New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-28
WEAVER WINS HIS FIGHT
MACHINE IN UTTER ROUT.
Gas People Withdrasc Ofer-No
TaM of ReprisaIs.
Lnr rErgoRARH 20 rHE TRmuNE.l ]


,nd unconditional, such as Grant demanded
nom Buckner at Fort Donelson. brings to q
,,ose one OF the most momentous battles ever
-sred between citizenship and an arrogant po-
Bicsl organization in any municipality fl this
.,rrtry The gas officials have withdrawn the
s-onosed lease and the organization has aban-
s,ned the plan TO force it through The ring
Ies abandoned every standard. With cOlors
overed. defeated and also disgraced, the
.,lre Of this city tonight is a broken and inert
ming. Whether there is any resiliency. whether
tbare is any latent recuperative power. remains
~ be seen. Tonight it is inanimate. Gone is
Al talk OF passing the gas lease over the
l,.-or's veto Gone is the talk Of Furnishing
,hoxa who broke away from the organiZa ton
ron. is the talk Of retaliation the Mayor.
bbe organization leaders have fOrsaken every
,tsnd that they took gayly when the Mayor
,prav down the gage Of battle A courageous
and militant citizenship is triumphant. The
hi-,- has won a victory worthy Of its traditions.
The fight all went out Of the organization
leaders to-day The mass meeting 10 indorse
rbs stand of Mayor Weaver had much to do
sith il. The ringing resolutions adopted struck
terror 10 the hearts of the machine managers.
h-re revolt Of the people was not theoretical.
hut rractcal. Meetings addressed by business
mon Of standing were held on many street cor
rers Ccunclmen who talked Of supporting the
Lease we're waited by delegations who de-
.,andad that they recant. If they failed to give
,,sof assurances they were Stunned socially.
boroorted in q business sense and made pariahs
among their fellows. The newspapers poured
round after round Of hot shot into the ranks of
tbe enemy. For the last forty hours the lines
have been wavering. and this afternoon the bat
lie turned into an absolute rout.
one of the most remarkable suggestions Of
he struggle came from organization headquar-
ters This was that Mayor Weaver should be
h7rescned When he removed Costello and
sn1vth the organization leaders loud in
se7unciatlon and said that Weaver should be
trpeached The lawyers true TO the ring gath
.ra5 around = table in Senator Penrose's Office
and discussed plans for impeaching Weaver.
rbov had. however to finally subscribe TO the
,snriraent expressed by Edmund Burke when
be said:
Il do rot know the method of drawing up an
Indictment p against a whole people"
The first absolute sign Of disintegration among
s7e ORGANIZATIONS forces came this morning. The
eade-s had been declaring confidently that there
tculd be snap meeting OF the Councils on
rondav and that the lease would be passed over
.he Mayors veto. They had talked Of impeach-
alg the Mayor and of disciplning those who had
teen weak enough to break away from the rings
elandates. A hurried meeting was called in the
beeting. aside from Senator Penrose. were Com
missioner Durham. Senator McNichol David
Martin. President Dolan OF the United Gas I'm
pToveDent Company. Commissioner Potter.
EounclHan Seger and others. AT o'clock
President Dosn issued a statement. 1t was
formal notice of complete surrender the part
Of the gas officials and the machine leaders. This
Etatement was in the nature Of letter to the
president Of the Select Council and the presi-
Gent Of the Common Council. In it Mr.. Dolan
bsid:
The manner IN which the whole subject has
been treated induces the United Gas Improve
tent Company 10 believe that the community is
imposed TO any extension Of the gas lease upon
euy terms. This being so, this company is
willing 10 accept the ordinanceAwhich has been
PASSED or to enter into any contract whatever
with the city looking TO any variation Of the
terms Of the present lease.
The United Gas Improvement Company there
fore begs respectfully to advise Councils that
for the reasons stated above should the pending
ordinance become a Law, ii Will not be accepted
iy 1t.
on May is 1905, Councils passed an ordi-
pance extending by ffty-three years the term Of
the lease Of the gasworks to the United Gas
Improvement Company. which fixed the price Of
gas at 81 for five years, 80 cents for ten years.
O. cents for fifteen years S5 cents for twenty
years and so cents thereafter, and provided for
the payment TO the city Of Philadelphia of an
advance. without interest. for the sum Of $685.
Though this ordinance was not in full accord
With the letter OF this company Of the 26th Of
April 1905. addressed TO the chairman of the
subcommittee Of the Finance Committee the
modification would have been accepted by this
company.
This proposition was plain business one. In
the opinion Of this company # was the city
could and should accept. Among the reasons
in support Of it were the following:
According TO the reports fled with the City
Controller each year. and audited by his depart
fnent, the amounts expended by the United Gas
Improvement Company in additions. extensions
improvements etc. under the lea Sc have aver
Bged S149S0O0 per annum
Assume that the average for the future will
be $4,000 per annuul. the total for the period
o. the whole term as extended would be s60-
100000 plus the amount now due this company
Of sl4, $50. sS1 As. making q total of STA, ,S63,-
6s1 4S.
Mr.. Dolan presents other figures 20 show that.
Including the oompany's payment Of S25OO0OOO
Hnd interest thereon. free gas 70 public buildings
En6 street lamps etc. the city would net S437.-
SS1,227 IS IN the ensuing seventy-nve years.
Continuing. he saysi
While. Of course the city would not he
gamer by any decrease in the cost of produc-
Heveo OF all risk Of advance in the pr1oe or
materials entering into the manufacture of gas,
Euch coal, OIL. etc. all Of which are increasing
IN cost, and OF all other risks incident TO the
conduct OF the gas business, such comper-
uon from electricity and possible future as
coveries in the art Of illumination. 1t would
rowing money for the city improvements now
under way and contemplated, and the conse-
quent increase In tax rate to meet the interest
and sinking fund requirements
This proposition. as with all business PROPOSE
tons IN which the public are involved, was, or
course, proper subject for public consideratioh
end discussion Instead OF the proposition being
discussed as a business one from the standpoint
Of facts open TO those who cared TO investigate
and discuss the subject. there has been little but
bitter denunciation-