Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-02-09
A Peep at Philadelphia Politics.

wonder at the magnificent majOrities
which the Republicans of that city can
roll up for Republican candidates when
a hot election, like the late gnber-
material contest, is on. State Chairman
Jones, Of the Prohibition party, was
amazed last November at the enormous
vote which Philadelphia returned for
Stone, but instead OF gazing in wonder
at the figures he began an immediate
investigation to ascertain how much OF
the vote was real and how much was
unreal.
Upon the face of the returns in sew
eral districts there were evidences OF
fraud, but the few contests which
reached court ended abruptly-padded
return sheets, empty ballot boxes and
missing election officers foiling the eff
forts Of the contestants.
Mr.. Jones, in company with reliable
and non-partisan aids. began an un-
official hunt for fraud, and, although
their labors are not yet completed, the
results so far obtained would aStound
the nation, If the daily papers of PhiIa-
delphia had .the independence to pub
liSh them.
Taking one election district alone, as
an illustration OF what farce an elec-
ton is in Philadelphia, the Twelfth
division of the Fifth ward may be cited.
The vote as returned there is as follows;
Stone, 800; jerks, /; Swallow, nothing.
This district is bounded by Fifth and
Sixth streets and by Lombard and South
streets, locality as cosmopolitan as
any in the world and in every way suit
able for fraudulent voting and dishonest
counting.
How dishonest the returned vote was
may be computed from the following
facts: The Twelfth division assessors
list of voters contained 310 names-juSt
the number .votes.alleged to have been
cast. A canvass Of the district immedi
ately after election showed that there
were only PAS adult male residents in the
district. OF this number AZ were un-
naturalized and 13 legal voters did not
vote. Fourteen voters OF the division
affirm that they voted for Swallow and
70 others claim they cast their ballots
for jerks.
A legal vote and fair count in the
district would probably have given this
result: Stone, 1O9; jerks, 20; swallow.
IA. Compare these figures with the
vote as returned by the election Of
icers-3O9, and O-then the reader
may form an idea OF how Philadelphia 5
Republican majorities are manu-
featured.
The investigation made under the
auspices of the Prohibitionists has dis.
closed another secret. 1t was found
that every assessor in some wards, and
at least half the assessors in ever,
ward, are men over whom the city Of
iicials hold court indictments for trans
gressions of law more or less serious
These assessors, being in the power o.
the corrupt machine which dominate.
courts and everything else in Phila
delphia, must obey the bosses by pad
ding the assessment lists to whateveI
extent their masters command Thest
men, who have previously earned til,
right to be inmates of the penitentary
cannot be expected to be very con
scientous in recording legal voters
names, especially when faithful" worl
to the party will stay the law in bring
ing them to trial for past crimes.
1t is this debauchery of the assess
ment lists which gives the Republican
party its power in Philadelphia, an
consequently much of its strength il
the state.
With the whole machinery of the La
in their power, with factional bogu
Democracy as their allies and a servil
and hypocrtlcal press to do their bid
ding, it would seem that the corrupt an,
law-defyng men who rule our metrop
oils will reign for many a day.
1t may be, however, that the invests
cations made under thecauspices of tn
Prohibitionists are the beginning of
movement that will eventually engul
the broadclothed scoundrels who ar
debasing the manhood of the state b
their perncious practices at ever
election and in moral and social life
If Philadelphia had but one daily news
paper worthy of the name such move
ment could be launched and carried t
successful termination, In spite of