Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-18

posals advanced by the Councilmen and
then, being a builder and contractor by
profession. went ahead and built q list
OF appolntees which suited himself The
Councilmen stood up and howled with
rage. Mayor Lange smiled phlegmat-
ically and stood frm.
I'VE asked him over and over 20 give
US only two appointments" said Char
ley' Goulburn, another of the Council
men, yesterday. but all he would say
was, TO the wictors pelong der spoils.'
And he calls that Serving the public :"
The irate Councilmen retaliated by
refusing TO ratify any Of the Mayors
appointments at the meeting on January
l. Things dragged along I'm Audubon
for two weeks, with no one at all in the
town offices. Accordingly, when the
regular monthly meeting Of the Mayor
and Councilmen was held in the fire.
house last Tuesday the whole town,
agog with excitement, was on hand TO
see what might happen.
DEFY THE MAYOR
The curtain went up and "Jack" Ben.
nett presented resolutions naming APP
polntees to the empty positions--and
they weren't the names that Mayor
Lange had in mind at all! William
Opferman, who had been appointed town
clerk by the Mayor, meekly read the
resolutions half through and was then
interrupted by an interjection from
Mayor Lange. "This Is out Of order !'
cried the Mayor.
"On the contrary. you are out of
order" replied Bennett.
The Councllmen voted the appoint
ments through like a well-oiled piece
Of machinery They gave william T.
Kramer, who was clerk under Mayor
Prescott C.. Mills, his job once more.
They made William J. Kelton superin-
tendent of highways and sewers and over
seer of the poor, and they made John
| ]. Albertson city engineer. They made
| Charles A, Wolverton, who is the newly
elected Speaker of the House in the
/ New Jersey Legislature the city solicit
| tor, post which Mayor Lange wanted
/ filed by Judge Garfield Pancoast, Of the
| Camden District Court.
! we had been perfectly willing to
ratify the appointment of Judge Pan
/ coast" said Councilman Bennett yes.
terday, but inasmuch as Mayor Lange
refused any compromise whatever, we
came 70 a deadlock"
"Yes, there's no place for factiona
differences in a little place like this
7
. there would have been no trouble at ali
if Mayor Lange hadn't injected personal
stubbornness into It."
CALL SPECIAL ELECTION
/ The meeting, although temporary
! triumph for the Councilmen, baCk-fircd
| The Mayors supporters did not pro
pose' to have him mere igurehead
| Accordingly petitions are now being cir
culated calling for n special election, a
which Audubon may decide whether I
wants to substitute a commission form
of government, like It's neghbor, Col
! lingswood, for tslpresent form.
Judge Pancoast drew up the petition
but said yesterday that he has no in
/ terest I'm the move. One of the peti
tions started out on its hunt for sigma
lures from Doc Finkenfs drug store
on Merchant street. but the druggis
yesterday disclaimed being one of tn
hackers of the campaign. All he would
say was that there is no doubt tina
enough signatures will be obtained t
make the change a certainty.
'If the petition, signed by 20 per cen
of the voters, comes to us of course vel
have TO give it attention" said Council
man Goulburn yesterday "If they wan
a commission form Of government. VIII
let 1t come !"
Let 1t come a-sllding !" echoe
Councilman Bennett heartily. "Thi
kicking makes me tired 20
1t is understood that Mayor LangJ
although his two-year term as Mayo
will be cut short year If the com
mission form of government is adopted
is not worrying. He will In all prob
liability be chosen a commissioner.