Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1872-03-19
TnE CONTRACT ORDINANCE ~ q 'UN-


Gil.
synopsis OF the Debate.
On motion of Mr.. Finegan the ordinance
prohibiting members of Council lr m re-
ceiving contracts, was taken ~ Tor third
reading, ON Thursday evening last.
MI Finegan said in asking for Third read
ing OF the ordinance he was expected 10 make
some remarks upon IT, IN the course OF which
he did not wish TO reflect upon any member
OF the body, the ordinance was not intro
duced from party motives. but for the public
good. There is not legislative body In the
country III allowed their members 10 take
contracts The Sheriff Of this county Ia not
allowed to be a purchaser al his own sales.
A II precedent Of law and custom Is in favor
OF an ordinance Of this kind, and while ro-
form is agitailng the country, from one end
10 the other why not commence 10 this body.
lie said that there were lingG and cliques aa
as much so in proportion To population as
there Is 10 the larger cities. lie said that
when lie was In a position TO receive con
tracts lie was opposed to- II. He thought
that members were sent here To look alter
the inter, 81 OF the people, and not TO vie
contracts to themselves. he Journals Of
the city may say that we cannot get good
men to represent Council under the ordin
ance, but the general sentiment OF business
men outside Il the Council was that il was
useless TO bid Tor contract, as some mem
Der OF Council would get 1t, aud that lh,ss
remarks were heard every day. He said
that lie did not with 10 be personal, but in
advocating the passage OF the bill he could
not help but reflect upon some Of The mem
beri. lie said that he was not a contractor
aud did not want contracts. He had not apprC-
ached any member Of the Council in regard
To the ordinance, though a member OF the
& 'unc,l, had made his duty to call personally
upon members oil the body on purpose to
defeat the ordinance. Ii Il had not been for
an ordinance prohibiting members of the
| CITY Council of Philadelphia from btcom.
ing surelies, Messrs. HUM and Allen could
not have been deposed by tie Supreme
! Court, notwithstanding the fact that the
ling IN that body was large enough to have
retained them. He slid that s0ms OF the
journals bud approved Of this ordinance,
others were but milk and water upon the
subj ct and wanted a pat al the Treasury,
aud others that boldly advocated the passage
Of The ordinance; but COR the public Joun.
rails he did not care what they might say.
lie quoted II portion OF an article in the
JoUKNAL. which said that il was proposed
TO conslgn ii 10 the tomb Of all the capulets
ON III evening, and then comes out Ia mag
nifcGul pump, and ann lunces that II is TO be
firm and dignined in the expression of Its
opinions. lie sail that he would not have
said what he did, but he had stood ii for
Tour months, and the paper In question had
not used one argument against lt-there was
nonC--'n legislation OF law and order ia
oppused 10 this thing, and yet we find pub
lie journals that say that we could not get
gold NTH to represent that boly under The
ordinance. lie said that he could count all
the contractors in tue body, there was but
five, and if they were to resign, the very
best men could be got TO fill their places.
| lie thought II time to pass an ordinance, and
tue good work OF reform would be begun
mere.
Mr.. Llchlenston said that the press upon
This occasion had thrown off the mantle OF
reserve, and by discussing the merits of the
| ordinance he'd lent additional interest TO il,
lie could not but oppose the passage of the
ordinance Tor three reasons first, because
it was unjust second, because Il was det-
rimental TO the public good third, because
II was in direct violation OF the city charter.
The ordinance insinuated that COuncilmen
were not living up TO their obligations, and
looms like a gross Insult to the body? where
no Crimes are committed. no law 10 prevent
the same is necessary. The ordinance i'm
piled that fraud had been committed, and If
such was the case why not have an invest.
| gallon lie slid that while he WAS a mem
Der OF tie body he had not seen any evil
dehce Ui fraud. Not dollar can be draw n
except for honest purposes. This ordinance
presumes as corrupt, disenlranehises 81
cl,izeus Which was not Democratic. In all
the frauds 10 New York not one Council
man Lad been implicated, either directly or
Indirectly, and We are told that we are Ia
lave Tweed 5 &c amongus which is arrogant
andnarrow minded. He gave a statement, in
| 10 nfll. To- o,,f. a.,
water main showing thNt had rc.- MeseTs
Dillon aud Gallagher been allowed to bic
the city would have bsen compelled 10 pay
$1,000 more TO othtrs bidders. The contrac
was fairly awarded or The members from the
Third aud Ninth wards aid not have tee
to pay him the last dollar due him. Til,
ordinance was illegal, if passed it could no
be carried out. We have no inherent pow
eIs. lie then spoke Of one of the member
having been absent for seven months, and
yet his place could not be filled under In,
charter, which was light. He said tina
they were treading on dangerous ground
and ulioned them to deal fairly and hon
orably.
Ny. Quinn said that lie had no idea, tina
the member from the Seventh Ward woul,
have had lis argument written, he had com
with his lite, and he himself was the alph
and omega. He said lie knew there wa
geirymandering In the Council. He had n.
! hand in any ring. He thought il time tina
an ordinance oil this kind was passed. tn
members who now praised the Dillon COT
tract, used it at Tue last election as an cleo
ton mouth piecs. He said that The membe
from the Seventh Ward appeared to hav
the researches Of the record Ter the past Q
years. At the conclusion he moved that til
c further consideration OF the question b
e postponed until next meeting.
Mr.. Febiger hoped that the dlscussio
would be finished this evening. He said h
d would vote against pOslpouement.
u Mr. Lichtensiein also objected because |
could not be present at the next meeting
e Council.
MIR. Quinn 1nally withdrew his molio
C Mr. Taylor said that be had intended
vote against the passage OF the ordinan,
until he saw burletque upon ii in Il
JOURNAL which had caused hin 10 becon
converted. lie further said he should vo
for II aud do all lie could 10 secure ITS 20
sage.
Mr.. J. @. Baker, said that the Ordinan
il implied that amy member Of Council wOu
be thief if he got chance. He could NJ
SEQ why any man should siuk his cilizensL
on becoming a member OF that body.
Mr.. Febiger said that he had introduced
similar ordinance come time ago, but 1t d
not pass aud quoted tue rhyme
"when the devil was sick
The de, II monk would be
When the devil well
The devil monk was he"
ns explaining the position taken by the mel
bers OF the other side. The devil was W,
then, lie is sick now. He thought the orc
e nance did not go far enough, il should