Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-11-28
FIRST EDITION.
PHILADELPHIA.
our sATuR DAY LETTER


Special Correspondence Of the Commercial.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 27.
The announcement of the Franklin Institute
Awards was considerably delayed and now that
it has been made is very obviously received.
For the strange discovery is made that the poll
cy adopted by the managers entirely nulli-
6es the question of distinctive merit
The value OF such an award consists in its ex-
ceptional character when all competitors are put
on practically the same footing testimonial
amounts to nothing. How can man stand
above his fellows in skill or industry il all are
shown to be entitled to much the same degree
of recognition Yet the contrary is the assump-
ton of the committees on awards, doubtless In
furtherance Of plan laid out by the manage
ment. Mutual admiration societies do not retain
respect long and it is found that the members
are the first to fall away, they feeling most Keen
ly the emptiness of their honors. 1t is to be
feared that the Institute has been organizing
such society on a large scale.
There were about 1900 exhibitors and OF this
number over 900 obtained premiums OF some
sort Instead of making distinction difficult to
obtain, and 30 worth 30 much the more, the IN
tent seems to have been to compliment every
individual whose contribution was important
enough to allow its being done without violently
outraging common sense. IL is safe to say that
there was not single exhibitor who attracted
any attention whatever who has not received one
of the ''awards." Inventors and elaborators OF
Whatever sort who have looked to the Institute
as an authority which should inform the world
of the real values Of industrial enterprise
must regard this as something very like
child play. There no severity OF
decision and no attempt to choose merely the
best 1t should not be forgotten that such a
rest firmly but honestly applied by no means az
firms that partiessnot mentioned are not worthy
artisans and manufacturers. But It does affirm,
and in its way prove, what is the best in each
&ln IT, utfn
all are declared best we may see why the expect
ed result should fail. Practically all In the re-
cent exhibition were put on this reserved ground.
The awards amount to nearly half the total num-
ber of exhibitors and those left out were merely
the padding " which serves to fill up every ex-
hibitlon of the kind and which could offer no
claim to even the most easy-going committee
man.
There were three classes of prizes offered
silver medals, bronze medals and certlhcate or
diploma declaring the receiver to be worthy Of
"honorabe mention" The last award might
as well be Heather modal" as far as any sig
nificance it has may go. The only prizes of con-
sequence were the silver medals and the num-
| ber of these-about 175-detracts considerably
from their value Even in this class it frequent
| y happens that a series of exhibitors IN the
| same line OF work secure each the highest prize.
The committees shirked the task OF con-
Institute. In six instances notification
| is made that cases have been referred to the
committee on Science and Art for decision as
to the first honors These parties are, Fiss,
| Barnes and Erben, worsted yarn Thos. Nj.
Shank, water meters Chambers Bros, paper
| folding and book binding machines j. Morton
| Poole Il Co. machine calendar rolls the Bullock
| Printing Press Co and Henry r. Heyl, wire
fastened paper boxes. The last-named is rec
| commended to the committee on Science and Art
for the award of the Scott gold medal and pre-
MUM but further than this the under commit
tees do not commit themselves. All the parties
named except ]. Morton Poole y Co., who are
Wilmingtonians, belong to this city. The end OF
the whole matter is a wonder. whether the cen
tennia awards are to be apportioned on this far.
| cical SCALE,
The announcement that the Press newspaper
had changed hands occasioned a good deal of
feeling. The most popular journals grow to be
identified with their conductors and man who
has regularly read any paper for years comes to
to think its director part OF his work. Ihui
| the Press seemed to mean Forney although For
ney has really had little to do with the paper oi
late. If he had more to do with it it would have
been better paper. You are aware that the
Press claims to be "the leading paper OF Penn
sylvania," but you are doubtless aware, too, tina
it is no such thing. A better paper than the
Press is published in city Of Pennsylvania
not one-fourth the size of Philadelphia
The Pittsburg Commercial Is the leading pape
of Pennsylvania, and it is lasting discredt u
our newspaper proprietors that it should be so
It is quite possible for the Press to become wha
1t now claims to be, and the change announced
encourages the hope that we may at last have
great daily such we should have had long ago
That Mcclure will make a splendid newspape
there is no manner of doubt. He is the best po
litical writer in the State and is Furthermore
man of great energy and tact, lin
judge of men, knowing always Just VIVA
! to do and how to select the agent
. for his purposes. But-the prospect s no
bright either, for "old subscribers" McClur
with all his undoubted genius for public affair
l is not trusted by the people. There is fats
y lack in this brilliant character,-that OF con
science and sincerity His leanings are now a.
n away from Republicanism, and if he carries tn
paper out OF the party the way will be open elthe
n for the establishment of another morning pape
or the reylvfcation OF one of the old ones. 10
. Forney's defeat cannot in any case be regarue
I otherwise than sorrowfully. 1t was felt by som
! when he first went to Europe that he woul
J, never return to his old post, but the dehnit
/ intelligence of these recent negotiations was
q less shock. One more instance-is 1t not
/ of the folly OF attempting to do too much.
l. Forney had never been cursed with the amb
o ton to become United States Senator if he la
left Washington to its devices and kept himse
" to his editorial room, he would still be man
o influence instead OF being forced to retire frol
n the field in the very maturity OF his power.
s. The election in February for municipal of
" GERS is beginning already to attract much attel
l. tion, more perhaps than it would have done br
for the wonderful events of the late gener
l. contest Men are now anxious to sc
% how far the influences then brought to bear al
3 capable of affecting political action in the futu
!, and whether it was mere spasm which pass
t. with the event, no more to return. The Po
lie Magistrates provided for by the new constitute
r are also to be elected and this lends a novel
I'd to the contest. The Police Magistrates take Il
place of the Aldermen under the old rule, hayii
g. the same powers as the Aldermen but und
th added legal restrictions and being enabled
r. dispose of petty cases without the nterventi'
r, OF the courts. Much is expected of IL
10 new Department of Justice Besid
We the Magistrates, Councmen a
IT. School Directors are to be elected. The UNI
ok League is active in the canvass, having emerg
nd from its recent quietude in politics. Perhaps
felt that November disasters called for recru
he and that the accession OF working mater
he would help stem the tide of retreat An imp
m tant meeting was lately held at the club rooi
nd to organize plan for the Republican campale
nd There was opposition to tho resolutions decl
an ing the League pledged to Republican can
dates but it was voted down and the club staI
nd on as firm a party footing as 1t
at any time during the war. L
he event is really very noteworthy as showing
X gravity OF the situation in the view of men W
have been recognized as the main Republic
money support of the city in times past. I
Oity Executive committee had appointed
9Th of December as the date of the Deleg
elections but the campaign committee appoi
Ma ed by the League has requested postponeme
The Executive committee will pass upon {
hts point tonight, and a decision to postpone
be an acknowledgement that the League is
in leader Of the campaign and that Republics
- will work steadily within the organization.