Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-12-14
QUAKER CITY REFORMS.
Mayor Ashbridge Starts in to En-
force the Sabbath Observ-
ance Laws.
HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED
Primaries Called Which VIII Result
in the Passing of David Martin
From Control of the PhiIadeIphia
City Organizations.
Especial Correspondence.)


Philadelphia. Dec. 12.-Having got
ten through with entertaining the
guests of the National Export exposi-
ton the Quaker City authorities are
developing symptoms of reform pro-
clivities. Rigid regulations about the
enforcement of the Sabbath laws went
into effect last Sunday for the first
time, and the director of public safety
has been for the last week stirring up
the police about lack of discipline and
the failure to keep the streets free
from improper characters, who make
a practice of accosting passers by, par
ticularly strangers
During the progress of the eXposi-
ton, which, by the way. was a great
success, everything went in town,
and base New Workers found all they
could do to keep up with the game.
The exposition brought visitors from
all parts of the country and many from
abroad, and every species of entertain
ment such as is afforded in continental
cities was afforded.
RACY MIDWAY SCENES.
The scenes of the Midway were quite
as snappy as anything attempted at
the Worlds fair, and it was not until
the closing week that various organiZa-
tions of church working women awak'
ened to what was going on in their
very midst. Resolutions of protest
against improper exhibitions then piled
in upon the management, but the side
show men had reaped their harvest,
and the merry couche-couche wriggled
out shekels from the visitors pockets
until the gates were finally closed and
the exposition became thing of the
past.
Now comes the retribution.
Philadelphia is being treated to
reform wave.
Pronunciamentos against all things
evil are almost daily emanating from
the city hall Mayor Ashbridge and
his director of public safety. MI Eng
lish, are keeping the police on the go
suppressing things which have been
winked at. but which now must be
suppressed. Street walkers have been
practically driven from the heart of the
town, and down among the children OF
the ghetto. where meat and provision
stores were wide open and doing
rushing business all day long every
Sunday they are now closed tight as
drum upon the Sabbath. Cigar deal
ers were at first afraid they would
come under the official ban and have to
discontinue the sale of the weed and
the big Sunday papers, but up to date
they have not been disturbed There
is no telling what will happen later on,
however, if the crusade for the strict
observance of the Sabbath continues.
The mayor has assured the commit
tees of the Law and Order and other
societies that he desires to enforce
all the laws. and yet he does not wish
to deprive the people of privileges
which many believe they should enjoy.
He has certainly started out with evil
dence of determined purpose to rigid
ly enforce the law.
MAY GO TOO FAR.
Many of the men active in public
life fear that if the idea shall get
abroad that Philadelphia is to be gov
erned by what are known as the "blue
laws" it will hurt the city from busi-
ness standpoint There is an agitation
on at present to get the Republican ma
tional convention held here next year.
A fund of nearly 100000 has been sub
scribed for the expenses of the Repub-
lican national committee and the en-
tertainment of the delegates. should