Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-10
CITY FINANCIERS FEAR
1 OF fONENTS WILL KILL
GENERAL LOAN BILL
Forces Hostile to Administra-
tion May Defeat SAT ,425,000
n Measure in Councils
or at Polls
% REBELS" INSISTENT
West Philadelphia Councilmen DEE
mand Share in Improvement
! Program

Fear that the S47,425.000 municipal
loan will be defeated either in Councils to.
morrow or at the polls on May 49, was
expressed today by counclmanic finan
Ciers. The greatest danger to the loans
success lies In the political strength OF
Organization factions anxious to hamper
Mayor Smiths administration and in the
determination of % West Philadelphia
Councilmen to have their districts included
in the improvement program before favor
Ing the measure.
The West Philadelphia fight reached a
head today when members of Councils
from that section of the city lying west of
the Schuylkill River, for the third time.
called the Mayors attention to their de-
mand for money for the improvement and
extension of Cobb's Creek Park and for
paying for other highway improvements in
the six wards west of the river
The general loan bill provides for all
municipal improvements other than transit
and port and for maintenance items. as
well as deficiency bills for 1915 Should
II, for any reason, go down to defeat,
the city's financial condition would be
chaotic and the Mayor and his directors
would find themselves unable to proceed
with even the most necessary improve.
ments, let alone any consideration of Art
Museum. Public Library and other under.
takings II is this result that the Mayor
fears and that his political enemies are
holding out as more than n possibility
unless he makes concessions both in the
State and municipal political situations
West Phlladelphla's demands as placed
before the Mayor today for the last time
include h total of $2,62O,O0O for needed
improvements. The allowance in the loan
that comes up for passage by Councils
tomorrow is 100000. Should preliminary
loan legislation require "A two-thirds vote
in both branches of Councils, as is the
case when the time arrives for the final
appropriation of the money, there would
be grave doubt of the general loan pass
ing tomorrow. AS n matter of fact the
first councilmanic action, signifying the
intention of the city to increase its bonded
Indebtedness requires but a majority vote,
and that the Vare-Smith forces in both
branches of Councils can easily force in
line.
Few. If any, of the 90 West Phlladel.
phia Councilmen will, in advance of the
meeting, go on record as opposing the loan
to the extent of voting against ii even
should their demands today receive no
more attention than they have down to
date. When Ira ID. Garman, Select Coun-
Gilman of the 10th Ward and president of
the West Philadelphia Councilmanic AS
sociation, was asked if his delegation
would vote solidly against the loan he
said: mo. l won't go that far, but
will say that we mean to stick to our
demands for street improvements and for
improvements to Cobb's Creek Park"
The Vare-Smith Organization forces in
both branches of Councils have n majority
vote, and in view of the attitude of the 20
West Philadelphians it is likely that both
loans will get safely under way tomorrow.
on the other hand, the Penrose- McNichol
forces are freely predicting the defeat Of
the general loan at the polls, and the
Hall that this will be done unless Mayor
Smith agrees to political demands made
upon him relative to the State political
fight.