Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-08
Believe Walton VIII
Block Change of Rule
Continued from Page One

Continued from Page One
Forty-sixth Ward. also an active indie
pendent that it would be Illegal for
Controller Walton to make payment Of
the amounts carried in the ordinance
1T is UP to controller Walton Ia act
aud get decision from the city Solici-
ter on the question" he said. "'rhc Con
troller is a bonded official Of the city.
and | do not believe that he will pay out
any money unless he has legal justitica-
ton for doing So
similar views were expressed 10y Culn-
mon Councilman Robert I.amsou. Of the
Twenty Ward, and several other
independents.
Controller Walton declined to discuss
the subject
Not REQUIRED. SAY MEMBERS
Administration members e Councils
place a different Interpretation upon its
rules regarding the question at 'ss,ic.
common Councilman William NJ. Lewis,
Of the Thrty-sccnud Ward, said the act
Of Assembly of 1874 does net require
u two-thirds vote for passage uf Hppro-
priatiou bills except those involving city
loans or payment for services rendered.
Similar opinion was expressed by Joseph
T.. Gaffncy chairman Of Councils
Finance Committee. who said.
81 have looked w the act and it says
that the only hilH requiring u two.
thirds ma Jnrity vote are those iuvulN-
ing city loans and making upprupria.
tinrr' for moral obligations Senator
Wares claim on League Island Park
contract and Doctor T.cwiSS fee for
transils lease work would com" under
the head Of moral obligations and, Of
course, would require u twO-thirdg vote.
i
transfer hill was legally passed 10y touu.
ellis aud II ls now mp 10 the Mayor Ia
approve or disapprovc it. rudcr the
rules, if a bill passed 10y only major
ity vote contains a section that re-
quired a twu-thirds vote, that particular
item automatically fails of passage and
can hc stricken out by the Mayor. This
may apply to the item in this bill of
$50 to pay tho burial expenses of u Penn.
SSlNanla soldier.
GAFFNEY DEFENDS RIpPERS
In defending his ripper hills Chair
man tiatfncy said that he believed toun.
ellis has az the authority it needs 90
pass measures which take away the
power of President Gleason Of COM
mon Council, To appoint clerks and which
are aimed at PcnroSc followers on Coun-
ellis payr"lls.
President Gleason, it, discussing his
action i'm ruling against the passage of
the transfer bill, said that hC would sign
II 50 that it can be sent to the Mayer
lie added that the bin would be sent
to the city Solicitor for his opinion and
that hc did not believe Controller Wal
ton would "ountersign any warrants OH
the strength of such n measure
~ the final decision Of this matter
lies the answer as to whether the pub
lie gained anything at the last election
by putting in several score Of indcpeId-
Cnt men TO replace Ware followers
II yesterdays action of Councils, in
taking money from the police and fire
payrolls to apply to projects indorsed
by Mayor Smith is sustained. independ-
cnt members claim that it will mean the
loss of power to block any financial eX-
y, nditurcs backed by Senator Ware dur
ing the closing years Of the present
administration and the consequent re-
! turn to conditions such as have existed
since former Mayor Blankenburg re-
/ tired.
PASSED BY BARE MAJORITY
/ The transfer appropriation, passed by
a majority only, is the bill out Of which
the Mayor Ia 10 obtain his payroll for
personal service work. expenditures for
| uniforms and equipment for the home
defense reserve, money for his food con-
/ scrvation propaganda and such other eN-
penses as he may consider preparation
for war defense of the city, 1t
/ also provides $500 ror expenses Incl
dent to the Philadelphia Camden Bridge
Commission and insures James T. Len
non. president of Select Council, a $4,000
salary as secretary of the bridge COM
/ IL, gunastty pf
ident of Select Council, refused to listen
to a demand made ny Harry Trainer.
of the Third Ward. that the bill re-
uulred a two-thrds vote. and allowed 1t
his approval with a bare majority, made
possible by the vote of Charles Seger,
one-time Penrose leader,
The appeal of Independent members
against the validity of the action and
the impossihilty of repeating the plan,
| is based upon Councils Rule 20, which
proyides that 10 bill making special
or additional appropriation or a transfer
shall be passed except by two-thirds
vote of all the members of each branch.
Another authority-depended upon--is
an act OF the Legislature on May 90,
1874 which specifies that o two-thirds
vote ia necessary for certain Of the ap-
propriations made by the measure.
PARTISAN FIGHT ON
BILLS now before the Finance Commit
tee intended to rip out Of office coun-
cilmanic clerks friendly TO Senator Pen
rose will be fought at every step by anti
Ware members who are strongly OPP
posed TO curtailng the present power OF
president T.. h. Gleason, of Common
Councils or Of any change in clerkships
The new measures are calculated to
annual the recent action Of President
Gleason in dismissing two Ware follow
ers and placing in their stead two Ninth
ward followers of Senator Penrose
who had been ousted for politica
reasons from their berths In other Office,
of the city government. The measures
would give the whip hand to Chairman
Gaffney, Of Councils Finance Commit
tee and Ware Leader on the floor of Com
mon Councils
The plan Of the Ware majority as out
lined In the measure is TO strip all eau
thority from their political opponents II
Councils and to jeopardize the places o
, ali clerks and attaches who oppose then
politically. These bills will come befor,
the Finance Committee next week and
I. Al knproved BY that overwhelmingly Var,
Il ~<r~le<as Will ba q fouuhk n Nall