The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-27


hugh gentleman" They were supplied with the
though the other candidates OF his party were al
ways badly beaten, Mcclure generally managed to
have handsome majority In the democratic strong
hold. Gradually these operations spread their evl
effects over the entire district and when Mcclure
was candidate for Senator 1t was charged, on APP
parently credible evidence that where he failed to
bribe men 10 vote for hin he sometimes sue
ceeded in oriplng them not to vote at all.
sprung up and grew as II 1t had been good seed IN
fertile soil. simultaneously legislative corruption
showed more and more plainly lis ugly proportions
at Harrisburg TIL the law-making power OF the
Commonw ealtn became foul blot on the cscutcheon
OF the State. The republican ieud grew deeper
every year, and the fights OF the factions more bitter
and unreeniing. Mcclure and his friends charged
Cameron win series OF atrociOus crimes, and
denunciatiQns OF the McUlure.Curlin Ring. 1t Is
unnecessary 10 retail these scandals, or even 10
believed on both Sides and II Is equally certain that
to these early frauds and this long continued feud
are owing the corruptlons in Philadelphia today
FORMATION OF THE PHILADELPHIA RING.
Perhaps more than any other State Pennsylvania
has suffered from special legislation. The oppo-
stion which Is developing to the proposed Constitu-
tlonal Convention gains more strength among poll.
ticians OF certain class from desire TO cling to
the 'Jobs" iostered by this species OF Legislation
than from anything else. Special legislation paved
the way for the formation oil the Philadelphia rings,
ana Mcclure IN Quincy showed the small politicians
how to preserve and perpetuate their power.
troed ' men during gut the war accustomed but little
scrutiny into the characters OF candidates Tor Office
and pad men crept INTO place loose admlntstra.
tiOn OF some or the departments which existed
before the era OF Generalization began occasioned
considerable discomfort and strong and earnest de-
sire for change. The first ring IN LnlS CITY to call
forth a Cry Tor reform was the Board which had
charge OF the city's charities and the clty's poor
The innocent gentlemen composing this Board were
in the habit OF selling the dead bodies Of paupers
for dissection ana turning an honest penny Dy THIS
Sss But nobody oox very acsye steps
were created year alter year by special acts OF the
Legislature. One after another Board OF Water
| Commissioners, Gas Commissioners, Park Commits
sioners and commissioners OF Public Buildings was
instituted, and these had almost unlimited control
right OF perpetualng themselves The Gas Com.
mission mas shown Itself one Of the most cor
the Board which was given inc control Or the
pubic buildings, with power TO build more expensive
YorS onIS came into xsienSe nv tne corrTnt se or
the power TO I'LL vacancies conferred upon 1t by the
special act creating II. Each Board was CORPORA
became the corrupt partners OF the rings. Money
was spent lavshly, ana taxes rose at fearful rate.
| nifty TO crafty The desire. Low fellows came into
Office. ana they kept by the practice OF low arts.
| McClure'S enOrmltleS IN Quincy became as common
the purchase and sale OF votes in Rhode island.
Voters sold themselves for small prices, and soon
and ass were s as
| city was utterly ana nopelessly degraded. Good
men began 10 look ABOUT them III amazement and to
turn wildly 60 every quarter from which relief might
come. " men men ike Henry Z. Lea, one OF the
most accomplished scholars ID the country, Well
! as one Of the most accompl sned gentlemen, and
| Mathew Baird, one OF Pnladelphla's oldest and
| most respected clMzens, fOregO all the claims OF
the evi must be most crying and damaging one.
/ was forced 10 smile when read the opening sen.
fence OF the address which commended The citizens
reform ticket 10 the people last autumn. 1t begins
as granilOquenty as the Declaration Of lndepen-
dence Itself, the arrangement being as folows:-
When political decentralization reaches point at which the
SURFACES the people haDuay asked for the
"A
pass into the hands of reckless and dishonest officials,
the duty OF all who would preserve Tree institutions to work
unediy for reform
The people who took this matter in hand went to
work as earnestly AS the pampnleteers IN Queens
Annes time. Ihey called iacts and figures and sar-
casm and iuvective 10 aid them IN breaking down
rinas and repeaers and unialtiul elective officers,
and dishonest lncumbents oil official place. The
form party IN the beginning was Insignificant
enough. They polled only $500 votes at the October
intelligence aad wealth, and these, III city like
this, are atoNer OF strength, especially when backed
as IL this case by energy and pluck.
THE WORK OF THE PAMPHLETEERs.
it was curious sight 10 see the literary gentle
men OF Philadelphia take up IN tneir quaint Way the
work OF municipal reform. studert OF sacerdotal
cellbacy and the history OF the lnqusitlUn gave
his time to the preparation OF tracts on municipal
taxation anu the registry and election laws AN ad-
mrer Of the wis and satlrlsts OF the seventeenth
century, il he could not forget the .Maevlad' ana
"Absalom and Achltophel,n was ready 10 turn the
biting sarcasms Of the rancorous Old politicians
against politicians of Philadelphia. and to paint
them as Dryden painted Zimrl whO
Was chemist nddler, statesman and buGoon
Reform tracts were scattered all over the city
were printed and extensively circulated. Mass
meetings were neld, where wealth and respecta.
blity took the place OF numbers and enthusiasm.
Committees composed OF such men as Mathew
Baird and Jonn Campbell were appointed, charged
with all KINDS Of duties, aud, though the politicians
Knocked, the reformers were not disneartened. They
surpassed the old pampheteers In the vigOr OF their
work because they employed the resources or mOd.
ern politics well the intellectual bitterness or
n no al dprs n nj
tration dscounrenanced them aud uph cid the poll
ticians In their mockery. Mr. Adolph E. Borie.
Navy when he was younger than he is now, to-
gether with Mr.. c. Glllngham Fell and otner we'll
advising republicans to vote the republican ticket
'straigntn This action was impOlltlc even II 1t had
fignt ana made many Of MS sincerest friends luke.
warm towards his administration, while 1t brought
no corresponding advantages. Tue newspaper
press OF the city was generally on the side Of
reform Colonel Forney, the Collector OF the Port,
was on both SIDES. the great hrm Of Mann 4
Scas Who Sf had Es,r nsnas deep in the city
lcan faith, and claimed the action OF Borle anu the
others as an endorsement by the federal admins
raton The rings were successful ana tney gloried
liant fight and failed utterly. Now 1t was hoped
they would go back to their books and their book-
and buffoons pursue their congenial ways in
peace. the republican party was all right and the
e az a %n
brought some of the "boys," who had long exulted
IN running the machine, to grief and the Peniten-
tlary One uf these was the death OF Mr. Council,
the Invalid senator from the Fourth district, and
the other the Chicago fire. Two more unwelcome
events could not nave occurred and, slight as they
were In themselves, IL is not impossible that they
have In effect jeopardized the Presidential election.
THE CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS
The first effect. Of the fire at chicago was to
tighten the money market everywhere, and the
firm to feel 1t earliest was that OF Yerkes Co,
nnhi hnI hnrrn mall m q n mil n
dollars from Niarcer the City treasurer Yerkes
wanted to borrow more and Marcer demanded that
he should pay back what lie had already borrowed.
This be could not do and his house failed dragging
down Marcer with 1t. Then iJ was discovered that
Marcer's securities were members OF the City
Councils and legally disqualified from becoming
sureties for other officials. The Courts were ap-
pealed to and Yerkes and Marcer were sent to the
PenItentary, While the Councilmen were compelled
TO relinqush the places IN which they fed and fat
tened. Harry HUM, one OF the most noted OF the
suretes OF Marcer exclaimed when he heard the
ma 10.