Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-22
no TIME TO FIX REGISTRY LISTS.
The Effect of the Change on the Man
Who Prides Himself on Carry
ing His District.
coUNCILNEN COMING BACK TO WORK.
Wet Campaigns Rapidly Going Out Of Fashion il
Pittsburg.

ter-Assessors, so the fall elections will be
held on the old lines. The registration for
the spring Councilmanic elections will be
made in the districts as comprised within
the new lines. An attempt to remedy this
matter now would only cause confusion,
and would probably result in a number of
citizens losing their votes. For these rea-
sons the County Commissioners will allow
the election districts to remain as they are.
1T will take time for some of the small er
polite ians to become used to the new order
OF things. 1t is pretty tough on the man
who priGes himself on always being able to
carry his district, to be legislated out of the
community in which his friends with votes
are numerous, and find himself in another
empire where there is already an Alex
ander Selkirk and not enough terri
tory to support another. The change
will have no effect upon the citizen
who simply casts his ballot on election day,
as it makes no alteration in the ward lines
but he may have to learn the way to an
other polling place. The change was neces-
STATED by the remarkable growth of the
city, especially in such wards as the Four
teenth, Twentieth and Twenty-irst, where
open fields have been transformed to closely
built streets within the past few years.
COMING BACK TO WORK.
The Councilmen who have been out of the
city for summer vacation are returning
one by one with blisters on their backs,
freckles on their faces, and stern resolve
to get down to business at the earliest oppor-
tunity. The first regular meeting of Coun-
ellis will be held on September 8, and it is
not likely that a special meeting will be
called in the meantime. Among the mat
ters to be considered are ordinances for the
creation of two new city ofices-one is a
court officer, who is to prepare all the city's
criminal cases for trial, and the other is an
official who shall have supreme control of
the Fire Bureau at all fires, and will be
held responsible for the work done there.
There is some honor, any amount of hard
work and occasionally little fun attached
to the Office of Councilman, but if be allows
the idea to get out that be purposes remedy
ing all the grievances of his constituents be
will have lively time and will find it
necessary to reach his residence by going
across lots in the cleaning. "A man without
a grievance may be found occasionally, but
seldom among voters and never among
property holders. There is always some
thing the latter want; they are confident
that the Councilman from the ward is the
proper person to get it for them and that the
city will pay the bill. Every man in the
ward who is out of employment and many
whose occupation is not congenial, their |
employer maybe being a harsh, unfeeling |
man who objects to allowing recess of two |
hours in the forenoon and siesta of three |
hours in the afternoon, want position un- |
der the city government They also seek |
the Councilman. The latter has some diff |
Guilty in explaining to a fve-foot-two man |
that he is not tall enough for fireman or
policeman, he is blamed for natures work |
and threatened with defeat if he runs for re-
election.
HOW TO GET THERE.
The men who legislate for the city are not
born councIlmen, nor, as a general thing, is
the Office. thrust upon them. The majority
of them hustle for the Office, and hustle
hard. In fact the best recommendation for
q political aspirant, as it is for a man in
any other walk OF life, is that he is hustler.
The first thing to do is to get acquainted
with ''the boys" That used to mean q
lavish expenditure of money, and the neces-
sity Of buying two hats-one large size for
wear, and another, much smaller,
to be worn later in the day. This stvle is
going out in Pittsburg, and there are several
reasons for it. The voters of this city are
nearly all workers making good wages, aud
they are not particularly anxious to drink
at another mans expense, even if be is
candidate; the spirit OF temperance, in its
widest sense, is spreading here. and the
of a jag is no longer considered
an evidence of responsibility or mental bril-
liancy, and, lastly. the police, under the
new regime. have a habit of picking up
IOafers with no visible means or support
and sending them to the workhouse.
Having captured ''the boys" the candi-
iate's name is presented at the primaries
or nomination, and this is where ''the bows"
get in their fine work. After receiving the |
nomination the candidate has easy sailing,
if his party is in the ascendancy in the ward,
snd he is elected.
APPoRTIoNMENT OF MEMBERS.
A Select Councilman, under the new
,harter, serves for four years. and CON-
mon Councilman for two years. Each ward
is allowed one Select Councilman. but the
number of Common Coucilmen varies, ac-
carding to the number of taxpaving resi-
denIs in the ward, as follows: The First,
Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Seventh,
Ninth, Tenth, Thirteenth, Fifteenth. Six
teenth, Eighteenth, Nineteenth, Twentieth,
Twenty-second. Twenty-third, Twenty.
Iourth, Twenty-fith, Twenty-seventh, |
rwentv-eighth, Twenty-ninth, Thfrtieth, |
Ihirty-frst, Thirty-second, Thirty-third,
Thirty ourth, Thirty-f tn and Thirty-sixth
wards have one each; the Sixth, Eighth,
Twelfth, Twenty-frst and Twen-
ly-sixth two each, and the Fourteenth and
Seventeenth three apiece. The oath of Of
6ce taken by each Councilman includes, In
addition to the usual declaration OF fealty
10 the United States and the Commonwealth, |
! statement that the affiant has not secured
his election bv hribing voters either with
gifts or promises OF gifts.
As soon as the new Councilman takes his !
,eat he begins to wonder on which of the |
standing committees he will be appointed,
he appointment being made by the Presi-
lent o. his branch o. Council. There are
,ight standing ommittees-Finance, Cor
Dorations, Charities, Surveys, Libraries,
Parks, Public Works and Public Safety
Every Councilman is appointed on at least
'ne committee, but sometimes as high as |
our. The only members OF the present
Councils who were honored to this degree
we're Hon. r. B., Carnahan. recently de-
,eesed, and Mr.. Kirk @. BIgham. The
Presidents of both branches are ex-oficio
members of all committees.