Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-11
WARE OPENS FIGHT
ON NEW CHARTER
Announces He Will Oppose
Woodward Bill for
Revision
SAYS CITY WOULD LOSE
Challenges Legislators on Cost
if Municipality Would DO
Its Own Work
SAYS CITY WOULD LOSE

Senator Ware has begun his fight In
the state Legislature against the Phil-
adelphia charter bills lie has served
notice that he will oppose the measures
prepared by the charter revisionlsts, In
an interview at Harrisburg Senator Ware
made this declaration:
when see an opponent making
= political mistake. I try to figure out how
to take up the other side and bring II
around so that the matter will be right
But I don't intend TO profit politically
at the expense of the city or any one
else. These charter bills would do the
city an awful lot OF hahn and any leEis-
lation that gets my support must he
for the very best interests OF the city
Of Philadelphia"
CphoIds Private Contractors
Senator Ware is of the opinion that IL
the section of the Woodward ILLS, pro-
viding for the city to clean its streets
and collect the ashes OF Philadelphia.
could be passed, that the expenditures
for the work each year would be quad
rupled. To back up this statement. the
Senator issued def TO the citizens or
Philadelphia to inquire OF Director
Datesman Just how much it cost the
city TO make street repairs.
Senator Ware also declared that the
proposed legislation to revise Philadel-
phias fiscal system would result in an
increase in the tax rate. He then an
nounced that Joseph r. Gaffney. chair
man of Councils Finance Committee.
and City Solicitor John p. Connolly
would prepare bill TO modernize the
- 4tnsr rttt
Senator William J. McNichol has is
. sued a statement denying that he is
pledged to support the Woodward bills,
providing for a new charter for Phila-
delphia. Senator McNichols name ap-
peared in published reports among those
who were supposed TO be pledged to
support the Woodward measures
Senator McNichoI NoncommittaI
II am not committed to the Wood
ward bills" Senator McNichol said.
Two bills have been presented by Sem
ator Woodward and two measures have
been introduced by Representative Scott.
1 intend carefully TO study all or them
and see which | think would be for the
best interests of Philadelphia. Cover
nor Sproul may have something TO say
about changes in Philadelpha's govern
ment and I do not feel that now is the
time to take decided stand on the
questions. I am. not pledged to support
any bill or set of bills"
At present only two Philadelphia Sen
ators are said to favor the measure
They are Senators Woodward and Daix
The latter is in favor of amending the
Woodward bills, however.
Senator Ware made public here
statement in answer to the charges
made by the Philadelphia Charter Com
mttee 10 the effect that political in
fiuence had gained for him a preponder'
ance Of street cleaning contracts. His
statement follows
Every one has known during thi.
entire period what 1t has cost the cit!
to clean the streets and the figures arr
advertised every year. Therefore. there
is nothing startling nor new in thu
statement put cut by Powell Evans
who is the self-appointed spokesman
for the so-called charter committee
There is no charge OF unfair dealinl
either in procuring the contracts no
In their performance. 1t simply mean
twenty years without interruption unde
Republican as well as Reformed admin
istrations of r legitimate piece Of worl
without the slightest scandal connected
with 1t.
Refers to Attacks on McNichoI
such irresponsible political commit
tees as this one always have beel
criticizing contractors on municipa
work. The late Senator James =. Nc
Nchol for years was the object Of thei
bitter attacks. In 1905 these same pee
pie went so far as to bring an exper
engineer Major Gillette, into Philadel
phia and persuaded him TO issue a state
ment that the late Senator's profits /
the construction OF the filtration sys
TEN were at least 5000, 900. A bite
political contest was fought over thes
contracts. which the then Mayor car
celed on the ground OF fraud.
II Every one will now remember tina
after the excitement of a political can
paign had passed away and the Sens
tors contracts were subjected to III
calm and deliberate judgment OF th
courts that 1t was shown beyond an
doubt, which no one questions. that h
contracts were fair, his work was b'
yond criticism and his profits less tha
reasonable. The only result of the III
truthful attacks upon him by these sam
people who are now trying to find II
basis of some charge against me f'
political purposes, was that the city su
fered over Sl.000,000 in actual damage
awarded for the breach of the contraC
and the citizens of Philadelphia su
tained inestimable loss because OF u
delav in the construction of the flltrato
plant caused by the Senator's critics
II want the public to daily pass up'
the street cleaning work of Philadelphi
remembering that ! am responsible on
for the streets south OF Poplar sire
and between the two rivers. ] ask tn
the travelling public compare the stree
of Philadelphia with those OF any larl
city in the United States. Citizens
Philadelphia who have occasion TO s
other cities cannot be affected by Il
politicat and untruthful statements pu