New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-31
THE CONTEST IN PHILADELPHIA.

If the people Of New-YOrk when their war
upon Tammany was almost crowned with vic
tory, had suddenly abandoned the field, quar-
relied about their leaders, and surrendered to
Tweed and his companions, the establishment
of the country would not have been greater
than it would now be if Philadelphia should
fail to overthrow her municipal Ring When
the new Constitution was carried by an I'M
mense majority in December, Philadelphia
exulted in the title of the emaDcipatcd city.
By one effort she broke her chains. True, it
was half unconscious effort, like the move
ment of Samson when in his sleep, he sun
dered the cords with which the Philistines
had bound him, but it revealed their strength
to the people If, knowing it, they should
now fail to use it, the emancipated city would
return to a servitude tenfOld more degrading
than before. We cannot imagine negro OF
the South returning to his old master and
saving "Hcre are my ancient fetters-placc
chem on my wrists here is the brand-stamp
cit anew upon my shoulders; this is the old
whip, master, and here is the old back
stripped and ready for the lash" And what
we cannot imagine a negro capable of doing,
we should be sorry to think possible for the
second city of the United States Yet there
are fears that Philadelphia, which 80 glori-
ously won the new Constitution, is about to
give it into the keeping of its enemies.
The nomination of Col. A. X. Mcclure by
the Democratic Convention, as a nor partisan
candidate for Mayor, though attended by GER
tain disadvantages, is probably now the
strongest that can be made in the in
terest of Reform. He will be opposed by two
elements, the Democratic minority for which
he is too good, and minority of the Reform
ers for whom he is not good enough. Like
MahOmets coffin, he hangs between this politi
cal heaven and hell. Some of the RefOrmers
dislike him because he is a politician, and
Others mistrust his sincerity in this movement.
They would have preferred merchant or a
lawyer as the Reform candidate. and it is I'M
derstood that some new candidate will repre-
sent this opinion in the canvass. The Demo-
cratic dssenters appear to have very different
inspiration. There are straight-out Democrats,
of course, who took the oath of Hannibal forty
years ago, and who will never vote for Re-
publican, but the majority of those active
against Col Mcclure are the worst men in the
party. In the list of Democratic politicians
who oppose him we find the names of those
who have long been suspected of treachery to
their own party and of completely with the
Republican Ring. In this enterprise they will
continue to act in its service.
The events of the week make it certain that
there will be but two strong candidates for
Mayor in the field, Mr.. Stokley and Col.
Mcclure, and that any third candidate can
only weaken the S4tter. This being the
case, it is well to examine the nature of
the objections to Col. Mcclure, who is, and
must be, the only leader by whom the people
of Philadelphia at the coming election can
hone to establish reform in their muDtcipal
affairs There can be no other leader substi-
tuted now that the Demo cratic party has for
mally accepted him, and if the people, ire
spective of party, cannot take him as the
standard bearer of Reform, then they might as
well surrender to the Ring at once. There is
no alternative for Mcclure but Stokley, and,
in our opinion, there can be but one intelli-
gent choice.
The principal objection raised against Col.
Mcclure by some of the Reformers is their
distrust of his sincerity In urging Reform, their
| fear that he advocates it to serve his personal
ambition. Against this must be placed the
fact that all the politicians under whose rule
the people have suffered are united as his bit
terest foes. He is not in league with the
Ring, and that, in Philadelphia at least, should
constitute one of the brightest of political vir-
tues. His record for years has been one which
entities him to the respect Of the people 1t
is unquestionable that in the Legislature he
has executed more than the Rcformers have
planned; he secured o fair election law for tho
city, aud Will obtain for it nOn-Dartiaan