The evening times., 1895-12-04
SMART QUAKERS.

An investigating committee appointed
a year ago by the Pennsylvania legisia
turc has been laboring at Philadelphia for
a brief season, and has already uncovered
enough of shady transactions to suggest
much more sensational matter TO come
1t is shown that contracts for paving were
let 10 favorites WHO sublet the work with
the connivance of Director of Public
Works wiDdrim, formerly Supervising
Architect OF the United States Treasury
Depart ment, with much profit to the
parent concern, which did not perform a
stroke OF work. .
Contracts for construction OF bridges
were given to the Mills Construction Com
pany at much higher figures than other
firms offered to do the work, and wit
ncsses testified that David Martin, the
former Philadelphia boss who was lead
er OF the famous ..hog combine" which
tried TO down Quay" has, with George
A. Castor and Magistrate Rash" Hack
ett, n controlling interest in the lucky con-
cerD. The laying of water mains which
one firm offered to do for 81 90 ,O0O cost
the city sl50,OOO when the political Job
bers interested In another firm got through
with their contract.
Women of the Health Protective Asso-
citation testified that when they complained
of the neglect of the street sweeping CON
tractors they were told by the inspector
that he could do nothing for the reason
that the contractors had a ''pulr' with
his superiors.
The investigation opens with these in
teresting developments, which suggest that
Philadelphia politicians have not been
greatly outdone by their brethren of New
York and Chicago. Pittsburg, also, asks
for the presence of the legislative comrnit-
tee to perfect exposures of municipal rot
tenness which are already begun in that
city.
One is led to a conclusion that it would
be an excellent proceeding for the States
throughout the whole Union to take in
hand a thorough investigation of municipal
government, tn clean the political Augean
stables and begin again with clean bill of
health.
DISTRICT COMMITTEES AGAIN.
1t is already apparent that a number
of energetic members of the House and
Senate are pulling the wires to secure
positions ON the District committees.
As a general proposition it may be ac-
cepted that members who seek places upon
these committees are good members to
be omitted. Let them be given honorable
positions in the Committee on Irrigation
of Arid Lands, the Cnrnfnittee on Mileage,
the Committee on Territories or the Com
mittee on Disposition of Useless Papers
in Executive Departments, but not in the
Committee on the District of Columbia.
Men who earnestly seek membership in
these committees of House and Senate will
be at once suspected of having axes to
grind. This is pre-eminentiy a case where
the office should seek the man through un-
Influenced selection by the creating powers.
No member of either branc. of Congress
upon whom a suspicion can rest of being
in sympathy with gas monopolies, rail
way impositions, such as offensive sta
tions and grade crossings, overhead troll
ley projects; syndicate plans for employ
ment of public money for improvement of
speculative suburban real estate or any SIM
liar schemes or constitutions" should be
given places in these committees. Such men,
bers might work honestly for the good OF the
District, but there are others who will do
as weI.