The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-24

TIE EVENING TELEGRAPH OF March 81, will merely
say that the good citizens Of Philadelphia and the
public g. neraly VIII have to Judge their representa-
tives as they hnd them upon the record.
In connection with these commission bills desire
50 present few facta
The Municipal Corporations Committee met March
1S, 1871, at O'Clock NJ Mr. Johnston In the chair.
During their consideration motion was made 20 cal
the yeas and nave, whereupen Mr.. Johnston, the
chairman refused, and cOntended that 1t took two
third vote t. overtule the decision of the chairman
MIR. johDston-I OBJECT to the gentleman stating
anything that transpired in committee.
MT Schnatterly-NOt IN this case, for everything
has already been stated
Mr. Hsger-The Highway and Water bills were
considered, myself ana every man present in the
committee room voting 10 have them negatively re-
The Police bill was then considered. There we're
some ~ favor of having It modified to suit the peo
pie of Philadelphia No good citizen will doubt for
o moment that the present police force is entirely
insufficient for the safety and good order OF the
city.
The taxpayers Will ind no fault If the police force
and expenses are Increased. All they ask is to
have their property and lives protected
The reason my name did not appear on the 80
called Johnston negative report is simply this
Mr.. JohnstCn-I must insist upon my objections.
The Speaker-The gentlemen understands that 1t
s not nreper to state before the House what trans
pired in committee The Chair ruled that when the
QUESTION WAS up the otuer day.
Mr. Hager-I merely desire to make answer to
the article. The secretary after each bill had been
considered endorsed them and handed them to the
different members OF the committee, as is usual.
Afttr that was done-and then Ony-a motion was
made that Mr. Johnston should report the bills, but
there was report made at the time nor was there
| q single person the committee called upon TO
| sign report, nor was this even necessary. The
| bills were already in the hands of the members OF
| the committee TO report them TO the House. At the
| proper time, when the members we're about to re-
port the commission bills, and after Mr.. Lamon had
already reported one, Mr.. Albright called upon me
| TO sign a paper which he called "a Johnston
! report"
Irefused to sign, because considered 1t a slsudel
upon the members who bad already or stood read
20 report the proper bills Mr.. Duffy stood beside
| me with the bill in hand ready to report as soon al
opportunity would present ITSELF and had already
failed in several attempts TO the attention o.
| the Speaker. Messrs Mooney and MCGOWAN wert
also ready to report as soon the "scrub race wal
over whether the regular bills should be reported
the called Johnston report, which was then being
| manufactured ou the floor Of the House.
| Why 1t was necessary for the speaker to PACK tn
committee / am unable to say, and leave that par
for some one else to answer. am satisfied that thi
! action was not necessary. So far as the commission
! bills were concerned, they would have been mega
| tived with the material already In the committee
This is the whole case, and l challenge anybody T.
| contradict IL.
Mr. Johnson-I desire to set myself right. A gan
tleman from Philadelphia, and member from tn
Committee on Municipal CorpoI ations, told me tha
he had taken my report to Mr. Hager and that he ha
| refused to sign 1t.