The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-06
TUESDAY, JULY 8, 1869.
1UE DEMAND FOR REFORM.


systematically prostituted to the unworthy
purpose of aiding and abetting he plunder-
inc schemes of scoundrels, they deserve an
taeonim instead of support. In Philadel-
mia. the evils connected with the present
system of local nominations, which have long
been increasing have this year eliminated
in n series of unparalleled outrages, and DEM
ocrsts and Republicans are alike disgusted
and indignant with the action of the con-
ventions by which they have been misrepre-
sented. The whole delegate system,
"a practically carried out here, is rotten
to the core; and in large
number of cases, nomination, instead of
proving that the man who receives it is espe-
oally worth of the support of his fellow-citl-
zens at the general election, only is prt0'@
focie evidence that he was a bolder and more
unscrupulous schemer than any of his COM
petitors. Every proceeding, from the initial
step of appointing persons to hold the cleo
tions up to the final nominations reeks with
fraud, violence, and corruption; and the
people suffer in the end not merely from the
inferiority and incompetency, but the rapacity
of the officials who, after they acquire
posts of honor or profit resort to dis
honest practices to reimburse themselves
for the outlay incurred for electioneering
expenses, as well as to rapidly acquire fortunes
from illegal fees, peculation of public moneys,
or bribes In ordinary cases the outrages
which are inseparably connected with this sys
tenn are modified to considerable degree by
a wholesome fear of public opinion, and by
belief that if notoriously bad men are nomi-
mated, or if unusually infamous practices are
resorted to, the people will wreak vengeance
at the polls. The common resort, when an
intolerably bad Republican nomination is
made, is to elect the opposing Demo-
cratic candidate, and Uice UersG.
To some extent this favorite re-
medy may be successfully applied in 1869,
as in former years; but, unfortunately, many
of the conventions have acted so badly that
neither of the antagonistic candidates are on
personal grounds, worthy of support and the
choice is narrowed down, in the present state
of the canvass to selection of two equally
disgraceful aspirants.
For this reason there is now greater neces-
sity for the organization of vigorous reform
movement, and better prospect of its sue
cess than at any former period. The
men who have really at heart
the success of the principles of the
two parties have been equally outraged
Democratic city contemporary regales its
readers with homily on the superiority of
the platform adopted by the Democratic
County Convention. 1t lauds the rings and
rowdies who, after three days of fraud and
terrorism, nominated Ahern, Stewart & Co.,
because they professed devotion to the Con-
stitution, declared themselves champions of
free government, and espoused the cause of
reform. 1t is ridiculous to pretend that these
men cared jot for balderdash resolutions, or
that their hearts were in any other work than
the congenial task of forcing disgraceful can
didstes upon the community. 1t. has been
too much the habit of great parties to suffer
themselves to become the slaves of scouudrels,
simply because they make few cheap profess
sions of devotion to this or that principle; and
1t has repeatedly happened that, after base
men have acquired power in this manner.
they have used their positions only to plunder
and betray the public. A Democratic organ
at the State capital charges that the Democra-
tic legislators sent from this city to Harrisburg
last winter purposely promoted for time the
success of the Metropolitan Police bill, so
that the Democrats of Philadelphia would
send large sum of money there to defeat it's
passage, and that they would gain share of
the plunder. Similar acts of bad faith TO the
Republican party were no doubt perpetrated
by the Republican Representatives 1t is a
fatal mistake to suppose that the corruption
lists, who are ready on all occasions to sell the
rights of the people to the highest bidder, can
be faithful to the true interests of the political
organizations they pretend to serve. The only
excuse for tolerating them-that they have
the one virtue of partisan fidelity, linked
to the thousand crimes which make
up the sum total of their character-is
therefore fallacious, and they are as
ready, in many instances, to sell out their
party as to sell their votes to railroad specula-
tors or to steam-boiler companies If Bum,
Adaire, Davis, Stokes, Cloud and Hong, the un-
popular Republican members who have been
renominated for the Legislature cared any
thing for the triumph of Republicanism, they
would even now withdraw, and cease to be
naillstones around the neck of the party. If
Mr.. Houseman wishes to promote a Republi-
can triumph in Philadelphia, he will also
retire and give clear field to candidate who
can command the united support of the orga-
Rization, as well as of thousands Of Democrats
who are disgusted with the manner in which
their conventions were managed. But if Re-
publicanism is to be doomed to drag these