The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1952-12-11

both stated definitely on Tuesday
that they will not seek the office of
Mayor of HagerstOwn.
No doubt, after the Christmas
holidays, the local political pot will
really begin to boil.
In this column, from time to time,
I have contrasted the fine civic job
being done by the Board of County
Commissioners, as against the argu-
ments and pickering at so many
Council meetings, that have resulted
in the government of the City being
seriously affected.
This contrast was sharply focused
at the very fine Town Hall Meeting,
held on Tuesday night, which was
attended by some four hundred citi-
zens.
Every member of sthe Board of
County Commissioners was present,
with the exception of Lester Mob
ley, Jr., who, unfortunately, is con-
fined to his home by illness and has
been unable to attend the last two
meetings of the Board.
On the other hand the only rep
resentatives of the City Government
who were present were Mayor Her
man L. Mills and Councilman Jack
Hellane. Councilman Luther Broom,
who, because of a recent heart at
tack has to be extremely careful, was
rightfully excused, but Councilmen
Roy knight, Mel Jennings and j.
Frank Elliott certainly could have
been expected, as elected officials,
to take part in so important meet
ing.
For over year, in this column, l
have been strongly advocating a
change in the method of electing
members of the City Council so that
all the voters of Hagerstown could
have a say as to who would govern
the city, instead of, as at present,
being only able to vote for one of
them.
Needless to say, therefore, I was
mighty happy when Councilman
Luther Broom, at last Thursday
nights regular Council meeting, in
troduced a motion calling for a
referendum of the voters on this
very subject, in accordance with the
provisions of the City Charter. If
Councilman Broom's proposed
amendment to the Charter is carried
it will, of course, not become effec-
tive until the city election in 1857,
with the Councilmen being elected
in this January Is election as they
always have been, strictly on a Ward
basis.
Briefly the amendment proposed
by Councilman Broom and adopted
by the Council is as follows: There
will be no change in the system of
nominating candidates in the pri-
maries. The voters in each Ward
will select the Republican candidate
and Democrat candidate they want
to represent them. The change will
come, however, in the general cleo
ton and here's how it will work:
Everybody entitled to vote in the
general election in January 1857 will
be able to cast their ballot for the
candidates from all five Wards and
then the candidate in each Ward who
receives the highest number of
votes will be the Councilman from
that Ward.
In other words, each Ward will
have a bonafide resident of that
Ward as its representative in the
City Council, just as at present, the
only difference being, that the Coun-
Gilman chosen in each Ward will be
elected by all the voters of Hagers-
town, instead of, as at present, be-
ing elected just by the voters in his
Ward.
And talking about this proposed
amendment, l was amazed to read
in the Daily Mail'' last Friday that
Councilman Jack Hellane had stat
ed that he was opposed to the pro-
posed amendment for two reasons:
y that he did not believe in the
city-wide voting on Councilmen, and
q that he was against the provision
in the proposed amendment that
would increase the Councilmen's
salaries.
Not once during the discussion at
last Thursday nights Council meet
ing, but at least three times, Council
man Hellane stated distinctly-and
the minutes of the meeting will
prove this-that he was in favor of
the proposed amendment, but that
he did not like the proposed salary
increases.
Then, when the actual vote was
taken, Councilman Hellane voted