The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-20

The movement to place the public
library under the direct control of
councils was suddenly blocked last
night bv select council, where it orig
mated. That branch, by a vote of
eleven to eight, reconsidered its former
action i'm passing a resolution provid-
ing for the auditing of all claims
against the library by the Joint audit
ing committee, and indefinitely post
poned action on the resolution, which
means that it is now as dead as the
proverbial door-nail.
During the debate on the matter, Mr..
Roche and several others said som~
cutting things anent the library trus-
tees The matter came up under the
sixth order of business and was
brought up by Mr.. oliver, who moved
that council reconsider action on the
library resolution. Mr.. Roche objected,
stating that as the resolution was now
in the hands of common council it was
not before the house and could not,
therefore, be reconsidered.
Mr., O'Boyle also vigorously contend
ed that the motion was out of order,
but the chair decided to entertain it.
Mr. Roche, as one of the principal sup
porters of the resolution, then made q
brief speech, i'm which he said:
when l voted in favor of this reso =
luton, | couldn't see any good argu-
ment against it, and | don't now. /
should like to read one of the rules of
council (here he read the rule provid-
ing that all claims against the city
shall be audited by the auditing COM
mittee). If we want to live up to our
rules, this resolution must be passed.
1t is our bounden duty to pass it.
think that the agitation in the news
papers on this question was entirely
due to the uncalled-for remark of the
gentleman from the Ninth about sec
ond cousins looking for jobs.
II think that what | am pleased ia
term the nasty insinuations Of Judgc
Hand and others in the premises were
not justified at all. I am warm sup
porter of the library, and always have
been, still l don't think an exception
should be made in it's management
The trustees should not be given cart,
blanche to do as they please with the
city's money any longer"
The supporters OF the motion to re
consider didn't say much in support OF
it, evidently realizing they had enough
votes, and that they had was proven
by the following vote:
Neas-Ross, Finn. Thomas. Williams
! James. Chittenden Wagner, Schneider
Lidstone, Oliver, ClemOns-11.
Nays-Costello, Roche, Melvin, Shea
Mccain. O'Boyle. Vaughan. Coyne-S
VAUGHAN's MAIDEN SPEECH.
The vote was strictly party one, al
the Democrats opposing reconsdera.
ton. Mr.. Vaughan, in explaining hi!
vote, made his maiden speech in the
| new council. Among other things, he
! said:
Il find by examination of the city.
| books that of the SSS 900 appropriated
| for the library since it came under til,
| control of the city, only $4,000 ha.
| been spent for books. While | don
| exactly favor the present resolution. i
| is better than nothing at all. | thinI
| a good plan would be to have an item
| lied statement of all expenditures file
| with the controller for the infOrma tioi
| of the CounCilmen. This item of $22
a month for incidentals, for instance
| could cover whole lot of things, from
| wine supper down"
| Mr.. Chittenden next moved that ac
! tion on the resolution be indefinitel,
| postponed and the motion was adopted
| by the same vote.
| A resolution from common council
| providing for the eXoneration of certain
| taxes. caused Mr.. Oliver to protes
| vigorously against the passage of an,
more such resolutions. He said tha
several city solicitors had decided tha
councils couldn't eXonerate, and move,
that the matter be referred TO the com
mittee on taxes. with instructions t
have written opinion from the cit,
| solicitor on the matter. This mOtio
was adopted. and several other peti
tOns for generations We're referred t
| this same committee.
A communication was read frOr
Controller Howell stating that Will
there was just enough funds to Ia
for eight electric lights, provided fo
in recently passed ordinances, one O
these only appropriated $S5, wherea