Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-16

WANTS MORE POWER
Mayor Gourley Thinks He Should
Have Supervision Over All
the City Departments.
HE WILL MAKE A HOT FIGHT FOR 1T
Provided the Governor Is Influenced Enough
by His Letter to Veto the
Supplement Act.
HE WILL MAKE A HOT FIGHT FOR 1T
SOME FIREWORKS BEFORE THE FOURTH.
Senator Finn Says Man Has a Right to Be Re.
former if He Chooses.

Mavor Gourley wants more power. He
feels that he should have more to say about
the city government than he is at present
allowed. Before he gets it, or before he is
satisfied that he cannot get it, there will be
some lively times about City Hall The
hatchet has been unearthed and war is in
evitable Both sides have thrown up their
intrenchments and trained their batteries on
each others strongholds What the out
come will be is hard to determine. 1t will
depend very much on whether or not Gov
ernor Pattison signs the bill defining the
powers of the chiefs of departments. If
the bill is vetoed there will be fireworks be-
fore the Fourth Of csly. If it becomes a
law the Mayor will fail to secure what he
desires.
The Mayor believes that the chiefs of de-
partments should not be allowed entire
control of their portions of the city govern
ment, and that Councils never gave to him
the power over these departments granted
in the city charter. Section u of the charter
reads:
The Mayor shall have genesq-ai supervision
of all the departments, with power to direct
their officers within their duties, under the
law and ordinances.
Mayor Gourley's Little Hstchet
This is the weapon His Honor proposes to
shake at his opponents in his fight for power.
He wants supervision % the departments
therefore the fameffs letter to Governor
Pattison. The letter was written over two
weeks ago and has been on file since then.
In speaking of the matter yesterday the
Mayor said:
oThe city charter does not intend that
chiefs of departments shall be responsible
TO nobody for their acts. 1t provides that
the Mayor shall have general supervision
over all departments, but there is nothing
to signify what that supervision means.
Councils in making up the charter ordi-
nance should have designated what the
Mayors powers are in relation to the de-
partments Up to this time the only con-
nection the Mayor has hal with the de-
partments has been to recei e their annual
reports. That could hardly be called gen.
eral supervision.
eff the Governor declines to sign the
supplement to the charter do you intend to
do anything on this matter?"
'NTost assuredly do. 1 will find out
Just what powers are granted to the Mayor
under the charter and will see what can be
done. In regard to the statement that 1
proposed to take personal charge of Chief
Browns department, all have to say is
that l never made such a statement.
The Point Made by His Honor.
sNIy point is that the chiefs of depart
ments should be responsible to somebody,
and the charter intended it should be to the
Mayor, who should have power to enforce
certain things in connection with their
operations. For this reason am opposed to
the supplement comforting more powers on
the chiefs. Councils should be the bodies
to regulate the duties of the chiefs. 1t is
wrong for the Legislature to do thiS'
EVERYBODY is on the anxious seat over the
prospects of battle All ewes are turned
on the Executive at Harrisburg, as the fight
depends on his decision. There were sew
eral sensational rumors about City Hall
Yesterday, one of which was that Mayor
Gourley was being backed by Senator Quay
in his attack on his Republican colleagues
This the Mayor denied emphaticallv, and
definite about it.
Senator Finn returned from Harrisburg
yesterday morning. He is apparently not
greatly agitated over the attack of the
Mayor, and smiled when approached about
IL.
Has No Fight With the Mayor.
81 have no fight with Mayor Gourley,"
said he, "and do not propose to have any,
1 have no time for fighting. His Honor
seems to have plenty of leisure for it,
though, and it would be wrong to disturb
him. he was part and parcel of what he
styles the ring for 10 years, but now he has
become a reformer, which is a privilege of
his. In this country every man has some
privileges, you know"
''How about the Withdrawal ofthe charter
amendment
sit was withdrawn on the advice of at
torneys, as it contained more than one SUBJ
jeet."
City Attorney Moreland has no fear about
the position of the chiefs. He said
''The Supreme Court has said their posi-
tions are correct do not believe there is
the least doubt about the chiefs holding
their positions as already decided by the
court"
Chief Bigelow declines to discuss the sit
uation. He does not seem to be greatly dis
tUrbed. Chief Brown says he is still Chief
of the Department of Public Safety, and
proposes to remain so until the end of his |
term