Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-01
A BATTLE ON THE AUDIT.


Council After Being Eotly Contested
Mr.. o'DonneI Tries to Block 1t on q
Technically and Gets Called Down.
Next to the Mayors vetoes the final
passage of the amended auditing ordinance
in Common Council was the most important
business of Councils. Like the vetoes it
threw the larger branch into fever-heated
hight. Chairman Holiday announced it and
then paused for remarks. These were not
long coming. Mr. O'Donnell called atten-
tion to the word ''momentary" in the first
section and asked what it meant President
Holiday examinated the printed copies and
replied that the word was typographical
error; it should be monetary"
Mr.. O'DonneIl-The ordinance should go
back for reprinting.
President Holliday-The original copy,
which hold in my hard and which reads
correctly, is the only one binding the city.
However, I am ready for the action of
Council
Mr.. O'Donnell-I think you should rule
that the bill go back.
President Holliday-The Chair will not
do so. Do you make such motion?
Mr.. O'Donnell-Yes, but don't suppose
it will pass. Laughter
Mr.. Blgham-I hope this motion will not
pass. There should be no more monkeying
with this matter. 1t is simply typo
graphical error, such as may occur any time.
As Mr. O'Donnell predicted, his motion
did not pass, and the ordinance was taken
up. Mr.. O'Donnell moved that the amend
ment offered by the committee on the whole,
placing the audit in the hands of the Con-
troller instead of a committee of Councils,
be stricken out
Ruled Out Of Order.
Mr.. Bigham-I raise the point of order
that the amendment is not in order
The Chair-The point is well taken.
Mr.. O'Donnell-That pointhas never be-
fore been raised in Councils NV motion is
common in Legislative and Congressional
practice.
The Chair-You moved to strike out and
insert.
Mr.. O'Donnell-Only to strike out.
The Chair-The ordinance being on a
third reading, the Chair rules that it can be
amended only in committee of the hole.
MI. O'Donnell-To strike out is not to
amend
The Chair-It changes the ordinance and
so Is an amendment.
Mr.. O'Donnell-Win you yield to the
rulings of the Senate or House of Repre-
sentatlveso
The Chair-You have the floor. You can
offer what you please.
Mr.. ODonnell read an extract from the
State Senate records to sustain his position.
When ne finished the Chair put the ordi-
nance on third reading and it passed Mr..
O'Donnell took the floor again and began
an appeal
President Holiday The Chair is in
cllned to lose patience. The gentleman at
first favored an auditing ordinance, and now
is doing all in his power against it.
Mr.. O'Donnell-I never favored this or
dinance. The ordinance favored was en-
tirely different, even the title has been
changed. This ordinance will likely pass
and L desire TO enter my objections: First,
it places the controller in an awkward posi-
tion. An act of assembly empowers the
controller to audit the accounts of the city.
1t does not empower him to 60 back over
the old accounts. Some years ago when Mr.
Mccarthy was Mayor and prominent poll
tician was treasurer, Mccarthy intimated
that things were not as they should be. He
said that if the people would elect him Con-
troller he would make investigations. Nc
Carthy was elected Controller and when he
was asked why he did not audit the Treas
urer's books, he claimed that the act did not
give him the right to do So 1 claim this
ordinance confers on the Controller only
such power as he now has, and councils can
not confer on him any power not given by
the act of Assembly.
As Far Back as the Audit Goes.
The Chair-You know Mr.. Morrow has
been Controller for ten years?
Mr.. O'Donnell-Yes.
The Chair-And the audit goes hack for
ten years?
Mr. O'Donnell-I claim that this or
dance can't compell the controller to audit
the accounts because the act of assembly
does not SO specify his duty. The purpose
of this amendment is to kill the ordinance.
When It is passed it can't be enforced L
don't know what position the controller
will assume, but he can assume that taken
by his predecessor.
Mr.. Wright-If the controller refuses to
audit the accounts then he must SO report to
Councils When that is done, it is time for
US to take action.
Mr.. O'Donnell-Don't you know that Mr..
Morrow has been controller tor ten or
twelve years?
Mr.. WriSht-Yes
Mr.. O'Donnell - Has there been an
audit :?
Mr.. Wright don't know. This ordi-
nance gives the controller the power to
make an audit.
Mr.. Donley-I always believed the con-
troller the proper auditor, and have no
political reasons to influence me, not to cast
any reflections ON the gentlemen from the
Sixteenth ward. Experts are needed for
this work, and do not think they could be
found in Councils.
The ordinance was put to a vote and
passed, with q alternatives and II negative
votes. The ballot stood:
Ayes-Messrs. Ausloch, Bigham, Brown,
Donley, Delaney, Dunn, Elliott, Ertzman,
Fox, Groetzinger, Hagmaier, Jarrett, John
ston, Kelly, King, Lowry, Mason, McEldoW-
ney, MacGonigle, MCGUIRE, Pitcairn, Shan
non, Tagsart, Vogt, Wallace, Wright and
President Holliday-N
Noes-Messrs. Ferguson, Finn, Gallagher,
Iarlfn, Metcalfe, Mccarthy, O'Connor,
o'Donnell, Pfeifer, Russell and Stewart-ll
TO LEAVE BUSINESS TAX THE SAMK
Resolution which Mr.. MacGonigle