West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-10-10
A Famous UttGTaDCe.
Public Moneys 90 he Used only for
Public Purposes.
GROVER cIEvELASD's vEro OF THE ExTRAy-
AGANT CONTRACT FOR CLEANING THE
srRKETs OF BUFFALO.

Governor Cleveland has so rigorou so
uniformly and 80 openly declared the limi
tstion upon the powers OF public officers
sdmipntcringpublic funds. as TO become n
standing diScoursgement to aSsailments OF
the public treasury for private purposes.
The most famous of his utterances upon
this subject and that i'm KNOWLEDGE of
which a few mouths later he was nominated
and elected 10 be Governor of New York.
was his celebrated check upon an extrava
CANT contract for cleaning the streets OF
Buffalo, which was as follows:
" BUFFALO, June ~, 1882.
81 return without my approval the resolution OF
your honorable body, passed at its last meeting
awarding the contracts for cleaning the paved
streets and alleys OF the city for the ensuing tive
years to .--- az his bid of four hundred and
TWENTY-FIVE thousand aud five hundred dollars
Z" The hid thus accepted 10y your honorable
body is more than one hundred thousand dollars
higher than that OF another perfectly responsible
party for the same work and worse and more
suspicious feature In this transaction is that the
bid now accepted Is fifty thousand dollars more
than that made by - himself within "A very
few weeks openly and publicly to your honora-
BILE body, for performing precisely the same ser
vices. This latter circumstance Is tO my mind
the manifestation ON the part OF the contractor
OF areliance upon the forbearancc and generosity
OF your honorable body, which would be more
creditable II itwere less expensive to the tax
payers.
/ am not aware that any excuse Is offered for
the acceptance OF this proposal, thus increased
except the very lmsy one that the lower bidders
cannot afford To do the work for the sums they
name.
"T..is extreme tenderness and consideration
for those who desire To contract with the city
aud this touching and patenal solicitude lest
they should be improvidenty led into bad
bargain Is, am sure, an exception to general
business rules, and seems To have no place I'm
this selfish, sordid world except rs found I'm the
of municipal affairs.
The charter OF your city requires that the
mayor, when he disapproyes any resolution OF
your honorable body, shall return the same with
his objections.
"Thls is a time for plain speech and my OBJ
lection 20 the action OF your honorable BODY
now under consideration shall be plainly stated
| withhold my assent from the saIue, because /
regard IL as the elimination OF most barefsced,
impudent and shameless scheme 10 betray the
interests OF the people and 10 worse than squan-
der the public money
L Will not be misunderstood In this matter
There are those whose votes were given for this
resolution whom cannot and will not suspect
OF a willful neglect OF the interests they are
sworn 10 protect but IL has been fully demon
strated that there are influences, both I'm and
about your honorable body, which Il behooves
every honest man To watch and avoid with the
greatest care.
When cool Judgment rules the hour, the
people will, hope and believe, have no reason
TO complain OF the action OF your honorable
body. But clumsy appeals TO prejudice or
passion, iDsinuations with a kind OF low, cheap
cunning, as 20 the motives and purposes OF 9TH
ers, and the mock heroism OF brazen efTrontery
which openly declares that a wholesome public
sentiment is 70 be set at naught, sometimes de-
ceives aud leads houest men TO aid in the con
OF schemes which, II exposed they
would look upon with adherence.
" III the scandal in connection with the street
cleaning contract, which has aroused our cit
liens shall cause them 90 select and watch with
more canc, those 10 whom. they entrust their in
tcrests, and IL IL serves TO make all OF us who
are charged with official duties more careful I'm
their performance, it will not be IN unmitigated
evil.
" We are fast gaining positions I'm tho grades
Of public stewardship. There is no middle
ground Those who are not for tho people
either Tor out of your honorable body arc
against them aud should be treated accordlnIly
sou. ."dROVER CLEVELAND,
Mayor.n