Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-05-09

... Tue hnFd Nontrnctns
~ hs niitar u hs Rep.siiesa. sr#HHH
In an Issue Of tbo RrruBLIoAN some days
ago nnd the following;
Paving Contracts.-- Mayor Bowen ycsler-
day awarded the eontruct for paving in tho
several wards as toilowa First ward, Horny
Birch; Second ward, W. g. Morse; Third ward,
Stewart and Joyce; Fourth ward. Andrew Glea.
son; Fifth ward, Delaware HudnolE sixthward,
Thomas Klrbd; Seventh ward, Patrick Culli.
name In the Same Issue notice a report Of
= meeting Of the Irish Republicans In the
Sixth ward, from which extract tho follow
Ing "Mr. MCGOWAN, from q special commit
tee appointed to walt on the Mayor In refer
ence 70 the giving out Of cohtrActs, reported
that they had discharged the duty aaslgned
them, and that the Mayor told the committee
that he should be governed entirely by the
laws Of the corporation In such matteTs.s
Now, what are tho laws OF the corporation
In such mhtters7" On page 1856 Of webb's
Digest section first Of act Of January 2, 1884
concerning foot payemeute, may be found the
following law "The Mayor Is authorized to
Issue advertisements In the month Of January
In each year inviting proposals. for setting tho
curbstoncs, paving the footwaya, and paving
the CUTTERS and alleys In the several wards Of
the city, and TO receive proposals. for each
ward and district; but the Mayor shall not
award any contract for paving TO any person
or persons who are not practical PAYERS; and
he shall publish annually In the paper or pa
pers In which are published the laws Of the
corporation the bids OF the successful bidders
for paving, grading and curbing, and 10
whom contracts were awarded"
Here Is q positive law requiring the Mayor
to do certain things which he has entirely
ignored. OF the seven ward contracts only
two have been awarded TO practical PAYERS,
namely; Henry Birch, Of the First ward, and
stewart Il Joyce, Of the Third ward. Neither
W. 8. Morse, Andrew Gleason, Delourm Hud-
nell, Thomas Kirby or Patrick Cullinane arc
practical PAYERS. The law also says the Mayor
shall publish annually the bids Of the success
full bidders. This, too, has been disregarded.
Now what excuse can he given for this wanton
disregard Of law1 II you know Of any reason
by which the Mayor can be justified In yiolat-
ing the law he IL sworn TO support, will you
give the public the benefit Of III This Ia an
important matter, involving the expenditure
Of upwards Of &20O, 900 Of the peoples money,
and "a one Of the Republican citizens Of
Washington, who voted to place Mr.. Bowen
where he is, would like to know why he vlo-
lates the laws Of this corporation.
voted for him with the understanding that
he was To execute the laws, not to violate
them. In section two Of the charter Of the
city OF Washington may be found the follow
ing
Tho Mayor shall, on the Monday next en-
suing his election, before he enters on the
dnties OF his office, In the presence Of the
Boards Of Aldermen and Common Councils
In joint meeting, take an oath, to be admins
tered by n Justice Of the peace, lawfully 10
execute the duties Of his office, 10 the best Of
his skin and Judgment, without favor or par
tlality."
Unless some further excuse can he offered
than yet APPEAR Mr.. Bowen by his course
the past week, in awarding the yearly paving
contracts, stands convicted Of having delibcT-
Rtely violated his oath Of office.
| remember during an investigation into the
Mayors conduct last fall he was charged with
violating the law In awarding contracts for
grading streets without advertising them and
that his attorney, W. A. Cook, excused him
on the ground that the law did not positively
forbid the Mayor from awarding contract
privately; that "whon the law says the Mayor
shall or shdu not do certain acts he Is bound
by his oath Of Office to enforce Il 10 the letter."
The law In question saysi 1.-THE Mayor shall
mol award any contract for paving to any
person or persons who are not practical
PAYERS"
How will Mr.. Corporation Attorney Cook
get along with this2 We fear bis fertile brain
will be taxed beyond lts capacity to invent a
way to extricate the Mayor from this dllema.
The law also requires the Mayor TO award the
paving to the lowest competent bidders. Has
he done thisI Let the bids be published that
the taxpayers may know what they have got
t0 pay for work. Rumor has II that the con-
tractors who are practical PAYERS are also the
lowest bidders; also, that these contracts have
been shamefully sold and the proceeds put
into fund to aid In fOlstlng Mr.. Bowen again
upon the people. Give ust the bids Mr.. Editor,
and the reason why the law has not been
compiled with, and obllge,