Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-01-12
PHILADELPHIA AND THE
SENA TORSHIP.


The Philadelphia papers complain
that while that city has onesiXth OF
the population of the State and pays
(as is claimed) one fifth OF tho taxes,
that for a quarter of century II has
had no United States Senator, nor are
any of its citizens now sufficiently for
midable to be regarded as candidates,
And then, as if onraged at this TACT,
and wholly at loss for q reason for il,
ask, "why is this so
The reasons are obvious. Philadel.
phia has no Statesman IL is full Of
politicians, and of the Miss Nancies, but
not one Of all its citizens can justly lay
claim to great ability in Statesman
ship. For about the last quarter of u
century Judge Kelley and Charles
O'Neill have represented that city in
Congress, yet with all this extraor.
dinary opportunity Mother ofthcm has
won the least distinction as Statesmen,
nor have either of them impressed the
public with an idea that they are OF
any importance in Congress, or have
even moderate ability as Statesmen, or
that they are men Of high integrity or
honor. In fact they have only proved
themselves incapables, tools OF rings
and followers of masters. Judge Kel-
ley IS perhaps foremost OF these two,
yet his word would not be taken by
any audience in the State as reliable
assurance OF the truth of any fact he
might utter for those who know Of
him at all have abundant evidence Of
its unroliabilty.
There is another cogent reason for
the contempt with which the State at
large treats Philadelphia. Its delega-
tion in the Legislature is never respect
able either in point or ability, charac-
ter or conduct, Itis large in numbers
and its influence ought to be over.
whelming-would be il the delegation
were made up Of honest men OF good
conduct led by men of ability and in.
tegrity. But such as are sent, it Is
correctly assumed, would not present
man for Senator who possessed great
ability or acknowledged integrity, un-
less some such man should be named
merely for buncombe, with certainty
that he would not be elected Phi'a
treats the rest of the State with con
tempt and insult by sending such dele.
cations to the Legislature as it com
monty imposes upon that body. Is 1t
strange, indeed, that these cattle should
have no influence over the country
members, who compose the large ma
jority, and large proportion of whom
are respectablein characterand ability,
and have an honorable name at home I?
1t would honor tho best and abiest
men Of Philadelphia to serve in the
Legislature. The exhibition OF decid-
ed ability and honorable ambition in
that body would be sure to make Sen
ators and Governors of some Of them.
They could reach those positions in that
way, but they never can by sending
blackguards and simply good natured
fellows and bulhes TO tho Legislature
and to tho conventions. The horde of
blackguards from Philadelphia who at.
tended the last Democratic convention,
set the Statesmen" Of theirparty from
that city back for at least decade of
years. The honest and earnest people
Of the country may on particular oc.
casions be driven from their purposes
ordefeated by such gangs OF scoundrels,
but they will venge themselves with
overwhelming power and for long
time.
If Philadelphia wants United States
Senators and Governors, every man of
sense within its bounds ought to know,
and will know if he puts his mind to
the subject, that the way to get them
is to send able and honorable men to
the Legislature and to Congress, and
keep them there. Men with one of
these qualifications only will not do
TO command success both must be pos
sessed by the same person, and abund.
ant moral courage, qualifications
in which nearly all its politicians fail.
Yes, moral courage-a courage that is
never intlmidated and never quails
before error or trims its sails to catch
popular breezes. Let Philadelphia re
spect and honor herself by olecting
such men as we briefly sketch to rep
resentative positions and then she may
justly complain if high position is not
awarded her by the people OF the State.
But If she is determined 10 contnue toI
be represented by pygmies, she must
expect to be treated with the peculiar
distinction that nurses Of pygmies are
entitled to.-CiintOR Democrat.