The daily gazette., 1880-11-20
RING RULE.
From Progress, to-day.

For the last fifteen years the gov
ernment of the city of Philadelphia has
been concentrated in the hands of a
few men. They have monopolized all
the offices worth having, and, not sat-
isfied with those already in existence,
they have created others with inordi-
nately large incomes. One of the lat
ter, the Recorder, long useless sine
cure, has been revived with emolu-
menis of $50, 900 and more a year in
defiance of the unanimous protest of
the City Councils and the public jour
mails. The Collector of Delinquent
Taxes, a subordinate of the Receiver
OF Taxes, enjoys the enormous income
Of $130,000. Hardly session of the
Legislature passes in which some at
tempt is not made to create new offices
to provide lucrative posts for party
hacks and to increase the burdens of
the tax payers. The voice of the
ring seems TO be as omnipotent at
Harrisburg as In our city legisla-
ture.
Almost every member of the ring
holds three or four offices, and in sew
eral instances they STARE in the reve-
nue. of offices whose incumbents they
have aided in nominating and electing
Conscious that they cannot them
selves be elected. they set up candi-
dates of less Objectionable reputation,
who agree to do their bidding and
share with them the spoils. They
combine to prescribe all who will not
succumb to their dictation and further
their selfish aims. They hold to office
with leechlike tenaclty, and once in
power they never let 60 their grasp on
the public purse. More than one has
held office for nearly quarter of a Gen.
tuly. Through their instrumentality
the city has been disgraced by the cor
ruot men they have sent to Harris
burg and to the municipal councils
They represent not the people of Phil
adj lphia; they are obsequious servants
of the despotic taskmaster they dare
not disobey. The movement of a
spirit Of independence if exhibited, the
rebel is condemned to political death
The public count for nothing; the ring
is supreme and it's interests are para.
mount. In one case commission was
established through such agencies with
authority to spend any amount Of
money it pleased, to draw upon the
city treasury for means to cover its ex
penses, with power to coerce the city
Councils by legal injunction into com
pliance with its demands, and with nc
authority on the part Of Councils tC
supervise its proceedings. Such /;
commission could not have been legis
lated into existence except under thu
malign influences to which we refer
1t is an anomoly in the history of Re-
publican government in this country
The Gas Trust sits with closed doors
makes contracts for supplies in dark
ness, and acts as if the community ha,
no interest in its proper manage
, ment.
1t has been impossible to nominal
any candidates outside of the ring cir
Gle. However capable, upright AM
meritorious candidate for public sci
vice may be, he is stricken down if h
does his own thinking and prefers tn
welfare of the city to that Of the ring
,, Our primary elections have long cease
, to reflect public sentiment. They ar
managed exclusively by office-holdeI
, and those who live at the mercy of tn
! ring. They are not attended by tn
solid voters because of the scandalou
frauds that characterize them. Th
fact is, the people of Philadelphia hav
abnegated the right of free speech an
free action on matters that most deal
ly concern their interests. Occasion
ally spasmodio revolt takes place, a
in the reelection of Controller Patti
son, hut it is of brief duration. Th
reason of the power of the ring is th'
it is permanently organized, while I'll
better classes of the community lac
the moral courage to defend their ow
/ interests. If they wish to check I'll
destructive tendencies of their merce
= nary opponents they must maintain
: standing committee of safety pro bon
pu6licO.