New-York tribune., 1873-05-05
4 GOOD TINE FOR REFORM

Politically speaking, Philadelphia is now
Pennsylvania. great State, embracing more
than half a million voters outside of Philadel-
phia, is absolutely at the dictation of the dom
inant Rings of the chief city. The free ballot
has become a mockery, an elaborate engine OF
fraud. and maiorities can be and are manu-
factured to order. When ten thousand will
insure the safety Of the whole ticket, the
managers are content with a return OF that
amount. When twenty thousand was deemed
necessary to overcome the honest vote OF
the State last year, twenty thousand
majority was returned. A false registration Of
tens of thousands was made without pretense
of concealment. Repeaters were on hand to
vote the requisite number of names under the
lead and protection of officials, policemen, and
assistant United States marshals. PLANT cleo
ton officers were there TO receive the fraudu-
lent votes, and to manipulate the returns to
apy necessary extent, and the Board of Return
Judges capped the climax Of fraud by SWELL
ing the majority some thousands above the
achievements of the regular channels of bal
lot-stufing, when no necessity demanded it.
These facts are undenied and undeniable in
any intelligent circles of Philadelphia. The
entire press of that city, without an exception,
has borne testimony to the truthfulness OF
this startling picture, and there Is not
business man there who does not feel to-day
that he is made to "grind in the prison
house, of the unscrupulOus officials who
have practically usurped every channel of
authority in the "City of Brotherly Love-"
Last Fall the intelligent Republican
voters of Philadelphia voted the Re-
publican ticket, or at least sustained the
candidates of that organization, with the
full knowledge that the legislative candidates
were, as q rule, of the most disreputabe class
and that the city candidates were organized
for systematic and lawless extOrtiOns at the
cost of the people. They distrusted the integ-
rity of their candidate for Governor, and
much more distrusted the influences which
had made him their candidate; and their
nominee for Auditor General was almost with
out defender or even apologist throughout
the campaign. But the mass of business men
in the Republican party desired the re-
election of President Grant - whether
wisely or unwisely we do not now
discuss-and they closed their eyes to every
thing but the fortunes of the national contest.
To vote against Hartranft or Allen was to
vote TO endangeT Grant. 10 vote against Ring
candidates for the Legislature was to endan-
ger Grant u. S. Senator, and to vote against
incompetent or dishonest city candidates in
October was to endanger Grants majority in
November. Thus unable to be honest with
themselves or TO vote honestly for tho inter
ests of the city and State, they closed their
eyes to the fraud that was faunted in their
faces, paid the price of their own humiliation,
and voted for men whom they knew 10 be
but banded plunderers.
But the past is past Now Republican
President is installed for another four years
A Republican Governor is safe for three years
A Republican U. s. Senator and Republican
Congressional delegation have been secured.
The next election in Philadelphia and Penn
sylvana is without political importance. The
OILY State officers 10 elect arc Supreme