The record-union., 1899-10-25

upon each other.
But as these powers are mingled un
der our municipal system, it becomes
Of first Importance that the members
of the Board of Trustees should be
men Of receptive capacity, capable Of
listening, receiving testimony and in
formation, and carefully weighing them
and arriving at justified verdict as
to what is truth and justice. Any man
who goes into that board SO buttressed
by preconception, prejudice and stub
bornness as to be incapable of receiv-
ing and assinilating the truth, ceases
becomes simply the organ Of his own
ideas, errors, misinformation and pref
udices.
This is exactly the position of J. H
Devine, and we say it in sorrow
that such should be the truth regard
ing any man. His entire career in
the board has given undeniable eyi-
dence OF the fact With a modicum Of
learning, considerable fugitive and
superficial knowledge upon a variety
of subjects, he rises to the level of
gardless of her established laws, the
demonstrations of science, the proofs of
discovery and research, and the unde-
niable demonstrations made by human
experience during the ages. Repeat
edly during the last few years the
Record Union" has been compelled by
the sheer force of duty to the people
to say as much Of J. H. Devine, name
ly, that he is a self-opinionated, stub
born and bull-headed man, to whom it
is simply useless to present any prop
osition that does not happen to COM
port with his preconceived ideas-how
arrived at, it would be interesting to
know.
A scholar dealing with demonstrated
truths of science; a lawyer expounding
established principles of the law; a
merchant presenting for consideration
we'll known and immutablc codes of
commerce and trade: a mechanic ex-
planning the invariable laws of me-
chanics regarding strength of mater
ials and the economics Of construc-
ton and manufacture: a sanitarian re-
citing the laws of public health and
applying them to local conditions; an
engineer treating of drainage and the
water supply-all these address deaf
ears when presenting a subject to
Trustee Devine, if they do not happen
to agree with his pet notions and
cranky ideas.
| The very latest instance of this was
made manifest in the meeting of the
Board of Trustees on Monday night,
when Devine, with the assurance of ig-
norance and he stubbornness Of a bull
calf defed the truth in the debate con-
| corning the advice Of Water Expert
Engineer Herring, who has grown
| gray in the labors OF his profession,
and has made water, its sources and
its delivery the study Of lifetime
thereby attaining in the countries OF
both the old and the new world high
rank, and commanding the respect OF
millions Of people for his expert opia-
ions.
Mr. Deyine declared that there was
no man big enough to make him be-
lieve what Herring had advanced to
| the Water Committee. Neither Ex-
pert Hazen nor any one else could
make him believe that a deep we'll will
not drain the surface and then-heayer
save the mark-he cited the instance
Of that mud puddle, the sump, close
upon the river bank in river quick
sand, as proof. 1t may be safely ac-
cepted that if Devine should happen
to take the notion that the earth is not
globular in form, he would declare and
stick to his belief in the face OF
proofs absolutely irresistible by the resi-
of mankind.
! On the other hand the Republican
party presents the name of James
O'Neil to be elected to fill the place
now so i'll occupied by J. H. Devine
Mr.. O'Neil is a man of mature years
Of long business experience. of high
character, Of unquestioned integrity, o.
liberal information. But he is neithel
stubborn nor pig-headed. He has 9
judicial quality Of mind; he is con,
servatiYe but progressive. He never
forms his judgment until he hears botl
sides and fully weighs the facts pre-
sented. The people can lay their case.
before him with perfect assurance tha
they Will have fair hearing and no
be raked up against preconceived no.
tions, put beneath the heel of presump.
ton or sneered out of court by the as
sertion that he knows it all, and that
not even an angel of light and trutl
could convince him to the contrary
Let the people decide in the Sixth
Ward whether they will longer pu
UP with the Grass impudence and eff
frontery of a man who declares tha
scientific demonstration is to him o.
no value compared with his own idea.
and circumscribed experience.
The copperhead press is continual,
asserting that President Mckinley ha
no right to declare that the United
States win retain the Philippines. -Th
fact is that the Government of tn
| ITnitad Statn. has aln.on lxr ar4,lo nl,1a IL,