Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-01-15
Unas are zoe Coming TOT

Inc fnliauclphin fTeSs IL not
Democratic paper, but, like tho jour
nails of our party, its editors have
lately taken TO telling tho truth, some
thing rarely INDUCED in by the "truly
loil" organs. Wo have long known
that 'thc city of brotherly love- was
1 in the hands of thieves and robbers,
bus-;t was useless for a Democratic
Journalist to say so, because all loyal
dom would shout that the charge was
false. Col. Forney, in his issue of tho
I'd, says:
Monday the now Councils moet, and
quito % number OF recently elected
public functionarics will assume their
duties. A short political sermon t.
the good people of Philadelphia ID
therefore in season. Presumably, as
citizens and tolciably intelligent mon,
they must be aware of the disgraccful
state of municipal affairs, and tho ra-
pidity with which they are going from
bad to worse. Our city is fast ap-
proching the condition Of New York
when il was completely at tho mercy
OF Tweed & Co. Not only isour debt
increasing enormously, and taxation
becoming oppressive beyond endur-
anco, but in all branches of public SER
vice there is marked deterioration.
Tho whole government, with but one
or two exceptions, is in tho hands OF
a rapacious and unscrupulous ring
Our elections have become farcos, and
even the courts arc powcrless TO rene
jy the evil. Men guilty ofthe gravest
crimes either stalk the streets with
impunity or administer high public
trusts, it having become, in tho Ian
guage of the Reform Association, "no-
torious that political offenders need
not bo afraid of justice, and that tho
laws are parlyzed by those to whose
guardianship the approaches to our
courts are entrusted" Last year was
darker one than any of the city's
history; corruption, bribery, and tho
gravest misdemcanors in Councils and
many Of the departments were brought
to light; great crime was deliber.
ately suppressed, and the most lawlcss
and violent men in tho community
shielded from punishment, and tho
ballot outraged as il never was before,
yet none OF the perpetrators, although
they were well known, werc arrested
or convicted. OF all the officials
elected in 1871 during the turmoil
over the Tammany frauds, and with
so much reform ecidt, only one-Mayor
Stokley-has given evidence of deter
mination to faithfully perform the du-
ties Of his Office, or has kept his name
clear from scandal. The politicians,
the FOUNDERS, the host Of Ring sti,
pendiaries, have grown enormously
wealthy and powerful and correspond
ingly impudent. To day, through
various organizations, they hold tho
city in virtual Submission, debating
to both parties their candidates, from
the highest municipal officers down TO
members of tho Legislature. The old
lines of parties no longer apply among
this class. Republican thief aud Dem,
ocratic rufiian are alike banded to.
gcther. aen sa o
To shut our eyes longer to this
state of things, or 10 treat them In the
old way, will be suicidal Our mas
ters have been longer riveting tho
chains than Tammany was, and they
will be harder TO break. II will not
do TO wait for some great explosion TO
rculizc the danger and TO kindlc our
public spirit. Wero we to wako up
some fine morning TO read balance
shect like that the Times presented to
the people of New York las, year, wo
have doubt there would bo sufficient
display of virtue TO put down the
Ring, but the application of small
quantity of prevention now will save
Il great deal Of cure in the future