Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-07-20
Secretary Root to the Mayor.


Secretary Root has at last put his
opinions apon paper and upon them
Mayor Weaver undoubtedly will act.
The upshot of the advice is that, since
District Attorney Bell has refused to
make arrests upon his own responsible
ity, it is the privilege of the Mayor to
proceed.
OF course. The advice is absolutely
sound, and there is not lawyer in
Philadelphia with an experience of
three days at the bar who could not
have given it. 1t is precisely the posi-
tion taken by District Attorney Bell
and precisely the point made by The
Inquirer.
The District Attorney, by his swift
action in the election cases and in
those of Messrs. Caven and Hill, has
shown conclusively that it is not his
intention to shield any wrong doing,
no matter by whom. He has simply
tried to make it plain-and he has
made it plain to every lawyer in Phila.
District Attorney TO indict persons
previous to their arrest and a hearing
in regular way before a magistrate.
He has said in language as pointed as
language can be written or spoken
that he will proceed against any per-
sons duly brought before him in the
regular and orderly and legal way.
What is more, he has invited Judge
Gordon, the representative of the
Mayor, to join with him in any pros
ecution. Therefore, the implied doubt
cast upon the District Attorneys pur-
ity of motive is entirely uncalled for.
There has never been the slightest
need of any mystery, of prolonged con-
ferences in New York, of midnight
meetings and Of Waldorf dinners
The Mayor has had his experts at
work, Ifthey have discovered Grim
inality, then the way is perfectly
simple The District Attorney will
prosecute after y magistrates hearing
If there is evidence to convict a jury
there is not then the cases will fail.
That is all there is to it.
The trouble heretofore has been a
very evident design to try the filtration
business in the newspapers for political
reasons. 1t is that design against
which The Inquirer has protested.
The matter is altogether too serious to
be made the plaything of politicians or
the football of politics, as we have fire.
quently declared. Cut politics out and
get down to facts. Quit trying to
make the Republican party of Penn
sylvania responsible for the filtration
situation. Then the people will be
able to understand and there will be
good deal less confusion
The attack on the District Attorney
was political and was intended to be
such. There was no need of it what
over. The Mayor has all along had
the example of Mayor Stuart as a pre-
cedent, and great gathering of law
yers was superfluous. Mayor Stuart ap-
pointed experts to investigate the city
department presided over by John
Bardsley. His experts reported. Up
on their report warrants were issued.
After that tho District Attorney stepp-
ed in. Mayor Weaver, is in an exactly
similar manner, has had experts at
word. All that he has had to do at
any time was to follow the example
set by Mayor Stuart. There was no
fuss, no feathers, about the arrest of
Bardsley-no politics. Quietly, pure.
ly in a business way, the warrants
were issued There was no mystery.
The whole affair was conducted in