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Show JVebv Deal tn the City Council, Hobday Submits Written Proposition. The Thomas Case. Kearns and Calllster. The councilmanic ropes were pulled tout at tho last meeting, when the two appointments of the Democratic mayor were thrown skyward by the fighting factions of the Republican majority. It merely showed that each faction was fearful of the power of the other. If the Kearns men in the council had confirmed the appointment of J. U. Eldredgo, Sr., as city sexton, as they had previously agreed, it simply meant the confirmation confirma-tion of Snow and the ejectment of Kelsey, which would have been a nauseous drought for the Kearnsites to quaff. That was the nightmare, in connection with a little tincture of party diplomacy, diplom-acy, which frightened away from Eldredge tho support of Davis, Black, Martin and Hobday, who had practically assured tho mayor that they would make no effort to blockade the confirmation. confirma-tion. Had Preeco and Hewlett worked together, the split in the majority would have resulted in the confirmation of the Democrats. This fact has created consternation among the Republican appointees ap-pointees of the former mayor and they are look-ing look-ing forward to the next meeting with visible quaking and dubiety. But the amusing feature of the councilmanic tangle is that it brought the Kearns members of the body to their feet with a distinct jolt. In a vast eagerness to retain as many of tho Kearns appointees as possible, that wing of the majority, major-ity, with Hobday as helmsman, has submitted a written proposition to the mayor, agreeing to vote for all the other appointees of the mayor, provided pro-vided he will not disturb the superintendent of waterworks, city engineer, chief of police and park keeper. This would mean the sacrifice of Chief Devine, Joseph McKnight, and Health Commissioner Com-missioner Stewart, the latter of whom, at least, was a belligerent worker for the Kearns slate. It is doubtful if this proposition will meet with the favor of the mayor, as he considers it essential that he should have control of the waterworks system, since the water problem is the most vital one with which the administration will have to deal. Further, the mayor will not sacrifice Condie, superintendent of streets, as he was a leader in the independent Republican forces which made tho election of Mr. Morris possible, and the leaders who fought for the nomination of the antl-Kearns ticket have all strongly urged the retention of Condie. This will make A. J. Davis and the other Kearns statesmen gnash their molars, as they have repeatedly assured the mayor that they would vote for any Democrat he wished to offer as a substitute for the present street supervisor. Black considers himself the leader of the majority ma-jority in the council, and he explains his failure to vote for the confirmation of the mayor's appointees appoin-tees on the ground that had he been In tho affirmative affirm-ative tho other Republicans would have flocked to the support of Democrats, with consequent infliction in-fliction of political fractures on his friends now ." in office. w &fc iC That was a very handsome conspiracy tho Shifty Senator inaugurated against Postmaster Thomas, which resulted in that official's heing summoned to the large White House to explain alleged malconduct of his office. Ever since tho Dougherty affair in the local office, tho Shifty has sworn by the beard of the prophet that ho would bring the head of Mr. Thomas to tho guillotine block. The inspectors, who are known to b quietly working in the interest of tho Slilfty's "friend," Mr. Hanna, made it appear that Mr-Kearns Mr-Kearns local political enemy had violated the B qVii Servioo laws. Thero appears to bo nothing B tangible in the accusations and it is not likely B that Mr. Roosevelt will be caught in a plot so B apparently flimsy in texture. B This paper takes this opportunity of predict- fl jng that tho campaign against Mr. Thomas will B fail utterly and will result merely in tho cha- B 6rm tne 'nstiSator o tne conspiracy. K t5 fcv B That recalls the circumstance that Mr. Kearns B lias a watchful and suspicious eye on the Internal B Revenue Collector, whose political predelictions B do not aPPear t D exactly to the Shifty's liking. B He has offended Mr. Hanna's friend mightily by B h's alleged interference in local politics, and the B Senator has laid many traps to catch Mr. Callis- B ter in an overt act of political meddling. For in- B stance, Mr. Lippman, the Shifty's local manager, B urged Mr. Hartonsteln to make a race for tho B presidency of the council, and incidentally an ef- B fort was made to induce Callister to take a hand B In the fray, so that tho Senator could rush with B incriminating evidence to Oyster Bay or wherever B else the presidential presence might direct. B This is no defense of the Internal Revenue B collector, but the Shifty's methods aro just a little B bit wierd as well as being crude. |