Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-01

many instances the welfare and comfort Of
each inhabitant, the name and honor OF the
city and the presttve of ones party: A rep
resentative committee of citizens. entirely
free from personal or political obligations,
viii be of incalculable service to our COM
munity in the present crisis. Such men
must admit, that hitherto, they have given
administration Of mum mnniciiWi sffairs BY ph those
ntrusted with the same. If the present in
oentiyes are without effect then our city can
oe placed in the category of ring-ridden,
over-ta1ed, slip-shod cities SO numerous in
many parts of the country.
The Time to Take Action.
Harsh, indeed, would be the words neces-
sary to describe some of the social and po-
liticals evils that have lately disgraced our
city; increased salaries and additional re-
tainers will only add to our burdens and rem
der resistance less effective hereafter. Al
ready movements are on foot. through local
and State legislation, requiring in some in
stances the support and in others the active
opposition of an organization representing
the citizens at large. We are threatened
with the arbitrary division of our wards, the
disruption of our school districts, election
of unfit men for heads of departments, and
the acceptance of laws entirely incompati-
bic with the real interests of the COM
munity. Shall we stand idly by and permit
any and all things without q protestf
BY this time the reform movement had
spread to every ward in the city. Reform
had become the issue in the councilmanic
fight, and on election day the reform lines
were unconsciously drawn at every voting
precinct in the city. The result at the
polls was gratifying to Mr. Shiras, who still
stood alone as the Reform Association, the
Citizens Committee and the Committee of
Fifty. The strength evidenced by the
movement was making it too popular to be
i L ID T 8har
Joined with Mr.. Shiras, and the two had
little trouble In enrolling
Long List of Prominent People
who had indicated their willingness to
assist in the work of the Citizens Commit
tee. The gentlemen selected to serve on
this Committee are as follows:
Henry Holdship, Captain James T. Chal-
FAINT, A. NJ. Marshall, JAMES Bovard, Henry
kleber. Henry w. Gerwig, George ?. Hamil-
Wilhelm, Jr., James Fl. Aiken, John Hood
John S. slagle, Simon McRoberts, Will
lam Allen, George A. Kelly, Thomas II.
SiSeser' seSeder' NJ MGTsgGmsry %eC1nn@y stevaTt F. w
Scott, Henry Robinson. James II. wilcox
a. F. Leggatc, r. L. Thompson, J. c. Lappe,
Theodore Sproull, G. Dellenbaugh, Addison
Jysle, John n. Davidson, James E. McCord.
Alexander Patterson, F. G. Paulson, W. n.
Howard, Major 8. l.. McHenry, Thomas
Jamison, Moses Atwood. r. 5. Smith, Rev. NJ
Byllesby, G. Eisenbeis. Frank n. Lea, J. W.
J. Mclean. George L. Shaw, Andrew L. Rob-
inson, II. F. Carr. r. w. Means, A H. Book
ing, George l.. South, c. W. Robb, Robert B.
Lea.
When the new Councils organized their
first work was the adoption of the charter
making it city of the second class. The
charter provided for departments of the
CITY government and Councils were re-
quired to fix the authority and salaries of
the heads of those departments, determine
the number of clerks to be employed in
each department and the salaries to be paid
them.
Result of the Committees Labors
The Citizens Committee worked in every
direction for reform. The number of en-
ploves and the salaries proposed for them
bv what was then known as the ring ele-
ment were greatly reduced The charter
was amended to prohibit police interference
at elections; the participation of city en-
ployes in nominating conventions was pro-
hibited, and an annual auditing of the cty's
account by expert auditors was provided
for This was the most important work of
the committee, and as soon as the expert
auditors went to work some of the city
officials began going to Jail, while others
began lodging about to avoid an arresting
officer.
The Reform Committee is now permantly
organized. The officials of the organization
have never been made public, but they meet
regularly. "We have made fairly good
start. but we have only fairly started" the
President of the association said last night.
Allegheny needed reform" he concluded,
''and she is getting good dose of it,