Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-24
OUR MAIL POUCH.
The Control Of Curnegie LibrarY-Argued
That the Proposed Scheme il IIleGnl-
Councils Considered Competent TO Man

The Control of Cnrnegie LibrarY-Argued
Councils Considered Competent TO Man
age the InsIiInfion.
| To the Editor ofThe Dispatch:
An attempt is being made to place the man.
| agement of the Carnegie buildings in the
| hands of a commission composed of citizens,
| school controllers and Counc1lmen. 1t is pro-
posed to entrust this commission with the ex-
penditure of money appropriated by Councils,
the incurring of debts binding on the city and
the selection of officers and employees selected by
the commission. In my opinion the whole
scheme Is In plain violation of law, and If con-
summated would be a constant menace to the
best interests of the city of Allegheny. 1 be-
lieve it would also subvert and pervert the
generous and philanthropic purposes of Mr..
Carnegie.
The Councils of the city are the legal custo-
dians of all public property. Under their
Off cial oaths COuncilmen are TO administer a
public trust. They only can incur debts bind
ing on the city. and the money flowing into the
public treasury can only be paid out in accord
ance with the plain method prescribed by
statute. They only can elect and appoint the
public servants.
1t has been urged that politics would control
the appointment of officials in the new instltu-
tion. that Councilmen are incompetent to judge
OF the competency of candidates, and unable
to manage the art galley, music hall and library
In accordance with Mr.. Carnegie's broad and
liberal conception.
The history of the city government justities
no such claims. Although the complexion of
Councils changes at every municipal election,
competent officials have been kept in Office in
spite of political changes. The present Treas
urer has held off Ice since 1856; the Controller
since 1873; the City Engineer since 1875; the
Superintendent of the Water Works since
1877. James E. Crow. Chief Engineer Of the
Fire Department, held Office from 1868 until his
death in 1852 Thomas B. Rodgers, ex-C1ly
Solicitor, held Office from 1870 until 1883 when
he peremptorily declined reelection. The
present Superintendent Of the Parks has held
office for IL years.
The execution of the duties Of these several
Offices involved peculiar knowledge and special
skill in each department. No one
viii deny that the duties thereof were
performed in a worthy manner, and Councils.
in re-electing these officers to such extended
terms of service, have shown themselves capa-
BILE OF administering the public trust imposed
upon them. Can they not rise to the dignity OF
the new situation. select proper servants and
adopt efficient rules for the government OF the
Are the present Councils SO lacking in knowl-
edge, culture and common sense that they can
not perform the duties placed upon them by
the people? Must they seek the aid OF unsworn
and unelected citizens and, contrary to law and
public policy entrust an aristocratic commits
sion with the administration of municipal func-
tions? To do so is a confession OF weakness
and incompetency. Any Councilmen labortng
under this impression should at once resign.
The City Solicitor. Mr.. Ephinstone, in
written opinion, has advised Councils that they
cannot delegate to any commission the powers
and duties intrusted to and imposed upon them
by the votes of the people. l believe Councils
will follow his advice
Municipal commissions were grIevous sores
upon the cities and boroughs of Pennsylvania,
until the Constitution OF 1874 forbade their
creation even by the Legislature. The COM
missions which erected the City Hall, in Pitts
burg and improved Penn avenue. are among
the many local examples of the vice of such
institutions. They are unrepublcan, unsafe
and menace to the welfare OF the public. BY
money, the treasury of every city in the State
has been bled and burdens hard to be borne
placed upon the taxpayer. The Councils OF
Allegheny should nip this danger in the bud.
Mr.. Carnegie intended the institution for the
use of all the people. If 1 were to choose be-
tween a management of Councils elected by
the people and a system of government by an
aristocratic commission, would choose the
former. We had sample Of the latter kind of
management last Thursday night. To what
poor citizen were the doors of Music Hall open
on that occasion3 The everyday people of
Allegheny were excluded. even the Guardians
of the Poor and other city officers we're refused
tickets, while the hall was filed with ar1sto-
cratic residents of Pittsburg and its suburbs.
The citizens of Allegheny want no dictators to
manage public property.
Let me suggest a way out of the present diff
fculty: First-GiVe the Board of School Con-
trollers the right to use the library room and
conduct the library as heretofore. Second
Let Councils or some appropriate committee of
Councilmen elect the officers and employees
necessary for the care and manage
ment of the buildings, taking special
care to secure as Superintendent of
the Art Gallery and Music Hall, man
of culture and executive ability. This is the
most important office TO be filed. The man
can be found. When elected, Councils will do
as they have always done IN the past /. e., keep
him in office as long as he is faithful and
efficient public servant.
The present Councils are not constituted of
political mendicants. In their numbers are
many men Of culture, wealth, business ability
and common sense. To them the citizens can
confidently look for an efficient discharge OF
public affairs If any are found unworthy the
peODle have their remedy at the ballot box