Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-01-04

.lOAuCO III OLC Uill.
To have facilitated decree by the
court enjoining the performance Of duty
by q corporation deriving its franchises
from Pennsylvania, and contributing large
taxes to the revenue of PENNSYLVANIA, and
substantially locking it up, and leaving
free great rival railroad lines CONNECTED
with the oil regions by short lines in this
state) incorporated by other states, and
owing and paying 40 duty to Pennsylva.
MIA, would neither have met the reason
able views Of the petitioners, nor have
satisfied any sense of justice. There was
delay on the part of the petitioners in
placing the attorney general in possession
of the testimony to be produced, which
indicated an intention to offer none
whatever in the remaining cases.
In the meantime indictments lad been
found at the instance, and in the interests
of the same petitioners in Clarion county,
against number Of defendants for COLI
spiracy in the matter of procuring freight
discrimination, in connection with other
alleged offensos. Some Of the defendants
were residents i'll the state, within the Jur-
isdiction Of the court, and caused appear
anccs to be entered for themselves: others
were non-residents. For these. demand
"0b uItuC uItUu lilC CACCuIlsC lOl lSlulol-
tions. The application was heard, formal.
ly, after notice TO all parties, in the cxecu-
tive chamber.
Before a decision was reached, and while
the equity suits were resting upon the de-
termination that the commonwealth should
close its testimony against al the defend
ants, before any one defendant should be
ruled to open its case and go On with its
nj np.{n
between the petitioners above referred to
and the railroad companies, defendants, to
settle, by agreement, their controversy.
The details of these negotiations, Of
course, need hot, and did not, reach the
Office of the executive department. As
part Of them, however, requests were
presented in the interest of the petitioners
to the governor, not to issue the rcquisi-
tiOns, followed again by requests that they
I've allowed to go out. Finding that the
highest process of the commonwealth, Was
being used simply as leverage for and
against the parties TO these negotiations
between contcndins litisants, and that
however. entire and perfect had been the
good faith in which the criminal proceed
in Clarion county might have been com
menced, they were being regarded and
JlCdVCu al hlClC ill.tEC AL IIC
stages Of private diplomacy. deemed it
my duty, i'll the exercise of sound dis
cretion. to suspend action on the rcauisi-
tiOn. 1t resulted that an amicabie con
clusion between the litigants WAS reached
all suits were discontinued a: the re-
quest of the original petitioners, and the
litigation tesin!natcd without cost to the
commonwealth.
&c lNol;crn1 hat II 1 l,n .,yor
which courts Of Pennsylvania have .juris-
dictiOn, are now prosecuting their business
with oil producers according to the spirit
of the constitution.
That all shippers in the state may bc in
condition to have the protection Of statute
law, it is urged that you enact tho ncccs-
sary legislation 80 that the provisions of
the constitution may bc placed in reach of
execution by the courts over all transpor.
tatiOn companies. al all times, in all
places: and liz all interests.
Municipal! Government.
No action has yet been taken upon the
report of the municipal commission Of
1861. 1t contains 4 n.;ss of wcll-di-
geSted facts, drawn from many directions.
Whether Legislative action should adopt
substantially the bill accompanying the
report. Or modify existing charters, may
safely be left t" your Judgment.
The central idea arrived at by this COM
mission, and like commissions in other
states, has been the necessity Of providing
for tine concentration oi responsibility in
the heads of departments, and the power
lodged either in the mayor: which is pref
cradle, or in the governor. of prompt sus-
pension and removal. This is, particu-
10,
cities, which. from the multiplicity aE,:
magnitude of the objects of control, arc
most apt to run into enormous c:ipciid;-
lures and gros, abuses before they can be
checked. In the smaller cities an,: towns
the matter is generally, Ii; not always,
sufficiently under the cvntrGi Of ;!ic parties
most Intercsted-tkc taxpayers.
Tho absence OF great schemes OF i'm
provement and the cas- under standing Of
municipal affairs OF si..ti: cities, preclude
and restrain the temptations to extrava-
gancc and abuse. at ;lie same time that
the simplicity of their organization, under
existing laws, places it i'll the power of
citizens to remove ant. correct naladmin-
istra:iOn before serious peril can
threaten.
The municipality and township is the
vi Uul I'Vilt!Cdi IHCSS
local organizations conserve the largest
mass Of the into. csts, and direct the greater
part OF The daily life Of our people. Ma
tional and state laws touch only the Cir
cumference of the political and socia! be
ing of the citizen; municipal ordinances
and regulations affect his interest and com
forts, daily and hourly, and are i'll contact
with him 1T al! points. The municipal
puH fovvnShiv, Nr,r1uiv1finp.- nf rr,Y Stofs,
with the exceptional status of the very
large cities. have grown up out of and ac-
cording to the necessities aud character
istics OF their inhabitants. This is the
true home rule which is to preserve the
free institutions OF the country. 1t is wise
to interfere with this local sclf-@Cycrnment
as little as possible.
The first object is to lodge t;lc local re-
sponsibility, and define it, SD that the pee
pie of the locality can hold it strictly ac-
countable.
The second object is to fix the relation
Of the local organization to the larger mass
of the state. When the powers, duties
and responsibilities OF the peoples agents
are sharply defined, and tie pecuniary Oh
legations of the municipality rigidly Gil
forced, the legislative duties and powers
Of the superior government may we'll cease
The success or failure of local (municipan
government is then the just measure of the
activity. Intelligence and patriotism of the
people.
In general. the bill proposed by the
commission conforms to these principles.
The most essential points of concentrating
executive duties. divorcing them from the
legislative powers, and fixing the RESPONSE
bility Of properly or improperly executing
the municipal will, and making prompt
correction of the errors of incapacity or
the crimes of dishonesty, the bill fully !
recognizes. The machinery by which |