New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-02
THE PHILADELPHIA MiYoRALTY.

mr. TELEGRAPH TO Tng TRIBUNE.

iBr TELEGRAPH TO Tug rRIBuNEl
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. IA hasty dispatch
from Col Alex X Mcclure. IN whose favor such an up
rising Of the people Of all parties occurred last night
from Harrisburg few minutes after his recon-
nlendaton by the Democratic Convention, ID when ne
accepted the nomination and went on TO say, . see
latham runs tender 10 Stokley." This clause has
produced he following letter from Mr.. latham TO tue
Reform Association:
GrSIIrMES II Thought that my beiag candidate
would be Of service 10 the cause real reform would
hesitate 10 accete 10 your request even at tho slc
utterly dist'steiul TO nue.. am convinced, how ,
ever. that ths sacrifice is not required Of
pretended reform which ouly result 10 dsgracefu
defeat disastrous vctorr. would not have shrunk
from tho contest That opportunity not Ou9ilnS beS
lcave 30 decline The honor you propose,
This letter regarded here merely piece personal
lnaturc and by ovincing the temper OF the
majority OF the reform orgInzlon. who were Col Nc
Cures supporters IN the Senatorial contest two
Years ago and all whose since he has sronu-
ously advocated the Legislature and on the stump
The Ctzcns candids follows up his brilliant effort last
night by second tomorrow uiS6t at Frank ford bis
subject bong The Boilers"
SPEECH BY non. A, X M'CLURE.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 1.-The friends of re-
form and those favorable to uon-partsan city gov
eminent assembled at HOritcu tural Hall last night in
mass meetng The 0ssemblage was vast and the en-
by Col. Forney. Thomas H. spcekmsD, State Senator
Wallace Col. r p Decbert, and others. But the great
speech Of the evening OF course was made by Col Nc
Cluro whose nomination "a Reform Mayor Of the city
gbe meeting was called 10 indOrse.
Col, Mcclure began by rapidly sketchng The history
81 tho phase OF the Reform movement In Pom
sylvanis He showed how tho battle for the new Cons
sutton wa. planned and won.
Fraud retrosted from the contest for constitutional
form. ig1Omniousiy ydnqnishHd by the earnest pur
pose of the people and the new fundamental law has
been insugurated. twas no meaningless victory. IL
JAILED forth no t0Tchiight PROFESSIONS; no banners
hsuDted before IA on the streets; no place-huDters
crowded upon the tide of triumph to steal the jewel OF
regeneration Its wearing was felt In every palace ana
hamlet of the Commonwealth. There was a profound
sense safety every channel OF business and trade
they rescued from the legislative spOier. The
humbest OF state in the rocesses of our noun
taDs reOicOd that fraud had been made p0weress 10
1sfraDchise him philadelphia f,lt that her name had
her property was remanded to the direction OF Its
owners
a baltic for municipal dtliyeraDce He added: THIS
battle cannot be lost Ii involves the verT destiny OF
partisan OF her citizens the boosted omnpotenee
OF Old TsmmaDy broken. aud her leaders feons or
fugitives; with Boston model Of administrative
purity aod excellence by her persistent revolt against
partisan government; with PttDurgh overurnng par
izan plaoemen. and selecting her Chief Magistrate in
defiance OF their demands, and with the leading organs
Of public opinion throughout the nation, OF every shade
~ political belief appealing TO Philadelphia to redeem
herself for tho great Centennial Anniversary Of our
dephia turning upon herself, upon all her sacred memo
res Of the past. and upon all the grandeur OF her
possible future with the cazed blow OF the suicide BY
majority OF 1900 far ascertained, the people Of
ths city decided for the Inauguration or vital reforms
in our municipal administration They fought and
Ners fought At every step TO achieve that result All
the power and patronage OF the city was hured Into
the contest against them, aud by whoml Who in
tue fore front Of the opposition Who mar
shalod the departments the officers OF the peace,
and all the appliances authority. defeat the peOpei
Col Mcclure then showed that the contest was not one
men, but OF principles that the present rotten sys
tenn Of local politics makes the city mere body TO be
preyed upon ard picturing in fOrciblo language the
condition OF the municipal interests he said with tho
highest rate of ctT In the Union upon fair val
Walton we are compelled to face city debt OF SIS 100000
pore than three times the debt Of Pennsy yaniaand
our expenditures reach nearly s2oVooO he must con
template staggering debt and these enormous ex
penatnros connection with the fact that ours is
the OOiy one Of the large cities on tne continent
mat - without single creditsbe street, aud whose
public buildings are surpassed oy majority OF me
eouuuss OF the State. We have already passed the
limit Of indebtedness allowed by the Constitution. and
hcncefOr resort to excessive taxation or stop
integrity expenditures. Which shall II BET One
Of tho propositions must be accepted Increased taxa
ton IL tmpoasDle Tor We are dfVlng caplai from our
city every year by the remOrseless demands OF the
system that governs Shall our Improvements stopt
shall oar streets remain as II the huns hd possessed
and lott widowed IN desOatoD. Shall our pubic
buildings and bridges and our park be left
unro'shod IA monuments or our Insolvency these
QueatOns for thoughtful citizens, aud they
IT can be done only by thorough overthrow OF the
system that has ruled us. Regeneration must btsln
unt tho WORK OF reform is complete With this accom-
pshed we need not fear increased taxation, nor III
creased debt dsgracefu streets. unfinished I'm
proyemens Tor our revenues are ample for all our ne
cessities II honestly aud wisely expended. And with
the overthrow OF the system that has painfully blot
tsd our HOvernmeht onclas would nave every lucen-
tive 70 integrity and fidelity. They would owe ale
de.boilc political control. and enlightened public
opinion would exercise its just authority in directing
would then DO necessity, for the rounder and the
tstuter would have occupation. and the uniform
VI tho coEscTyator OF the public peace would 10 the
Sr'"o OF political ,rickery