The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-09-11
SPIRIT OF TIE PRESS.
Editorial Opinions of the Lending Journals
Upon Carrent TOpics-COmpiled Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph.
PHILADELPHIA UNDER RUFFIAN
RIFLE

PDuadelphla, Wnlcn formerly was noted for
its order and sobriety, now appears to be
given over to lawlessness and crime. Last
Saturday one individual was deliberately shotto
death by another in the Fairmount Park. On
Monday two rufhans rode up, in broad day
light, to a store in a prominent street and
while one held the horses the other entered
the building and sent bullet through the
body of United States officer, who, because
of his efficient efforts to ferret out villainv,
had provoked the revenge of villains. Coolly
re-entering the carriage the assassin was
driven away, up one street and down another
to the park, where he and his confederate
escaped, though the crowd had closely fol-
lowed them and vociferously called for their
detention and arrest. The time and manner
chosen by these villains for their attempted
assassination were no more remarkable than
their escape. Imagine two murderers shoot
ing down man in Fourth avenue at noon,
and then riding through Madison avenue and
Thirty fourth street, up Sixth avenue to Cen
trail Park, and then "being lost sight of,
though CLOSELY followed by the police and
crowd" Is there an individual connected
with the police force of New York so imbecile
as not to have seized the first vehicle on the
thoroughfare and given chase to the fleeing
assassins, if unable to keep track of them on
foot? Philadelphians assure us that never
before were there so many cases of robbery,
house-breaking, and crime of every descrip-
tion. Thousands of the citizens have pro-
cured extra locks and bolts for their doors,
and now exercise precautions against burglars
which were never before deemed essential
For this carnival of crime there must be
some explanation, and it is to be found, so
Philadelphians charge, in the course of Mayor
Fox. Last fall, whether by fair or foul means
will be determined by the decision soon to be
pronounced this individual supplanted a
Republican official, Mayor McNIichael, who
had labored energetically to enforce order and
sobriety in the Pennsylvania metropolis. On
assuming the robes of Office, Mr.. Fox gave
the people to understand that his administra-
tion would be wholly free from anything of a
partisan character. SO long as the Legisla-
ture remained in session his promises were
made good, and the thieves and cut-throats
who through his election, expected to secure
immunity from punishment, began to raise
camor about his ears. The Democratic
Mayor was, however, biding his time Faith
full efficient, long-serving police, appointed
by previous administrations were undlsturbed
as long as there was danger of the Legisla-
ture passing Metropolitan Police bill, taking
the control of the city guardians out of the
Mayors hands. No sooner however, was
this danger averted by the adjournment of
that body than the guillotine was set up, and
has been kept in active operation ever since.
One Republican policeman after another has
ruffians and scoundrels the same depraVed
class of men who last fall were sworn in as
special deputies by Democratic sheriff to
overawe the legal voters and intimidate the
poll officers from keeping out of the ballot
boxes the tens of thousands of bogus votes
which had been prepared by the Democratic
leaders.
To the ''tender meroies" of such characters
are the lives and property of Philadelphians
intr11 ta1 In q Iah for
trial at one of the courts last Saturday, it was
shown that these new policemen were not
only boon companions of convicted robbers,
but likewise sharers of their plunder In
view of such condition of affairs there is
good reason for the uneasiness and feeling of
insecurity which pervade the city.
while thieves and gamblers" observes a
Philadelphia paper of recent date, 'are per-
mltted by Mayor Fox to take possession of
our most public street; while gigantic rob-
berries take place under the roof of his Honors
Court; while almost a murder is done within
sight of police headquarters by professional
thieves and gamblers, as was lately done at
Ninth and Chestnut streets; while the Mayors
officers are the recipients of thieves plunder,
it is no wonder that the respectable citizen
grows apathetic, and loses hope"
The lawlessness now prevailing in their
chief city should serve as a warning to the
people of Pennsylvania against permitting
the Democratic party torestore its supremacy
over the entire State this fall.
THE DENT MOVEMENT IN NIISSIS.
SIPPI.
From the N Y. Times.
The Mississippi friends of Judge Lewis
Dent are at liberty to nominate him for
Governor if they choose, and Judge Lewis
Dent is at liberty to accept the nomination if
he think proper. But when the former cal
themselves National Republicans" and theil
convention National Republican Conven-
ton, and when the latter accepts the nom-
nation as the act of the Republicans of the
State, they are jointly and severally parties
to fraud The object of those who have
made this nomination is to defeat the penu.