City Engineer Fired Amidst Political Pressure

The action of the Democratic majority of the board of public works in summarily removing City Engineer Thomson from office has aroused a storm of public indignation which would doubtless lead these faithless public officials to rescind their unpopular action if they were not intimidated and controlled by a clique of manipulators and wreckers, who, themselves irresponsible to the public, remain in the dark and control the government of this city for their own purposes. It was these men who dictated to the commissioners their extraordinary action. It is they who insist upon the policy which is wasting the money of the taxpayers and making our municipal government a machine for the enrichment of heelers. Matters have come to a pretty pass when a member of the board of public works whines that he voted to remove a subordinate because the 'pressure' brought to bear upon him was too great to be resisted. When such a plea is seriously advanced it is not surprising that the mayor of the city should be threatened with open opposition by members of his own party, including no less a Democrat than John Collins, unless he reconsiders his determination to get at the bottom facts in the Thomson matter. It is a nice mess. Thomson is removed because 'pressure' is brought to bear on the members of the board of public works. 'Pressure' is brought to bear upon the mayor because he evinces a disposition to remove the commissioners who removed Thomson. And all the time the taxpayers are the ones who feel the real pressure, for it is they who must go down into their pockets for the enrichment of the heelers. Truly the wreckers are a-wrecking.