The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-01
GO INTO The
SECOND CLASS
THAT'S WHAT MAYOR Mo1R AND
j. A. LANSING SAY.
They Don't Favor the idea Of Amend
ing the Third Glass City Law SO as
to Keep Scranton in That Class.
Mr.. Lansing Says That It Would
Be Very Unwise Not to Get Out of
a Glass Where the City Has Been
Hampered for Years-Mr Chitten-
den Favors it Conditionally.

councilman CnarleS II. Cnlttenuen anu
ex-Select Councilman James A. Lans-
ing, regarding the suggestion that the
third-class city classification law be so
changed as to permit Scranton remain
Ing in this class for another ten years,
were Cleaned yesterday by Tribune
man, and 1t must be admitted that
none of these gentlemen entirely favor
the idea. Mayor Moir said:
II am opposed to the idea entirely. I
think that IL we went down to Harris
burg with any such proposition that 1t
would be playing, what the coiners OF
slang have so happily called, the baby
act 1t would be tantamount to say
ing that we were afraid of leaving the
third class ard taking u position with
other and more important cities.
II am not SO fearful of this second
class city bugabOo as are many or the
citizens of this city. I think that mat
ters will rig,'t themselves and that 1t
will be an easy matter to conform our
selves to the new conditions when once
we get started. l think that when
Scranton becomes a city of the second
class she will rise in the estimation Of
the whole state and that's just what
we want her to do.
II am not in favor of passing any
preliminary local legislation until such
time as the governors official procla-
nation is received. There is no need
for any hurry in this direction
MIR. LANSING's VIEWS.
EX-Select Councilman James A. Lans-
ing. pr. sidert of the board of trade,
said in answer to The Tribune mans
query:
II think that the idea of keeping
Scranton in the third class would be Il
step backward and we don't want to
take backward steps. We want to go
forward. The city of Scranton has
been hampered for years by reason OF
her being in the third class. She has
been hampCred for years because the
majority of cities in that class have Il
population of less than $4,000. and be-
cause legisl tion favorable to third
class cities having over that population
has always been killed in the legisla-
ture.
THE coat Scranton has been wear
ing for years has been too small for
her. Pm not saying that the coat which
she will wear when she goes into the
second class will be u perfect fit. IT
may be that it will be too large, but
it's my opinion that we can get along
better as n second-class city than we
have been getting along as Il third
class city.
I'VE should. however. aim to get a
perfect fitting coat. We should en-
deavor toShave legislation passed which
would be suitable to the needs OF
Scranton just the same as the Dresen;
second-Class city law was designed TO
fit the needs OF Scranton and Alle-
gheny. 1t might be Il difficult matter
to devise a special law which could be
declared constitutional, but there's
nothing like trying.
AS TO PITTsBURG.
II have been thinking that it might
be possible to have Pittsburg put in
the same class as Philadelphia. That
would leave Scranton and Allegheny in
the same class. These two cities have
about the same population, and what
would be suited to one would be suited
to the other also.
II haven siven the existing second
class city laws very much cOnsidera-
ton. but there are a few things I have
noticed which l don't altogether ap-
prove Of One of these is the stripping:
of Il great deal of authority from the
executive department. I think the
proper system is to centraliZe as much
authority as possible in the mayor, so
that If things go wrong, he can be held
accountable. I don't believe in sub
dividing responsibility up among a
whole lot of officials.
II don't agree at all with certain Of
our citizens who believe that in ha-
coming second-class city we will be
merely jumping from the frying pan
into the fire. The second-class laws
may not be perfect; they may need a
deal of change and amendment, but
they are more suited to Scranton s
needs than Is the present utterly in
adequate third-class city law. 1t would
be a serious mistake to continue as
third-class city,"
Select Councilman Charles IL. Chit
tenden is one of the members of the
select council second class city COM
mittee who refused to act in conjunc-
tion with Mr.. Roche in drawing up
ordinances to govern the various city
departments under a second class city.
When asked If he favored the plan of
keeping Scranton in the third class, he
said:
TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
IT favor the idea to a certain extent.
! can say with Hamlet that for the
present 1t is better to bear the ills
we have than fly to others that we