New-York tribune., 1900-07-30

w members while there was absolutely no good
reason why Bryan should be there. The Civil War,
which made veterans Of the members of the or
ganiZation, was over long before Mr.. Bryan was
out Of knickerbockers or before he was even old
enough 20 remember il. AS member Of the Invi-
1ation Committee the Mayor was in a position
either TO act the part Of reasonable citizen to
look for chance 10 suspect the motives OF his
fellow committeeman. The latter sensibly accepted
The conditions they were forced upon them. and
fortunately NJ Bryan had sufficient sense Of the
proprieties TO aid in extricaring them from their
dilemma He has accepted the invitation to be here,
but has permitted the naming Of date so late in
the encampmeut that it viii not conflict with the
programme concerning President Mckinley.
For the first time within the memory of the old
est member Of the Chicago Board OF Trade there
is apparently sustained and consistent attempt
10 purify thai organization from the taint OF dis
honorable or at least questionable dealing that has
rested upon II. The Board of Directors has now
expelled three wealthy members of a prominent
firm has suspended its first vice-president for
plicity in the Irregularities Of that firm ana now
has also suspended the eZ-vice-president whose
term Immediately preceded that OF the other officer
cast out Il does not stop here, but is apparently
after I'll OF the other sinners against commercial
oecency. Meanwhile It has ceased its efforts in
other directions but has locked horns with the
wealthy and powerful telegraph companies. who
have acted as q shield for the yiolators Of the
bucketshop laws. The fact that the expelled mem
hers of the firm had escaped the net of the Federal
courts on the cases which have again been
tried by the directors Of the Board makes the
ton OF the officers all the more commendable The
court action left plenty OF room for whitewashing
# such action were in contemplation. Plainly,
therefore. the action Of the directory sincere
For at least one generation there has been a belief
among the members Of the Board Of Trade that II
all the trades Of all OF the customers should be
"bucketshopped" instead OF being executed in the
open market would result In transfer Of all Of
the customers funds 10 the pockets Of the brokers
commission firms handling their business. Many
dishonest members have tried TO put the plan into
effect but have usually met with more or less dis
astroUs defeat The McLain firm, II the Board Of
Trade sentences are just, was exception to the
rule IN career lasting a brief season-Iess than
four years--it rose from an obscure firm with
little capital standing TO large and prominent
concern, with unlimited means and financial credit
its mushroom growth attracted attention and in
vestigaton, and II retires TO spend the bulk Of
1ts competency in other fields.
Air. Barnes Chief Building Inspector has charged
before the Civil Service Commission that the city
building ordinances are being universally dsobeved
This wholesale irregulanty in a department Of
which he IS head is due. he claims mainly to the
fact that inspectors permitted deviations from
the plans as approved by the department. Alder
manic pulp and al Of the other fragrant methods
used 10 defeat the letter and spirit OF the ord-
nances as passed have been shown in the inves-i-
cation Of the matter by the Civil Service ComrnIs-
sion IN It's attempts TO make new appointments to
the department
The Dearborn-st fire in which a number Of peo-
PIE lost the,t lives IS another proof Of the irreg
larites Of the Building auI Inspection denar+-
Inents Il has been discovered that in the aternnt
at retrenchInent there was only one Fire Escape
Inspector for the whole city. Since Mayor Har-
rison's return from New-York there has been none
at all The first action Of the returned Afavor
was 70 remove Fire Escape Inspector Ravsnis
The removal was not because he had not done his
0Uly, Dut because Ealutary lesson was wa MED
and II was believed that the suspension woud ha W.
a good effect The dismissal furnished q striking
ILLUSTRATION Of tEe Mayors powers Of logic as
previous 10 II ne aQ expressed himself the In
spector was not 70 blame, man could cover
the WnO!e city, and The Finance Committee had
rejected MS proposition 70 have six men appointed
President Samuel Gompers Of the American Fed
Grafton q Labor and four Wce-presdents of this
one Of the strongest labor organizations In Tbe
country are now IN the city to bring the weight
OF their organization TO bear iD attempting rbe
settlement Of the strike the local buIIGe tTades
They come special committee appointed bv me
Executive Committee OF tho body in session at
Denver last week.
It has been agreed by the Finance Committee of
municipal appropriations should be reduced Nv
SlO9O0J OF this 10000 win be IN departments
from the expenditures from the water tax fund.
The reductions the theory that the Vaiua-
lions Dy lne board OF tteVle~ VIII be reduced Is
change by that body. This means that one hun
dTed patrolmen that are badly needed viii not lie
added. and tAat number Of puzzle impTOy emeHts
now under way VIII be temporarily abandoned.
Despite this tacit admission that IL Is able
take care Of the territory II now has, the city IS
etjL working after more. Evanston Is in a
feTmeut for fear that her sacred precincts VIII be
taken into The corrupt atmosphere Cf the city and
urday 20 talk the matter over W1th members OF the
Civic Federation who working 70 consolidate
the country towns and the park system Of the city.
+ country boy who drifted IN from Aurora. Ill.,.