The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-11
Sensational Report by the Busi-
ness Mems Committee.
A Low STANDARD OF MORALITY.
The Real Estate Boom Said TO Have
Made Triekery Tolerable.
Condemnation OF Councilman Caven-
der, Treasurer McTauley and Presi-
dent Taylor-The Present Mayor and
Council Incompetent Rather Than
Dishonest.

eating committee appointed by the Cham
Ger OF Commerce TO determine the cause
OF the unfortunate financial conG-uon OF
the city. made a long report tonight. The
report says n part:
In isSS and 1Sss there came "a this city
from al sections OF the country great
part OF our present population, ana large
ly for the purpose OF speculation. They
were almost wholly strangers 10 che an
other, and were separated from the re-
straining influences OF old and familiar
associations. Some were OF that class
which leaves It's country for Its country
good and they naturally continued here
the same practices which had ri ndered
longer residence in other PAGES undesir-
able Dlsreputable real estate deals were
a matter OF daily occurrence. until faInils-
arity with them begat an indifference upon
the part Of those, who under no c-rcun-
stances would have been connected with
them. Here. as elsewhere. the better ele-
meat. especially OF business men, desired
no political preferment In the way OF mu-
niclpal office, and the result was that in
competent and INSCRIPTIONS men sought
and obtained public office merely for the
purpose Of public plunder. By reason OF
all this there was established here "A low
standard of business and official integrity,
and We are today reaplng tho results NOT
only are our public funds squandered and
iiclals, but Eastern capitalists refuse long r
TO make investments here, until integrity
and capacity shall have become the chlef
characteristics or Official and business me
Another element which has entered in
10 the c0rruptiug influence on ofhclal NE
has been the unxarrantabie right Which a
single corporation has assumed 10 exercise
in city and county affairs. This corpora
ton seems to overlook the fact that the
true interests of itself and those of the
city Of Tacoma cannot be separated, ana
that its only effort in political way should
be to Join with those who seek only for
good government aud place men In onlce
solely because of their fitness and capacity
for the various places they are elected 10
fiji Such course VIII place IN Office men
who will administer affairs IN the interest
of the entire city. and incidentally TO the
best good of every individual, company or
corporation in IL, and 50 give TO us clean
and capable management of public aHa-rs.
Whereas placing In office men VINO VIII ac-
cept such places pledged to the interests OF
any one person or corporation IS simply
comforting a power for wrongdoing upon
those who are either mentally or morally
nnfit even to exercise the right OF suf-
frage: and an element Of either lncapaclty
or corr4pt.on, or both combined, Is inlro-
duced into the management OF puphc al
fairs.
Nomination and election to office has IN
the past been brought about too frequent
Is by the use OF money and other Naiuanle
considerations. We cannot expect purity
iu office and good government so long as
the voter is Influenced by other than his
own best Judgment in the selection oi can
ddates From the evidence presented 10
your committee II Is evident tHai the most
corrupt election ever had in Tacoma was
that authorizing the purchase Of the light
! To- faH aKrn l.
Tee is divided in opinion as 10 the wisdom
of the purchase by the city. il is unant-
nous in condemning the method by which
Is was accomplished.
concerning the loss OF city funds. II is
not at all difficult 10 locate the immediate
responsibility. The principal cause rests
with an incompetent council which 1n the
absence Of one atom of business sense per
rni4ted an unscuIpulous treasurer 10 jug
Q}e with the funds for his own personal
profit and 10 the CityS ultimate loss II Is
unnecessary n this time TO euumeraie the
various processes by means OF which this
was ACCOMPLISHED as You are all familiar
with most OF them Notable among them,
however. was the preteuse that 10 was
done for the public good and for the pur-
pose of protecting the hanks ~ the city.
when. as matter OF fact, the treasurer
was doing IL for his own personal profit,
and incidentally keeping alive lot ct rot
frn concerns miscalled banks. which up 10
The time Of their final closing were CON
etant menace 20 legitimate and suhsjan-
tial banks as we'll as to the general bust
ness interests Of the city. and a blot upon
the citv's good name. The application of
a little sense on the part Of the council.
mere especially by its finance committee.
would have prevented all this Coming
down % the spring ~ 1874 We find a finance
committee formed fov the express purpose
of saving what could be- saved Of this fund.
and us chairman definitely pledged 20 this
end How inteliEently and faithfully he
redeemed his pledge the following story
VIII Indicate:
In regard to the official conduct Of
Councilman Q. :. Cavcndcr. Your commit
tee has given much time and thorough in
vosficatlon. Nr Cave0dcr had the repu-
tatlon. prior 20 his nomination and cleo
'ion ri being thoroughly honest and com
feterf and it was hcca Gsc ~ firm belief
in hfz honesty and hts competence that he
was indc~se3 almost unanimously hV the
Municipal League on the tth CAV Of
March tSat which Ssft league was com
posed for the most part ~ citizens NJ the
second ward where Mt Cayer5ev lived
AMI which ward he was to represent iu the
raftnrI The i03oreeuleut 0f Mr. C'attraer
rN thp Municipal League under fh. FORE
going efrrf- f-,elauree rendered his norfna-
t{on erf7 election sure. aUd IL was d fore
gone conclusion from the date ~ said ln-
sg.f~ee rtesst that BE Uuuj8 bc nominated
srf elected aS councilman from th, s7tt
Second warf on the 01th day ~ March.
1>4t he was nominated for councilman
from, sai3 ward NV tha rirr Republican
convention and hi4 nomination was eerrt-
fe7 ~ by tAc dent and chairman ~
tAet convention to fNe city cl.rk under
dat. ~ March * tSai ON the 81 lav of
Ar~.I t>as ho was tulv elected ar3 ',.ra 01a
ssea 4rfafEHaF a~7 qrtfrE ~Ettv Gilman r-7-rf