Sistersville daily review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1905-1907, 1905-05-27
Declares Mayor Weaver in the
Philadelphia Gas Lease
Controversy.
PRESSURE ON THE COUNCILMEN
Many Of Them Regret That They Have
Been Elected to the Legislative
sody-Do Not Want to Commit an
Act of DisIoyalty.

what progress he was making in his
effort to defeat the extension OF the
lease Of the city gas works. He would
not give figures nor 60 into other de-
| tails, but contented himself with say
| ing he had received assurances from
many councilmen who had voted for
| the lease last week that they would
support him in mis- veto. Leaders OF
the Republican organization which is
advocating the lease continue to re-
main silent. There are, however,
signs that some of the councilmen are
breaking away under tremendous pres
sure Of their constituents and will
probably go along with the mayor.
The all-absorbing point Of interest is
whether the mayor will succeed in
getting enough to defeat the bill when
it shall come up next Thursday for
passage over his veto. The organiza-
ton still stands on it's statement that
it will pass the lease ordinance in
spite of disapproval.
Administrations First Move.
The first important move Of the new
administrations move that was or
vital importance to organization men
who hold city contracts-was taken
when the new Director OF Public
Works Acker annulled the advertise
ment for bids for 1906 street cleaning.
All the principal figures in the
struggle for supremacy kept behind
closed doors most Of the day. The
mayor had numerous conferences with
his attorneys and lieutenants on mat
tiers pertaining to the legal battle that
will have it's real start next Monday.
In the Offices of United States Senator
PenrOse, where organization headquar-
tiers have been temporarily establish
ed, many conferences were held. The
deep silence at the headquarters re-
mains unbroken, and the only word
that can be had from the leaders is
that the organization is confident OF
the outcome.
The struggle to hold or win council
men is growing hotter, and many OF
the Getty fathers" have expressed the
wish that they had never been elected
to the legislative body They declare
that they owe all their success in life
to the organization and that it would
be an extreme act of disloyalty to go
back on their leaders in time OF
trouble.
The mass meeting held at Y. NJ. c.
A hall was taXel to its capacity when
Mahlon v. Kline, the chairman OF the
meeting, called the assemblage there
to order. Addresses were made by
a half dozen prominent citizens, in
Guiding Charles Emory Smith. There
was great enthusiasm when Mr.. Smith
said that the "black flag OF piracy
was not the flag of Republicanism, or
OF Lincoln, or of Mckinley, or Of
Roosevelt" Former Postmaster Gen
era Smith spoke in part as follows:
Would Redeem the City.
THE question of defeating the gas
steal and redeeming the city is above
all narrow partisanship. 1t rises to
the loftier attitude of the citizens
conscientious duty and of the highest
civic obligations. The attempt has
been made by the plunderers to shield
their raid under TIE name of the party
organization, and now that they stand
trembling before the storm of popular
wrath they seek to defend themselves
and hold their quaking and deserving
followers under the plea that the party
organization is at stake.
Il deny the right of the consprators
who are banded togethe~ to gag an
plumber our fair city to speak in
party name. The black flag of piracy
is not the flag of Repubicanism. 1t
is not the lustrous flag of Abraham
Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant and VIII
liam Mckinley and Theodore Roose-
welt This attempt to cloak the foul
est robbery under the mantle of party
Loyalty is an unholy dissertation and
it is the highest duty Of free men to
repudiate the crime and rescue the
city from the thraldom.
Our whole character as free men
Is at stake The issue is beyond and
above all question Of dollars. Our
manhood, our honor, the very fibre Of
our being, are all on trial.
"In such a crisis, where the highest
interests of the city are at stake,
where the support of mayor who
mas boldly stood forth as public
champion, Is involved, and where your
rights and honor constitute the issue.
you are justified in saying to your rep
resentatives: You cannet safely be-
tray us. We demand that you shall
stand with the people against the plum
derers We shall observe the law.
We shall respect the restraints Of an
orderly community. But II you per-
sist in trying to bind US In the grasp
Of bandits we shall show you how
sslf-respscting and self-defsnding men
Aaol zlrh vnu ho1ro your oh