The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-26

the incorruptible Cloud insisted that the peo-
pie had voted under a misapprehension. The
people of Philadelphia we're certainly as COM
petentlast October to decide upon the merits Of
the public buildings controversy as they were
upon the merits of Messrs. Smith, Cloud,
Josephs, and some other members of the dele
cation from this city who are now endeavor-
ing to defeat their wishes; but because they
erred in electing certain unfit persons to re-
present them in the Legislature, it does not
necessarily follow that they did not under
stand all the ins and outs of the ques-
ton Of locating the public buildings.
The Philadelphia members, in the
face OF the vote of last October, could
not make the country members see the thing
in exactly the desired light, and Mr.. Chafant,
of Montour county, appropriately remarked
that as seven hundred thousand people had
expressed their wishes by the ballot, no
thimble-rigging should be allowed to thwart
their desire. Mr.. Miller, the introducer of
the bill, and other Philadelphia members
were exceedingly anxious to have it referred
to special committee composed of them
selves, but they were unable to accomplish
this, and in the regular routine it was con-
signedt to the care Of the Committee on Municipal
Corporations. The individuals who distin-
guished themselves by advocating this impu-
dent proposition were Messrs. Miller, Elliott,
Cloud, Smith, and Josephs. Its opponents
were Messrs Johnson and Dumhell, who, we
hope, will keep an eye on their colleagues,
and exert themselves to prevent them during
the balance of the session from playing any
III.
The people of this city understand this whole
controversy thoroughly by this time,
and they know now, as they
did last October. that the op-
position to the Penn Square site comes
entirely from property holders in the neigh
borhood of Washington and Independence
Squares, who selishly wish to defeat great
public improvement in order that they may
be able to continue the business of letting
out offices at the most extravagant rate, to
lawyers and others. By the decision of the
Supreme Court, the public buildings cannot
be erected upon any ground now owned by
the city except Penn Squares, and all the
opposition to the site selected by the people
is pure factiousness, that can achieve nothing
for the benefit of those who are endeavoring
to throw obstacles in the way of the Building
Commissioners. The public buildings will
undoubtedly be erected at the intersection of
Broad and Market streets, and it would be
creditable to those who have been defeated in
their desire to have them placed elsewhere to
cease agitating the subject, and to avoid
tempting the virtue of the weak brethren in
the Legislature, especially as nothing can be
gained by it.
At a later hour of the session Mr.. Johnson
introduced bill to limit the cost of the pub
lie buildings to S., ,O0O, 900, and to prevent
the city of Philadelphia from being bound by
any contracts for a greater sum. Such an act
as this might not be injudcious, but the
Legislature before passing it should find out
whether such building as is needed can be
put up for the sum stated If it can, we'll
and good, but for the Legislature to fix the
cost of the public buildings by a hap-hazard
calculation not based upon any but the
toughest estimates, will only embarrass the
commissioners and do vastly more harm
than good.