Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-11-09
PHILAD DELPHIA.
OUR SATURDAY LETTER.
The Election in the City-The Logic Of Fact-some
Convincing Figures-The Death Of Gen. Meade
Was he the Hero Of Gettysburg i-The Value
Of City Property and tip Tax Rate, Etc.


been informed. The official count gives a ma
jority Of 45 446 for Grant, or more than double
the Republican majority for HartrAnft; the exact
majority in the Goyernership having been 20, ,437
And while this was done the aggregate vote in
the election just passed was considerably less
than in the State contest, standing in October
11S.119 votes, and in November but 90 236 votes
The falling on is on the Democratic side. which
could 60 for Buckalew with 4 win, but could not
stomach Greeley On the same principle that
every child born into the world is a finer one
than the last, it is the custom to extol every
election as unparalleled, but in This case and
without regarding other instances it is fair to
make the claim. Where shall we find such
another instance Of the Democrats de serting
their oandidate7 1t may be said that Mr.. Gree
ley was not the real choice Of the party, and II
was clear from the beginning that he was not
but he was the candidate ali the same, and reg
! ularly nominated, The scheme was 70 prepos-
teronsly abused, however, that for once the
Locos jumped the tracea., This b nowhere as
plain AS in the known DemocrAto wards where,
until now, nothing but "Unterrifed" majorities
have ever been cast. Thus the I'd Ward which,
~ October. gave 78 majority for the D. moorats,
now returns 1898 Republican, and the 18th
changes from $50 Democratic to 600 Republican.
Even the notorious 4th Ward-a locality with an
almost national reputation-givee Republican
ma aoritY for the first, time in It's history, chang
ing from 8O6 Dem in October to 81 Rep. in No
vember. Bearing these facts in mind, the ag-
gregate Of 45, 446 can be easily understood. the
wonder being that 1t is not even greater. But it
is great enough. General Grants majority at
his first election in Philadelphia was 5,812; is
not the change something stnpendous2 You
may depend upon it, the people know thing or
two they know when man has done his duty,
aud whether they like him or no. ,Phat was the
mistake the Greeleyitee made they thonght the
people did not know these things. II remains
only to be noted that the Temperance Ticket re-
oeiVed Ten Votes, and the Labor Reform Ticket
One Vote, II would be interesting to know the
names OF these Reformers. That Labor Re-
former especially occupies proud preemiDence;
he ought to declare himself. But amt you glad
that it's all over mean2 t---~A rrfl
The death Of General Meade, while it haA re-
called memories OF the Rebellion and subdued
our hearts, with fresh gratitude for the actors in
that fearful struggle, has not affected the public
AZ the demise Of the Hero OF Gettysburg might
,bave been expected to. BY general consent that
battle is admitted as the turning point Of the
war, the only thing that prevented a Northern
Invasion, with the consequent recognition of the
OonfederHcy, foreign intervention, and possibly
Cone cannot speak with certainty Of this,--but
poaaibly) the Independence OF the South. The
man who directed the movement that overthrow
such a disastrous combination would be, ii might
be thought, rated one OF the worlds greatest
soldiers, and hAPe been beloved by his country
men with fervor scarcely second to that felt
for Washington, Lincoln, or Grant. But what
is the fact3 Genl. Meade has inspired this feel
ing IN q very slight degree indeed--to not nearly
AZ great an extent as some of our soldiers OF
lower rank. Motto speak Of Grant, II Sherman
or Sheridan we're now lying dead the country
would, be in mourning; but Meade passes and
the event m ,kes but little impression. Why
Can 1t be that his fame is accidental rather than
real That fancy is the suspicion in the pub
hc mind. Meu who were at Gettysburg will tell
you that Reynolds was the true "Hero" OF
that day, that Meade thought himself beaten,
was beaten and in retreat, when the fortunate
vantage ground of Cemetery Ridge was reached
and Reynolds, realizing its strength, advised
another stand Meade did stand there-and the
army won, but how far was it really his own
doing2 1t may seem ingracious to speak in this
way, and the soldier not yet buried but you may
| be sure do 30 in no unkindness Of spirit
more in wonderment than anything else, il he
| was the great man he was claimed by some
| to be, that his fellOw-countrymen should not
now realize his loss more seArchingly
| than they appear TO. For one thing, he never
seemed to come near to the people. He was
| rich, arstoorato, reserved. One Of the things
said in his praise which seems to make the
greatest impression, judging from the manner
IN which it is quoted, is description of him
| by an English writer in which he ls styled pa
trician." judge that true, while at the same
/ time l admit that these things are no bars to q
II
1 But did he in sober truth win the battle Of
Gettysburg and save the North2 II he did, we
Ofthe North, aud especially here OF Pennsylvania,
are the most apRtbetic and ungratefnl people
| living.
L. appears as il the already very high Tax rate
of the city must be still further Increased in
| order to make both ends meet, That at least
| ~ the moral of the annual report Of the Board
| OF Revision OF Taxes just published. This re-
| port is yearly looked for with great interest, and
| uQpumant nuDllalBU
twelve month has greater number of readers
| Every man who owus a dollar feels direct pro-
prietorshlp in and the report is scanned AZ the
| trial balance Of mercantile firm ID at the end oil
the business year by those concerned, only in thi
case the trm consists of about $50 900 members
| The entire value of the property III tho city Ii
stated in the report TO be 1927 l65 2O8 Of which
tidy little sum S5l5, ,z34 56S ID the value OF rea
Estate, and s. $50, 200 that Of Horses, Carriages
Furniture, &c. OF the real estate s2S, ,9O3, ,O64 il
rated as " Suburban, and $I9,923 525 at farm
rates, the balance of S469, ,4O7,919 being includ
I'd III the city proper or closely built sections
The increase over last year in real estate is Sl5,
| SlS,705 and IN Furniture, &C., 1871 ,ool. Ihes
figures are gratifying and seem probable enough
| lhe number OF watches returned, however, wal
small-only about 10 500 in all, and the NANTES
iuaccuracy of the report on this point give
Il some psople doubt upon the value OF the Othe
hgures. But mans watch seems to be an ex
ception to property rules. There is sort o
II pi1vacy about II that declines to be outraged.
stands IN tbs same relation to the Tax gathere
AS the housewives silver ware used TO III thos
times not 30 very long ago when female woul
rather tell anything else than how mucl
silver she owned. Inc point wished to max
on the whole matter, however, was that despit
the evidences OF prosperity in the increases
value of property, the Tax Rate will have +
be increased next year. The rate at presen
| you may remember, is $500 upon each 500
with a special .08 for the erection of the pubh
buildings. Now we call $2.0S big rate here
} although they pay considerable more in som
: other places. This rate on the totals give
above would produce over SlO,OOO,OOO. Bu
/ our expenses have been growing al the sam
j time that our property has been increasing !
value and the likehhoods are that wesshall hay
at least S12, 500 900 to disburse next year an
perhaps more. This will necessitate a rate Q
$3.50 per hundred and the prospect is no
4 pleasing Boon you will hear hints and mui
murs OF the coming demand, and then look ou
for tumult. The papers will all cut up roug
I but it will all end in our paying the money, an
3 the next FIVE years may bring us up to IS so Q
. the hundred. You can't live In city for nou
ing. INDEX.
ANOTHER EvM-Aside from the plague 81
isteng amnog horses, in this city, at the preser
time, there is another evil, II not as impOrtan
it is one, however, that is not to be overlooked
. | The evil referred to, is the /" shinney plague
| existing among oys--and bad boys, too. I'll