New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-14
PENNSYLVANIA.

Much to their own surprise apparently, as 10
the surprise of everybody else, the opponents
of the corrupt Philadelphia Ring succeeded
Yesterday in defeating the Ring candidate for
Judge of the Supreme Court in the Repub-
Ican State Convention at Harrisburg. The
Ring candidate for Treasurer, Z. w. Mackay,
was nominated with but slight show OF oppo-
stiOn but when the nomination OF Judge OF
the Supreme Court for the term OF fifteen
years came up, there was sharp and
prolonged contest. The Philadelphia Ring, or
system of Rings, is more complete, If possible,
than was the Tammany organization In this
city, 1t controls all the departments and all
the patronage of the city, and is almost i'm
pregnably intrenched in power, being in some
departments entirely beyond the reach of
supervision or investigation; it is, in fact,
almost absolute and self-perpetuating. In
Pennsylvania, however, as in New-York, the.
Ring has found it necessary to own the courts as
well as control the patronage, and the tight made
by the Ring delegates at Harrisburg yesterday
was with this object. The Ring candidate,
Judge Paxson, was urged upon the Conven-
ton by such patriot as Col. VIM. B. Mann,
whose administration of the Office of District
Attorney in the interest of his political friends
and dependents is only too well known. The
old argument was used, Of course, that unless
the Philadelphia Ring candidate was nomi-
mated the Democrats would nominate
some such man as Judge Ludlow,
and elect him. But the country dele
gates had heard enough of that sort of
talk, they said, and so after ten ballots, with
Paxson leading almost up to the last moment,
Judge Gordon of jefferson County, who was
the candidate of the Western section of the
State, was nominated by bare majority and
by the union Of the friends of the other can
didates upon him.
The Importance of this defeat Of the Ring
will be appreciated in the light of the remark
reported to have been made pending the nom
nation, that the Ring had got to nominate
and elect Paxson to keep themselves out of
State Prison. The inactivity and apathy of
some of the political magnates who have
always used the Ring and profted by its ras-
calities, excited considerable indignation and
wrathful comment, and threats were made
that if carried out would be likely to
affect seriously the political fortunes Of
these gentlemen. But Senator Cam
eron and Gov. Hartranft and the
rest of the threatened statesmen doubtless
know their men and feel reasonably safe.
The withdrawal of these prominent politicians
from active participation in the management
of the Convention is not difficult of interpre-
tation. The signs of the times are not auspi-
cious for Rings. National, State or Municipal,
and in an "off year" in politics they think it
is hardly worth while to stand out in the storm
for the benefit of their Philadelphia friends.
This is one of the indications that public
opinion is having good effect upon the poll
ticians.
How much the defeat of the Ring candidate
and the nomination of Judge Gordon means,
it is not possible now to determine. 1t Is
well enough to consider before building too
much upon it that the result is due not so
much to a genuine hostility to Ring rule and
corrupt government as to the local and pei
sonal considerations which entered largely
into the canvass It is safe enough to rejoice
over the defeat of the Ring candidate, but
how great an advance has been made in the
publication of politics, or what progress In
obtaining pure and incOrruptible judiciary,
time alone will determine. The Reformers IN
Pennsylvania have long, hard fight before
them yet. Many of them have contributed
to build up the Ring they are now making
war upon by their blind adhesion TO caucus
nominations. The strength of the Philadelphia
and of all other Rings is in the partisanship
of the people and their unquestioning support
of regular nominations. When party al