The Cairo bulletin., 1907-09-08
WHERE BLAME LIES.

With respect to the big building
v hich is standing in the middle Of
Washington avenue on its way to
Nineteenth and Walnut streets, the
situation was somewhat amusing for
a time last week, to a disinterested
onlooker. The council had given per-
mission to. move the building from
where ii stood to where II is intended
to locate 1t: the chief of police had
stopped the operation because trees
were being or to bc cut down;
then the council adopted a resolution
requiring the contractor to either
move the building or tear 1t down. or
requiring the chief to have It torn
down. Poor old Vellingmeyer was Ia
4 bah Ak. Like the little fellow OF
"Tom-all Aiones." he was ordered 10
move en- under conditions which
made 1t practically imposs BILE to
move on. He was rnder contract
and under bond to move the fui'd ng
and he held permit from the legislas,
tive department of the city author 2
ing him to move 1t, but he could not
carry out either in view Of the chiefs
order
The incident will probably be
closed this week after having caused
more unpleasant talk and feeling
than any similar affair has caused
for some time past The cutting OF
trees. the taking out of poles. the
severlng OF wires. the stopping of
street cars and of street work-all
these things are matters for just com
plant aud for some resentment on
the part of people whose property or
rightful occupations are thereby In,
terfered with and il may be wei, be
fore the subject is permitted to pass
from the stage, to bring out as
strongly as possible the city councils
responsibility in the case, to the end
that this body may be aroused toI
greater care in the consideration OF
petitions Of this character.
The city council Assumed all re-
sponsibility In cases Of this nature
when it passed an ordinance requir
ing that a permit from itself must be
had before any building can be-
moved: and a petitioner has right
TO assume that a permit duly issued
by the council carries with it the
right to do all that may be necessary
TO he done IN order to carry it into
effect. It is idle to argue that the
city council can not by resolution
grant the right to violate an ordi
nance against cutting trees. etc. II
Is the city councils business to know
whether or not the permit it is asked
to grant would involve the violation
of any city ordinance and. II SO. re
fuse to grant it-umless II shall be
willing that the ordinance may be
violated. in which case.tbe police
partment. (which is a. cfeature Of the
city cornell. may stu have technical
right TO interfere. but it Is certainly
relieved from moral responsibility or
duty &c do so.
In the case under consideration. II
would have tasea but little inquiry
to learn that the right petitioDed for
could not have been exercised with
out mutiIating or cutting down trees,
end doing various ether things which
ought not to be done: but the council
granted the petition in that spirit Of
generous carelessness which has
characterized its action in such cases
too often for years past Complai {
is heard that people persistently dis
regard the building ordinances and
Others of the clty. At the council
meeting last week an incident was
brought to notice which may be drplt
Gated at almost any meeting the veal