Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-05
A LACK OF CONFIDENCE

Is the Way W. j. Howard Sums Up the
Cause for a Public Meeting-Immediate
Action Necessary-M. A. Woodward Has
Something to Say.
The text Of the letters from W. j. Howard
and NJ. A. Woodward, as read by Mayor
Gourley, is as follows:
PITTsBURG. April l.
Hon. II. l. Gourley, Mayor:
DEAR SIR am in receipt this morning Oh
your invitation to attend the meeting OF citi-
zens at Council chamber to-day to "e1amne
into and discuss other legisla tion relating TO
Pittsburg, now before the Legislature" and
regret that am unable to be present. How
ever, l hold myself subject to any request from
you for all the personrl aid 1 can render to Sc
cure proper and efficient legislation to promote
the general interest and welfare of the city.
may suggest to you that from the many SUD-
jects contained in the proposed legislation and
their complex nature, with the very llnlteu
knowledge concerning them as yet had by the
people, any discussion or examination OF tnem
In general meeting would at best be
Unsatisfactory and Confusing.
They require close and careful inspection
to understand their relation TO and effect upon
the public interests, as well as the private
rights of the individual citizen and taxpayer
Very able counsel employed by the city have
considered and drafted them, but as all wisdom
is not contained in the legal profession, a little
leaven of the practical, hard, everyday busi-
ness sense and experience of some of your lead
Ing business men and taxpayers may be able to
throw defects to the surface, and suggest ad.
ditional safeguards which l feel assured would
be gladly adopted by those having the subject
in special charge.
Such committee of gentlemen might be Sc
lected at your meeting to-day, who could and
would promptly give time and labor to the mat
Na, -, ,,rftl lnn( n
with whose report and advice concerning them
the public would be satisfied. If possible full
publicity should be given by a publication Of
the bills themselves at length in the press
AS the session of the Legislature is rapidly
drawing to a close, action should be promptly
taken; but it is desirable to avoid the dangers
and complications of having general meeting
of citizens hastily called together, passing
judgment or approval or disapproval after two
or three hours discussion upon the proposed
laws. which not only to bear upon Pitts
pality in the State, and in and about which
every other community has like right to be
heard.
shows a Lack of Confidence.
No one will, however, misunderstood the un-
derlying purpose and aim of the meeting or
fail to appreciate the fact that it expresses a
want of confidence in the integrity of some of
the city departments and determination that
a better management and condition of some of
llS puOilC aualrs Siall preVau III tue lubuIc.
Very respectfully yours. w. j. HOWARD
NJ. A. Woodward, Esq, sent the follow
ing:
PIFTsBURG, April 4.
Hon. h. l. Gourley, Mayor, ETC.:
DEAR SIR-Your invitation to a public meet
ing this afternoon just received. l greatly re-
gret that l cannot attend, as have something
to say in the interest of the city as respects
both the city government and the property
holder, for whom that government should be
more jealous than it is to secure perfect and
equal justice.
am one of the pallbearers at Mr. Alex M.
Watson's funeral this afternoon. Yours re-
spectfuly, Nj. A. WOODWARD.