Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-24
BROWNS PALACE IN COURT

FTNftE JOB Combine has played into the
l. hands of the Mayor by pursuing course
which has enabled his friends to hale the
men connected with Judge Browns Palace
OF Justice plan into court on the eve of
the primaries, for just as the County Com
missioners were about to advertise for bids
papers were filed in taxpayers suit to
test the legality Of the proceedings.
Here is the situation: City Council ap-
propriated S1,0O0.000 last winter toward
the construction of building or buildings
for the Municipal Court, and directed that
the money should be spent by the County
Commissioners.
The Mayor vetoed this appropriation on
the ground that the uses to which the money
was to be put were not stated with sufficient
definiteness, and on the further ground that
under the Charter the construction Of the
proposed courthouse should be under the
charge of the Director Of Public Works and
the City Architect. He cited the provision
of the Charter that the City Architect should
prepare or supervise the preparation of all
plans of public buildings to be erected in the
city to be paid for by moneys appropriated
by City Council, and the additional provi-
sion that the Department of Public Works
should have the supervision of the con-
struction Of public buildings of every kind
for public use. He argued that these pro-
visions superseded the provisions in the act
creating the Municipal Court
Council overrode this veto by the COM
bincd vote of the members loyal to the
contractor politicians and the three votes
representing the Brown Cunningham wing
Of the Brown Cunningham Ware combina-
tion. This was on February II.
Under the authority of the ordinance the
County Commissioners began 10 make ar
rangements to advertise for bids for work
on the courthouse. They let the matter lag
until few days ago. And now on the eve
Of the primaries a group of representative
citizens have begun in junction proceedings
against the County Commissioners in order
to give the whole matter an airing in the
courts and establish whether the Charter
means what 1t says. The papers in the case
are returnabe on September IS, only five
days before the voters will go to the pri-
maries to give their verdict on the nomina-
tion of ticket composed of men who are
opposed to the continuance of Job Combine
mnChinations
Thnt Combine not only overrode the
Mayors veto OF the appropriation for the
building for the Municipal Court. 1t also
overrode his veto of appropriations for
the salaries of $50 useless attaches of that
court appointed to IT without civil service
examination and apportiOned among the
members of the Combine in Council. The
veto was aimed nt tho looting of the public
treasury by the spoilsmen for the benefit of
their dependents without regard to the needs
of the court.
The whole transaction is n matter OF
record. The Job Combine is on the side OF
loot. Tho Mayer Is on the side of the pro-
lection of the interest of the taxpayers. The
Mayors veto messages are printed in the
r I'll bn nEt NJ
men who voted to override them are there
also in cold type. And further record
will be made when the Court listens to the
arguments by the attorneys for the citizens
who are fighting the battle for decent gov
ernmcnt on the side of the Mayor