The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-26
WEAVER WINS.
Mayor of Philadelphia Backed
by Supreme Court.
His New AppOintees VIII Hold
Their Places.
COUNCILMEN WEAKEN.
Several Announce That They
Will Change Their Votes.
Mayor of Chicago COngratuIates
Philadelphia's Executive.

Philadelphia, May 26-It is the gen
eral opinion that Mayor Weaver for
the present controls the situation in his
fight with tho Republican leaders. over
the PROPOSED lease of the city gas
works. There is much speculation as
to what will be the next move. De-
Velopments today are expected to come
from the organization" Insurance
commissioner Durham and his Heuten-
ants were in conference late last night
ana their deliberations were resumed
today soon after Mr.. Durham reached
ms ofnce. Later he repaired to the Of
nee OF United States Senator Penrose
ana was IN consultation with him for
some time. There is still some talk of
impeachment proceedings against the
mayor and there is no longer any denial
that TINS course has been seriously con-
sldered by the leaders and their legal
advisers. Those who advise against this
step argue that any attempt to i'm
peach Mayor Weaver at this time
would only serve to strengthen his DO
sitiOn with the public.
Just now the attitude of the members
| of the council is giving the leaders al
most as much concern as any other
! feature of their contest with the mayor
Mayor Needs Votes.
-, Both sides are preparing for next
thursdays meeting of councils when,
unless something intervenes, the
mayor will forward his veto of the
new gas works lease ordinance to both
| branches. The Organization" lead
! ers, Mr.. Durham and State Senator
| McNichol, have announced confidently
/ that there viii be no trouble what
I ever in passing the lease over the may
or's veto. The mayor and his friends
/ day that they will be successful in
/ blocking the ''OrganiZa tons" plans
and that the veto will stand. In this
they have the active cooperation of
citizens in every ward
Extraordinary pressure is being
! brought to bear wherever a council
man shows signs of weakening In
.one instance committee of de-
termined citizens hunted nearly all
night for a member of the select coun-
Gil who obviously was avoiding them.
Early in the morning the committee
appeared at the mans house, routed
him out of bed, and while he stood
I barefooted in his night clothes. read
their resolutions to him and extracted
a promise from him to change his at
tltude and sustain the mayors veto.
In addition the cOuncilnen are deluged
tby letters singed by their constituents
urging them to stand by the mayor
1t is claimed that since last Thursday
five members of the select council and
nine members of the common branch
have been induced to avow their will
ingness to change their vote and sus-
tain the mayors proposed veto. Should
the mayor succeed in winning nine
not have the necessary votes to defeat
the veto.
Supreme Court Acts.
Philadelphia, May 26.-The bitter feel
ing that has been engendered by the
gas lease fight was intensified when
Mayor Weaver practically elected from
the office of the department of public
safety and public works his two former
directors and again installed the men
appointed by him on Tuesday night.
The news created much excitement in
the city hall and on the political rialto
and nearly all that We're interested as
lsembled in the vicinity of the mayors
office to learn Of the next move. This
came quickly, but from an unexpected
quarter-the state supreme court
While the mayor was ordering his old
Fdirectors out of their offices his attor-
neyS appeared IN the supreme court and
obtained a special supersedeas suspend
ing the temporary injunction granted
to the old directors by the county court.
A dramatic incident of the day was the
great ovation given Mayor Weaver by
several thousand persons on his way
from city hall to the union league
luncheon. It was looked upon by those
opposed to the lease as an indication of
the trend of popular sentiment.
Both Sides Make Claims.
The organization leaders say they con-
tinue to stand pat'' on the gas lease
and that their ranks are solid all along
the line. On the other hand Mayor
Weaver announces that he has assur-
II ances that the vote in both council
chambers when his veto is considered
will be changed materially from the vote
taken last week. The councilmen who
favor the gas lease are having a hard
time of it. They are being sWamped
with protests and delegations Of neigh
bors are calling on them at their homes
or places of business or are holding
them up on the streets.
1t is reported that President Roose-
ho =1~ to af151 I
warning to federal employees to keep
out of the gas lease fight 1t is
charged by some of the anti-gas lease
people that the organization is calling
upon federal Office holders to use their
influence with councilmen on behalf
of the gas lease. This is denied by
organization leaders. Leaders against
the organization say they know the
federal employees are bringing pres
sure to bear on the councilmen and
that if it continues a delegation of
citizens will go to Washington to see
the president.
Mayor Weaver is receiving hun
dreds of letters and kilograms of con-
gratulations. Among those he made
Il congratulate you on the firm
) stand you have taken in behalf of the
people.=Edw. Dunno, Mayor of Chi
CounciImen Weaken.
( AS a result of the agitation against
the lease three select and six common
: counciInen have now announced they
will change their votes on the lease.
This would make the vote in select
ico7nciI stand "a for the lease and
eight against, and in common council
+ sS for and 16 against. It takes two
thirds vote to pass an ordinance over
5 the mayors veto.
: Two big ward meetings were held
: last night At one of the meetings
; two Of the common councilmen at
itended and announced they would