Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1872-01-09
&. THE JOURNAL ron JoBBING"

Adp,rti,sr. rs he sits in the private ofhce OF pee,
his palaiial residence over in branoy"ine 81
Hundred. And having written that down. ne will
ouo,es an editorial article from the JOURNAL wor
Of Tuesday last, and then goes on to say pub
"This is covert attack upon the orain l tah'
introduced by Col tlnegah 70 ~ for ctv not
bers oil Couheh Hoih "A'Ns sec
work" , :, roa
Not very .covertn we should think, or II ma
,vou,d NOT have struck the editor so clearly ahO
and distinctly as to draw from his pen whole WI
column of weakness, venom and envy, as no
has done. Instead of our remarks being ian ols
a,,ocl, unon the ordinance of Col. Fnegan," we
almost every one else, on the contrary secs ne
in Col. Finegan's ordinance dec'ded'y coz sS
srt attack upon his personal and poilucal q
friend Mr.. Dillon, who, under Col. FINE IN
gan,s recent Craftsmanship OF the Water Com
m,,ee took the contract for laying the water
mains. because he was the lowest and best III
bidder for the work. Iu
Now, as a general rule, causes are 'he mann
Aprinqs of action. No man takes an lmpor-
tant stem or makes movement out oil the
usual course, without being impelled thereto by
some controlling cause or motive, and 1t IS but
ius,ice to Col Finegan 10 suppose that he -
an intelligent and courteous genuemen-loIms
no exception to this universal rule Wha'
then was his motive for the introduction oil his
ordinance 1t this timer Does he feel that IN
the contracts heretofore given out, either IN |
his department or in any other, that members
of Council who obtained those contracts IN
nerfectly legal manner, have done anything
wrong in their fflment? Have they de-
frauded the city in any way 2 Have they
swlndled the corporation; or deceived the
Committee in the fulfllment OF their oOlga-
lions On all these points the ordinance OIL
Col. Fnegan is silent. There is not even
nreamblo attached to it setting forth any
reason of "morals or civicism"-as the learn
e1 editor of the Advertiser has it-why such a
law should be passed, and yet members oil
Council are asked to vote for II, and therepy
stiRmatse themselves and their ielloWs as
,.iobbers" and raiders upon the municipal
treasury, upon a merely implied charge OF
incubation. in an ordinance framed by one OF
their number-a gentleman who, as chairman
ofthe Committee, had the giving out OF one Of
the heayies, contracts that Council had to dis
nose Of and could only find his best and low
es, bidder in the body which he now seeks to
deprive of the privilege OF bidding at all.
We pause here, to ask, was this contract
with Mr.. Dillon properly fulfilled II so, did
the city or its treasury lose any thing by 1t =
Did tho fact of his holding seat in Council
and his beinp bound TO the faithful perform
ance of its trusts, by a solemn oath, in any
manner tend to deiraud the people, or make
the LAYING Of the water mains a "put up lop =
lift did, why not expose the fraud, ana pun
ish the guilty parties, openly, boldly and man
mllv. instead Of attempting by ordinance Il
create an impression in the public mind tina
business men who 20 into Council are addict
ed 10 tieyish propensiues and must nav
speclol legal restraints thrown about to keel
them honest even under oath;
ca TEbssfs ere e. 1G9S cove little points which,
question comes up finally in Council. II
reasons for the law are not yet before CounC
OF the people, and it is due to both, as well I
to the mover of the ordinance, that they
given Let vs. know why the minds OF mem
hers have undergone 10 sudden and radie
change on the contract question. There
some reason or 4 y 1 Mi mt, il Ca meihh "
more honest to pass the law, tor it will not. =
On the contrary, It will open wide the door
all manner Of corrupung influences. lfmen
bers are dishonest, and want contracts, Il
passage Of no ordinance however stringen
will prevent their getting them, If not {
Councimen they will secure them as outsider
by brides, collision or other influences; an
when such a system Of public economy .
that shall be ntnlgurated in our municipal gov
eminent heaven save the people Tweed