The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-09-01


report: "The burdens of the tax pay
ers are being lightened, increased Ell
couragement is given for the employ
ment of capital within its limits, and
an auspicious beginning has been made
in freeing the second city of the Uniou
in population, and the first in indus
trial enterprise, from taxation for in
debtedncss."
| APPROVED BY THE PEOPLE.
1t is no wonder, then, that his honor
able and intelligent course disarmed
prejudice, swept away the barriers ot
political feeling aud evoked universal
appreciation. The common council
on December IS, 1879, passed reso.
luton of compliment to the controller
The tax. payers of the Twentieth ward,
in meeting assembled, adopted a reso
luton of thauks.s .,9tr. G, orge II
Earle, the distinguished lawyer, who
for years had labored with single.
hearted purpose in the cause of pollti.
cal reform, wrote him: ~ or yourself,
meet no honest man who doe. not
wish TO take you by the hand and thank
you" The press of the city were
unanimous AMI outspoken in their
commentator The Ecening 7ele
graph said; Robert f. Pattison is
a man of the people, for the
people, and in the end they will
sustain him if they are worthy such a
representative. The Times called on
the Republicans to indorse Pattison
and not make II nomination against
him. The Ledger told Mr.. McManes
that if, as he said, he really wished a
candidate who was the equal of Con-
troller Pattison in ability, integrity and
courage, to nominate Pattison himself.
In snort, after four years of expert
ence with him as controller the people
reelected him by 1880 ma jority,
though he was simply the Democratic
candidate, there having been at that
time no Committee of One Hundred
organized for Independent political
action.
THE Office OF CONTROLLER.
The year and half of his second
term that has thus far passed has been
replete with similar evidences of his
comprehensive grasp of the duties of
his position. The Philadelphia Star
Qnd.), recently referring to his official
career, thus sums up his services to
Philadelphia:
"There was time, and not very
long since, either, when a great many
people entertained the idea that the
functions of the controller were of the
simplest character-that he was, in
fact, nothing more than mere clerk,
whose principal duty consisted in APP
proving warrants drawn against the
city treasury, which approval was
given without investigation. When
the present controller was renominated
it was boldly declared by some of
those opposed to him, that there were
no duties connected with the office
that could not be discharged by any
one possessed with common intelli-
gence, and that, therefore, the general
popular demand for Mr.. Pattison's re-
election, was not warranted by the
facts OF the case. These declarations,
strange as it may seem, were made by
prominent lawyers aud other citizens,
supposed to be familiar with the work
of the office, and from whom better
things were eXpeoted Since then the
people have learned how absolutely
essential to honest and economical
government capable and fearless
controllership is. As at present ad-
ministered, the office is constant
check, not only to dishonesty, but
upon haSty' or ill-advised legislation
Which involves the expenditures of
public money. How many dollars of
the public funds have been saved by
the conscientiously careful investiga-
ton of the legal claim of every war
rant to the CONTROLLERS approval, can
not be told, but u is safe to sag that
they approximate to millions. The
law has been maintained with rigid
impartlality, while favoritism has not
in single instance been charged. 1t
may therefore be said with truth that
as far as the outgo of public money is
concerned, the controller is the most
important officer connected with our
municipal government, provided al
ways he is the right man for the place.
The wrong man there--and there have
been wrong controllers-is an evil, the
magnitude of which can be compre-
hended only by a comparison of the
present management with that of five
or six years ago"
The Philadelphia Times said that
millions of dollars were stolen from
the city treasury under Pattison's
predecessors because they conducted
the Office of controller with the idea
that the controller 'does nothing more
than approve city warrants, if they are
drawn legally" Because Pattison
took the higher view millions were
saved to Philadelphia.
NOMINATED FOR GOVERNOR.
In view of all this and of the fact
that during his term complete ad
ministrative reform had been inaugu
rated in the second city of the union
and the first in Pennsylvania, it was
not strange that the Democratic State
Convention found in him its nominee
for governor. Year by year the politi,
cal issue of administrative reform has
become the supreme concern of intelli-
gent men. Recognizing his special
fitness to embody this issue, the con,
vention gravitated toward him on the
sixth ballot and without any adjourn,
ment after it began to ballot. His
nomination was no personal nor fac
tional triumph or defeat. 1t was &c
complished without "management' OF
"trade," 1t was the well-cousidcred
action of an unusually earnest and
intelligent body and that no mistake
was made is assured by the universe
appreciation with which it has beer
received, not only by the party pres,
of the State, but by all independent
journals of any standing, while it IN
challenged the opposition press, an,
for many weeks has been almost abso