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 346 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

been working persistently to secure the introduction of an ade- quate system of filtration; but for some inscrutable reason, this committee had not been able to accomplish its end. It was difficult to apportion the blame for delay in the solution of the problem, which was fraught with such serious consequences to the comfort and health and protection of our city. The league, appreciating the gravity of the situation confronting the citizens, at once began an active campaign to preserve to the city its sole remaining asset, and a vigorous protest was prepared, and sent to the presidents and members of select and common councils, urging continued municipal control and operation of the water-works. The league was also represented before the councilmanic committee having charge of the matter, and urged the necessity of positive action in the direction of filtration, and negative action on the ordinances providing for the leasing of the works.

Before long, as in the case of the gas lease, it was to be observed that one ordinance that providing for the leasing of the water-works to the Schuylkill Valley Water Co. for a period of fifty years had insinuated itself into the good graces of the councilmen and was preferred above all others. Why this was so the judicial investigation, subsequently held, disclosed. The Schuylkill Valley ordinance passed Select Council easily, and was proceeding with equal ease through the lower branch, despite determined opposition, when a member from the Thirty-second Ward rose in his seat and openly charged that he had been offered $5,000 to vote for the ordinance. Under the influence of this exposure, the ordinance was indefinitely postponed, and, as a matter of fact, was never again pressed for passage. A com- mittee was appointed to investigate the charges; but little came of this. The Municipal League, however, was not idle. It retained Hon. Wayne MacVeagh and other counsel to assist its regular counsel to prosecute all who might in any wise be impli- cated in the attempted bribery. The league raised a guaranty fund to provide for the expenses of the investigation and prose- cution. The counsel determined not to appear before the com- mittee, whose action was considered a foregone conclusion, but to secure, if possible, the co-operation of the district attorney,