The Evening Telegraph

Let Us Hear the People.

Mr. John Cloud has introduced into the lower house of the State Legislature a bill relative to the mode of settling the vexed question of the locality of the new public buildings. It provides that at the next annual election the voters of Philadelphia shall decide by ballot as to what place is the most popular. There is in this proposition a great deal of sound common sense, and it will, we think, receive the commendation of the great body of our citizens. In matters of purely local interest, it seems to us that the will of the people could with ease be directly heard. It is different so far as large tracts of country are concerned, but in a municipality like Philadelphia we are at a loss to understand why the voters are not more frequently consulted. If there ever was a time and a question upon which they are fully calculated to vote understandingly, it is on the issue which it is now proposed to submit to them for settlement. There is a great difference in the Councils as to what location is best, whether Independence Square or Penn Square. So great is the difference of opinion, and so frequent the fluctuation, that one day a majority favors one and the next day the other. The newspapers, too, are divided. Those who own property around Independence Square are all eager for that site, while those who are not pecuniarily interested in the neighborhood all favor Broad street. It is not unreasonable to suppose that the same motives of selfishness may have influenced Councils, and that from them a disinterested decision is difficult to obtain.

In view, then, of the unsettled and unsatisfactory state of feeling on the part of our Representatives, why not go to the fountain head? Why not ask the direct opinion of the people of the city? Surely, they are quite as competent to decide that as their Representatives. Now, what does the law introduced by Mr. Cloud amount to? It is nothing more than a very just bill, introduced to let the people decide where the public buildings shall be: and that they will direct they shall be erected without any additional expense, cannot be questioned. When the citizen comes to the polls to vote, he will receive printed tickets, indicating the leading sites proposed, and he can vote any one he wants. or else vote on a written ticket for such a place as he pleases. Of course, the question will really resolve itself into whether Independence Square or Penn Square will be the position.

We believe by this means we will see how many thousands and tens of thousands of Philadelphians prefer the centre of our city to the eastern end. It will then be seen how the live and prosperous portion of our citizens will rally around an effort which is to be a great public improvement. We court this means of deciding the question. We think it the fairest and at the same time the one most calculated to give success to our ideas. When the splendid location on Broad street, with its wide space and unrivalled position for beauty and utility, is compared by the people with the narrow, cramped, crowded, and ugly position proposed by interested parties at Sixth and Walnut, we will soon see which they will favor. We are willing to leave with them the question whether the city shall have a pile which will be visited by strangers with wonder and admiration, or whether we shall have a series of 'new court houses" of red brick, to be a blot and a standing disgrace to our liberality and our taste. By all means let the will of the people be heard as to the two localities.