charter as set out in para
graph 107 Chapter IL - Amend
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