Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-05-04
The COUNCIL GETS kYEN.
UnmaSking the "HOlier Than
Thou Mayor.
APPROVES ORDINANCE AND FRANCHISE
Which He Afterwards Attacks
the Council For Pass
ing.


own veto messages Thursday even-
ing, the council gave him "Roland
for an Oliver'' in the following CEN
sure which was drawn up by Coun-
Gilman Moores, and was signed by
every member of the council:
THE CENsURRE.
ave, the undersigned members Of
the common council of the city of
Salem, while differing among our
sel> es in regard to certain features
of the ordinance providing
for the improvement Of Chem
eketa street, respectfully, but unani-
mously, protest against u number of
irreyelant comments contained in
the message vetoiug SAID ordinance.
We submit that matters of personal
resentment should have no place in
official communication directed to
the council. The suggestion that
the passage of said ordinance
was the result of undue pressure,
or of improper motives, espec-
tally in view of the fact that
no protest against its passage
was ever submitted. as an unjust re-
Election upon the members of this
bo1y aud upon many of our best
citizens resident upon Chemeketa
street, who are in favor of the pas
4age of said ordinance. We further
protest that message addressed by
the mayor to the council is in the
nature Of private communi-
cation, aud that its publication
20 the world, prior to its receipt
and consideration by the body
70 whom it is addressed, is
breach of courtesy, which is with
,ut precedent, and in view of the
pleasant personal and official rela
lions which have heretofore existed
between the mayor and the council,
is without warrant. In the message
approving the ordinance providing
for the improvement of South Com
nercial street, which was adver-
tised in the public prints prior to its
receipt by the council, this
oody is publicly censured for its
failure to properly protect
the interests of the city in
the ordinance granting a franchise
to the Capital City railroad over said
street. While dissenting from the
views of the mayor in regard to the
merits of said ordinance, we submit,
that in any event, his censure, thus
publicly administered, is unWar-
ranted, particularly when the fact is
considered that the mayor himself
approved the ordinance without any
adverse comment whatever. If
said ordinance did not. in his judg-
ment, properly guard the interests
of the city, it was his duty to with
hold his approval and interpose
his objection at time when they
could have been made effective in
stead of approving the ordinance,
and then in a subsequent message
publicly censuring the council for
passing it. 1t is practically inn
possible for collective body like the
council to make the same critical
analysis of all measures submitted
as it Ia for the mayor, to whom is
given the completed work, who has
an abundance of time to consider it,
md to whom is given the oppOr-
tunity of hearing all objections
often denied the council. AS CO.
ordinate branch of the city govern
ment we are desirous only Of the
most wholesome legislation, and
while having no concern In anony-
nous attacks designed simply to
make political capitsl, and pleading
our inability to grant all petitions
duu ItulOLlSNld dhSOot Va w iNOShNiiS
all conflicting interests or opinions,
we stand at all times ready to give
respectful consideration to any sug-
gestions, properly submitted, and
looking towards an economical and
Observation-Disclosures of affairs
The censure was adopted unani-
mously and placed on file. 1t bore
the signatures of j. G. johnson and
NJ. w. Hunt, councilmen first ward;
f. NJ. LAHORE, G 20. Collins, council
men second ward q. b MoOres, g
J. Olmsted. coucilmen third ward;
o. ID. Hutton. III. l.. Lam0ureux,
cOunclmen fourth ward,
The "censure" squares accounts
with Mayor darcy aud was a sur
prise to all, and especially the mayor
who was entirely unprepared for It..
The document was drawn up in the
elegant and forcible language Of
Alderman MoOres VINO is himself
not a boomer.
Two AND A HALF. That Is, we