The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-14
SCRANTON MEN active.
They Figured Extensively In the
Reading Municipal Convention.
MR. TORKEY GIVEN FIRST PLACE
lie Is Made Chairman Of the Permanent
Committee Of City Solicitors Which
VIII Frame Amendments-A Talk
on the WOrl, of the Convention.

well satisfied with the work thut was
done there. AS indicated in the United
Press reports Scranton figured exten-
siveiy in the doings of the convention.
City Solicitor Torrey was made chair
man of the executive committee, COM
posed of the city solicitors of all the
cities represented, which is the prin-
cipal office within the gift OF the con-
vention. The Scranton delegates did
some quiet work towards having Mr.
Torrey made chairman of the conVen-
tion. and had succeeded in winning
over the committee on nominations. but
Just before the committee retired to
frame Its report Mr. Torrey had his
name withdrawn, as an act Of courtesy
to the Reading people who wanted one
of their men honored with the position.
The outcome of affairs showed that this
was the best arrangement after all. for
as stated above MIR. Torrey was given
the most important position created by
the convention. This committee has
been called to meet In this city on May
&c 1t will then proceed to frame what
ever amendments II Is proposed TO have
introduced at the next session of the
legislature. B.. .'ih ''
WORK OF THE CONVENTION.
Mr.. Torrey, when seen yesterday af-
ternoon by a Trtbun reporter, gave
the following interesting resume of the
work OF the conventions:
There We're fifteen cities represent
ed i'm the convention by about seventy
delegates. The convention having no
definite formulated business to trans
act, its work was necessarily prelim-
mary and tentative. 1t was recognized
that it would be impossible to ade-
! quately discuss such changes in the
municipal law as might be desired by
the numerous delegates in such con-
ventfon without any previous formula
tion of the changes. The convention,
therefore, at its first session, after Or
ganizing. appointed committee to rec
ommend an order Of business for the
| convention and q scheme of future
work. OF this committee Scranton was
accorded tha craftsmanship. At its
meetings upon Thursday, the conven-
| tion adopted the report of this COM
mittee, which provided that the city
solicitors of all the cities In the state
should constitute q committee to which
should be referred all proposed changes
in the municipal law, and which COM
mittee should formulate such changes
in proper form for presentation to the
legislature, and submit them to an ad
journed meeting Of the convention,
which was fixed to be held in Williams
port. This recommendation was adopt
ed and the city solicitors present in the
convention organized by electing the
city solicitor of Scranton as It's chair
man, and the city solicitor of Chester,
Mr.. Cochran, as recording secretary,
and City Solicitor Stuart, of Carbon
dale. corresponding secretary, and the
! first meeting Of the committee was
| called at Scranton on the 26th Of May.
| The remainder of the sessions of the
| convention Of Thursday were occupied
in the brief presentation by delegates
| of such complaints and criticisms of
| the practical working of the municipal
act of 1889, as 1t had discovered by
| them, and as to which changes Were
| desired.
| SENTIMENT NOT RADICAL.
1t may safely be said that the general
sentiment of the convention was rather
| conservative than radical, and that 1t
was not deemed wise to throw over
board the frame of municipal govern
| ment which we now hive, and which in
| many particulars has proved to be sat
| isfactory. and which has been for over
| twenty years In use, and has been
twice within that time entirely revised
and frequently amended, and which
| has in many of its provisions been al
! ready construed and its meaning fixed
| by the decisions of the courts, and
! strike out upon some new scheme of
municipal government, based upon the
! ories. however plausible, of the advan-
| tages to be derived from the change.
| A great deal was said in the conven-
! tion and in the newspa pers With ref
| erence to home rule" for cities, but
| II was difficult to understand precisely
| what was meant by that phrase, mas
much as there is and has been since
the constitution of 1874 no special leg
islation for cities, and therefore no leg
| islative interference with local self
| government There was frequently
| expressed desire to secure a greater de-
| gree of tieXibility in the act so that 1t
might be adapted more perfectly to the
| wants OF the largest and the smallest
! cities of the class; and there is no doubt
| that in many of the changes which may
be made such fleXibility will be secured,
| so far as it Is practicable to accom-
| plish 1t under general legislation 1t
| was found among the representatives Of
| the cities assembled that the matters
| which give the most annoyance and
anxiety with them as in Scranton
| were not so much the result of
| defects in past legislation OrA'equire-
| ments for new legislation, as they We're
| In constitutional restrictions upon any
| legislation as the constitution is inter-
| preted by the supreme court, so that up
| on those subjects the cities, the conven-
| ton and the legislature are all equally
| poweress to accomplish any beneficial
| results. A large number of matters
were suggested nd cursorily discussed,
| which will be incorporated in sugges-
| tons for amendments to the municipal
! act and many of which would no doubt
| be Of advantage to the cities.
The members of the convention We're
most generously and Hospitality enter
| tanned by the council and citizens of
Reading. and u bounteous dinner was
| rendered them at the Mineral Springs
park, belonging to the city, on Thurs
day afternoon. and only the blizzard
| prevented one or two short excursions
which had been planned and arranged
! for"