Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-02-03
Taylor and Royal in
Sharp Debate Over
Lynch's Resolution

The launching of Commissioner wv.
H. Lynch's second thunderbolt of it's
kind in City Council this afternoon
was followed by lively tilt between
Commissioner of Parks Taylor and
Mayor Royal during which the park
commissioner referred rather pointed
ly to some Inconsistencies of the city's
chief magistrate.
Commissioner Taylor started some
thing when he seconded Mr.. Lynch's
motion to adopt the resolution.
ITO my mind" said Mr.. Taylor,
we ought to get down to the serious
work of the city government There
body, should accept nonpartisan gov
ernment without closely taking up and
considering the personnel of the gov
eminent. This does not mean that
everybody will be ripped out and kept
out. But 1 believe that the five COM
missioners should get together and go
over all the appointments and get
down to a working business basis for
the conduct of the affairs of the city.
If we started with a partisan govern
ment there Is no reason, now that we
have gone into the nonpartisan form,
that we shouldn't accept the nonparti-
san government"
What d. you mean?" inquired
Mayor Royal
! You said here on the floor of coun-
Gil" replied Commissioner Taylor,
that you were elected on a partisan
ticket and under a partisan govern
ment. Two years ago you dismissed
a man presumably because he had
been interested in politics; only q
short time ago You opposed the dis
missal of a man whom. it was general
ly understood, had worked for several
political candidates"
Now" went on Mr.. Taylor, I'm
not for changing the personnel of the
city government particularly; I'm for
efficiency and efficient men regardless
| of politics."
Mayor Royal: "You know what
told you a short time ago along that
| line"
Commissioner Taylor: Don't you
think this method the proper one?"
Mayor Royal: THAT just depends
upon how it is DONE"
Commissioner Taylor: "And don't
you think these men should have been
| dismissed?"
Mayor Royal: "Yes, one of them,
perhaps"
Commissioner Taylor: ''Well, I
think all of them should have been
| reappointed December L."
Mayor Royal: There was q reso-
| luton covering that, Mr.. Taylor"
SOHlIHlSSlOHeT IdylOT. L IldI uOIl
think was the proper way, and think
| this is
The Mayor: But it could all be
done without this resolution and with
out Council getting together on the
| matter
Commissioner Taylor: still, If we
| did get together we should have to
| fix a date anyway, shouldn't we?'
Then Commissioner Gorgas got into
the discussion with suggestion that
| the resolution be permitted under the
rules to lie over for week and that
| the copies of it be printed and sub
mitted to the members.
When Mr.. Lynch was having the
resolution read Commissioner Gorgas
| asked if there was any objection to
allowing it to lie over.
"Oh, no, indeed, certainly not" re-
piled Mr.. Lynch.
When asked as to his reference to
the apparent inconsistency of Mayor
| Royals action in dismissing a man
from the police force year or SO ago
for political reasons and opposing
similar action for the same reasons
now, Commissioner Taylor said he had
Patrolmen Ed. Murphy in mind.
THAT the Mayor had discharged
Murphy a couple of years ago for sup
porting or working for DIR. Hassler
the time" said Mr.. Taylor. Now he
opposes the dismissal of another man
of his own force for practically the
same reasons-why," added the COM
| missioner. "a man who not only
worked but pretty nearly 'panhandled'
politically for not one but for several
candidates"