Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-06
Southsiders Have Struck a Scheme
for Public Improvement That
is Universally Favored,
PROPOSED COMMITTEE OF 100.
Public Meeting to be Called Shortly
to Decide Upon Definite Plans for
a Rigid Campaign.
TIE QUESTION OF POLITICS BOBS UP
Opinions Of Representative Citizens on the Feast,
bility of the Movement

The proposition to organize a committee
of one hundred to take charge of public al
fairs on the Southside, as outlined in last
Saturdays DISPATCH, created quite stir
during this week, and the indications are
that meeting will be called within the
next two weeks to discuss the feasibility of
bringing the committee into existence at
once Everyone is satisfied upon one point,
and that is, that something is needed badly
to create a deeper concern among those who
have been iutrusted with the city's inter-
est in the future welfare of the Southside.
A public spirit is beginning to assert itself
in the Southsde citizen, and before long
there will be a concerted action looking
toward the demand for better legislation for
that side of the river.
The people are getting tired talking
about bad water, unimproved streets, spe-
cial taxes and bridge tolls, and evidently
propose to put themselves in a position
that will enable them to elect men to repre-
sent them in Councils who will serve the
people and not the political bosses. This is
about the cornerstone TO the foundation for
the committee of 100.
ONE KNoTTY QUESTION.
One difficult question, however, has al
ready arisen with the promoters of the
scheme. 1t Is: "Should the committee be
a political organization, or should it be
strictly q Citizens Committee?" Some
argue that 1t must be political in order TO
attain the desired object; others saw it will
be 4 failure ii the politicians are allowed to
run it, " and that the citizens will be hood
vinked in the future Just the same as
TREY have been in the past. A third class,
who are anxious for Improvement,
do not care much what the committee is
called, provided it succeeds in promoting
the social, commercial, industrial and all
other interests on the Southside. 1t has not
vet been decided when the meeting will be
called, but it may be next week. The pro-
motors are quietly working up an interest in
every ward, SO that when the organization is
formed it may not be composed of a few
small property holders from one or two
wards but of good solid representative tax
PAYERS from each of the Is wards south of
the Monongahela.
A PHYSICIANS OPINION.
DR.. Gundlach, who will probably take as
much interest in the committee as any other
man on the Southsde, said yesterday: "This
Is Just the line l have been talking on for
years. 1t Is the only way the Southside
Will ever get what belongs to her. but there
must be concerted action. There is no use in
few citizens getting together in any one
ward and trying to run things their wav, be-
cause they have the whole city against
them That has been demonstrated to be an
Uniruitul plan. Take the water question
for instance. Nothing has resulted from
these spontaneous agitations simply because
the proper steps have never been taken. Ii
is 4 downright shame that $4,000 or 80, 900
people should be compelled to get along
with such water. and il a combined effort
was made on the part OF the people of all the
wards. relief could be had
Lawrence A. Schott. candidate for tn e
Legislature said: at would not be in
good taste for me to become too enthusiastic
on this subject or people would saw 1 was
in it for political effect, but L am heartily
in favor OF the plan proposed bv the pro-
moters of the scheme. 1t is largely the peo-
pies fault that the Southside gets snubbed
so much. When they rise up as one man to
assert their rights and demand
from the city what belongs to them
they will get it and not till
then. l think the proposed committee
should be kept tree rom politics Make the
Office holding politicians the servants of the
committee. and when they tail to serve the |
committee properly, elect others who will do
So The experience of a trial with such
GOOD
results at all, but think it is just what the
S0uthside needs"
COUNCILS ARE WORTHLESS.
john d. Carey, a well-known citizen of
the upper end OF the Southside, and one who
is never afraid to express an opinion of his
own, said: 81 believe that committee
such as the one proposed would be a good
thing; especially so long as We have the
kind Of City Council as at present 1
have no hesitancv in saying that the CITY
Councils are utterly worthless SO far as
their ability to legislate Tor the interest o.
tie taN-payiug citizens is concerned. Less
than halt dozen men control municipal
legislation, and the Councilmen, needless
OF the cry OF the people, vote the will of
those few men on all important questions
j is not possible for the citizens to get jus
ticn rom such 4 Council"
L am in avor of reducing the member
ship o. the select branch of Councils TO |
about p; and the common branch to one for |
each ward IN the city. Then l would have |
tAe Legislature repeal the act providing |
ior the payment OF the costs by |
the county in discharged criminal |
cases, and would use tbp |
money thus expended unjustIv. ii not ua-
lawfully, 10 pay the city Councilmen, Irtbe
Representatives were paid salary OF $500 or
81 OUU year, they would feel under some |
obligation to the people, and if they did net |
then vote in the interest cf the citizens the
latter could elect men who would. The
present system OF representation is simply
10 good and never will be good so long as
three or four men are allowed 10 control |
everything
James Campbell, ex-President of the Win
dow Glass Workers Association, was also |
satisfied that the committee would have the |
efcc: Of working many reforms, if properly |
handled, aud the people OF the entire South
side would unite in aiding to bring about a
oon et, -, IN finn of' 1re 1b;an+r