The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-04

to live up to their pledge. The MEM
bers of the board are elected by co,in-
ellis In joint session and the present
members serve until next May. The
law provides that vacancies shall be
filled as soon as created.
Common Councilman Luther Keller
stated last night to Tribune man
that an effort would be made to Sc
cure the election of citizens who are
not councilmen to fill these vacancies.
He has contended all along that with
councilmen on the board 1t Is absolute
ly impossible to pass any Legislation
regulating the board in any way.
LEAGUES SIDE OF CASE.
T.. B. Sturges yesterday gave the
following statement defining the NUM-
cipal leagues position with reference
to the indicted councilmen.
When the attorneys for the councilmen first
came to lis about ten days since, they stipulated
ior absolute silence on our part, as they were
honor, IL their propositions should be declined
But some OF their clients must have talked very
promptly, for, although nothing whatever has
come from ally member OF the Municipal Leag,ie,
yet the public seems to be already quite we'll In
formed as to the situation.
Now, however, few words as to the settle
mcnt. and our motives for joining in the request
10 tile court and district attorney to allow II 10
be made, seem necessary.
As matter of course, the great expense at
tending the prosecution (borne by very few;
the doubt as to securing convictions owing 10
the low average of our juries, which we fear Is
10 cont niue for another year At least ami tile feel-
ing that even after conviction, political influence
might be used to secure pardons, all had their
effect But none OF these decided the matter,
for this had been mere or less anticipated from
the start. The proposition as originally pre-
sentcd by the defendants, which was All offer to
resign, and a promise not to hold office again
for FIVE years. was not tavorably received But
after full consideration 1t was almost unanimous
ly the opinion of the members of the executive
committee that such designations, accompanied
by written statement Of the reasons therefor.
and by some restitution Of funds illegitimately
received, would have a better effect than many
convictions.
The object OF the Municipal League as at least
one paper has stated, is not primarily to punish
and cause distress. but to purify our city and
to raise the standard Of public morality from
the low level that it has reached in nearly al:
departments of our government. 1t seemed to
lis that such designations, agreement and resti-
tutions, could not fail to satisfy future candi-
dates for public office that they must do their
sworn duty or accept certain punishment there
for.
DIFFERENCE OF GRADE.
Next to this judgment, perhaps, the most con-
vincng argument was the difference in the
grades OF guilt OF the parties already indicted.
-Four or five of these men were merely beginners
in the doodle busintss.and yet they ln,st suher
as much as the most hardened, longtime bribe
takers, since they had foolishly cast their lots
all in together. In fact, they would be the
ones that would most certainly and easily he
convicted since some of them, at least, would
never have added perjury to their other offences,
as has already been done. both by brihe-giyers
and brbe-takcrs Some of these lesser Offenders
have confessed their wrong-doing. virtually put
ting themselves in our hands. Interviews l have
bul fba,p nn1 thpi
would almost melt heart of stone. So the
worst offenders have had the benefit of the clen-
ency we feel should be shown to the others.
As to the money penalty, it might well have
been demanded that it he paid to committee,
to assist in our future work. but we felt that
as the best object lesson for both the guilty OF
hcals and the general public. it should be equal
ly divided among four most worthy charities,
which we alone named That is the Lackawan-
ma hospital, the llahnemam hospital. the liome
for the Friendess and st. Josephs Founding
Home.
should say further. that the personal element
entered somewhat into the matter Messrs.
O'Brien and Horn. while making every effort to
properly defend their clients, have been perfectly
and when they came to me they gave the propo-
sition far more weight than it would have had
ii presented by men of 4 lower standard OF pro-
fessional character.
onc-half of the councimen, as to whose guilt
we have evidence. Some of thcm for reasons
not necessary now to disclose, have not yet even
been arrested The position OF oir committee
understand to be, that ii these men. on or be-
fore the 10th of December. come in and go
through the same process rs the Others have done,
they will receive the same lcniency. This, how
ever. is not to be done unless the movement lie
gcncral for cannot extend this clemency TO
three or four who the most guilty, while
the others remain outside. Ii, within that time,
they do not come in, we shall proceed with our
prosecutions and shall never extend to them the
for Ip
They must secure an acquittal by jury or accept
full punishment. As to those who have offered
bribcs, the Municipal League will do its best
to ferret out and punish these offenders. without
fear or favor Whether it will succeed not
depends the amount of perjury and political
influence it has to meet and overcome; but
against some of them VIC feel that VIC already
have ample evidence.
WILL CONTINUE WORK.
The Municipal League will continue It's work so
long as such work be needed. The men who are
in it went in without any prejudice against any
one. and with full understanding that the
work that they had undertaken was matter of
years and not OF months. The expense attend
ing it is enormous, and we ask corporation OF
all those who are us much ourselves interested
in good government.
There is way in which many good citizens
car and should assist the movement. Since my
election as jury commissioner | have been fire.
qucntly accosted by residents with the remark,
"Please doE't put me in the Wheel or, ~ am
exempt, ! cannot serve ii DRAWN The man
who, even If exempt, will not serve in these
times OF special effort and OF great personal
sacrifice on the part of the few, is unworthy of
citizenship. The commissioners elected in No.
vomber have had nothing to do with filling the
wheel for the year 1901 The character of
very large proportion Of the names put in the
wheel can be surnised The only chance for
securing justice in jury trials, where law
breakers of note are concerned, during that year
will be for every intelligent, conscientious man
that may be drawn. whether rich or poor to do
his duty and serve. He can at least prevent the
innocent, and in that way have part in the
work that will, we believe, make Scranton fit
place of residence for honest men, whether rich
poor.