Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-05-27

The Committee of One Hundred, of
Cincinnati, supposed to be n nOn-parti-
san body of citizens, from both the par
ties, to aid in securing honest elections
in the city and bring violators of the
election laws to justice, is righteously
indignant at the action of the Legisla-
ture in passing such notoriOusly parti-
san law the bill creating new Board of
Public Affairs for that city. The COM
mittee had prepared bill providing for
the appointment by the Governor of a
new board, to be known by the above
name, to take the place of the Board of
Public Works, the Board of City Com
missioners and the Board of Health.
The bill provided that the new board
should be composed of four members,
two of which should be Republican and
two Democratic. Its aim was to secure
a non-partisan board that would seek
the welfare of the city and ignore poll
tics. 1t was to have been so constituted
that no measure could be passed with
out being approved by one or more
members from both parties. The COM
mittee sent the bill up to Columbus to
be passed, blissfully feeling that its
weight and responsibility would be con-
sidered by even such burlesque Legis-
lature as this one that has disgraced the
State. In due time the title and enact
ing clause of the bill were passed, but
the number of the board was made five
instead of four, and all the members
Republican instead of being equally
divided between the parties. The Gov
ernor must have had all of the commits
sions made out before the bill was
passed, as his appointments, all Repub-
iicans, were notified of their selection
by telegraph at the same time. the news
came of the bill's passage. The Com
mittee felt outraged. A meeting was
at once called, and the following reso-
luton, expressive of their indignation,
unanimously passed:
Resolved, that the Committee of One
Hundred desires to express it's great re-
gret at the failure of the Legislature of
our State to enact bill for the creation
of a non-partisan Board of Public Af-
fairs; and its disapproval of the bill as
enacted, creating a Board of Public AT
fairs.
This the committee feels compelled
to do in view of the condition of our
city and the absolute necessity for such
a change in the administration of pub
lie affairs as will forever end the reign
of the ''gang" whose only standard for
public service is loyalty to its methods
and purposes.
The Committee believes that par
ty best serves itself that best serves the
people, and that ability, honesty and
fidelity to public trust should be the
qualifications for Office, and not party
service alone. The committee also ex-
presses its decided disapproval of the
Governor in appointing all the mem.
bers of the Board of Public Affairs from
one political party, and feels that the
action of the Legislature and the Gov.
ernor in this most important Board Of
our city is not in accord with the work
in which the committee has been SC
arduously and constantly engaged, and
which it was formed to accomplish
The Committee of One Hunered.
| l. J. MILLER, Chairman.
| FRANK j. JONES, Secretary.
After such scorching from a high.
toned non-partisan body as the Com.
mittee of One Hundred of Cincinnati
most of the members of which are Re.
publicans, the detestable action of For.
aker and his Legislative bulldozers
needs no comment.