The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-06-03
TOO MUCH PERTURBED.

Mr. Orsmus A. Taft Is no doubt good citizen
an upright business man and worthy and efficient
member of the ctys school committee This is a
fact il is believed none will be disposed to dispute
At the same time while admitting Mr.. Taft's
many excellent qualities, there is large number
of his fellow citizens disposed to question both his
good judgment and his appreciation OF the proprie-
ties
This because at the meeting of the school COM
mittee on Friday evening last, Mr. Taft fit to
constitute himself the champion of the coal dealers
of which he is one, and to call into question the
motives and sincerity of the ctys executive in en-
deavoring to have the purchase and supply Of fuel
for use in the public schools put upon business
basis
If Mr.. Taft were elected to the committee as a
representative of the coal interests his attitude and
assertions could hardly have been more surprising
than they were under circumstances that called for
no display either of temper or of irritation
When he took office and before he did so, in
fact Mayor Mccarthy insisted that the administra-
ton of municipal affairs should be purely nonparti-
san and entirely business-like In pursuance of that
announced policy he suggested, for reasons palpably
sufficient, that there should be weighing and an
inspection of the coal supplied to the public schools.
PREVIOUSLY
ton, and as to weighing there had been none
whatever. Complaints of poor quality, of dirt in
the supply furnished and of insufficient screening
had been many. To correct these apparent short
comnps the mayor suggested a remedy which
would be at once protection the city and safe
guard TO the coal dealers themselves against care
lessness inefficency on the part of their en-
ployes.
He asked that the coal be weighed and that it
a,.A
able request. However, when the matter came be-
fore the school committee at its last meeting Mr..
Taft was much perturbed-heated, in fact. he as
serted it was not right ito give community pois-
oned by newspapers and lawyers the idea that coal
dealers are thieves.
There was no such intention in making the
suggestion and it was from Mr.. Taft himself first
came the ntimation that coal dealers are regarded
i'm any other light than upright business men. III
coal dealers hereabouts suffer anything in reputa-
ton as result of the mayors policy it will be be-
cause of the ill-udged and vtuperative statements
of Mr. Taft. Certainly no harm can come to them
from the executives desire to apply business
methods TO the city's purchase of coal.
Mr. Tafts irritation appears to arise from the
fact that weighing and inspection are proposed 1T
would be interesting TO have him state whether the
coal company of which he is member accepts
bill of lading and neither weighs inspects to
ascertain whether it is getting the quantity OF coal
billed If that is its method it is certainly not in &C
cord with upt to-date business practices
For its schools, between May I, 1906, and May
Il of the present year. the city required 1868 tons
OF coal That is large item of public expense. There
never has been here any system Of weighing or in
specton such as there is at New York, where port
able scales are used when coal is delivered to public
institutions to insure full weight and proper quail
ity. But there ought to be, Mayor Mccarthy in
ssts and there will be If the school committee does
Its duty by the taxpayers.
Moreover. no reasonable man can object to
such system. 1t is the one he uses in his own
busness-he pays for nothing he does not get and
sees that he gets what he pays for. Why should
the city be asked to pursue different policya
Mr Taft's talk before the school committee
was curiously like that of Mr. Hayes before the
superior court. The one accused the newspapers
Of poisoning the public against the coal dealers
the other of 'hounding" the coal dealers. Both
statements were injudcious and unjust, since the
only purpose of the newspapers in the matter is to
secure even-handed justice for all concerned-par-
tcularly the public OF Providence.