The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-10
A blow AT CORRUpTION.

While the entire American people of
this generation have been stirred deeply
from time to time regarding the miscon-
duct Of corrupt politicians in the city OF
! New York. and reform movements have
sprung up like mushrooms In that COM
munity year after year. in the endeavor
to overturn the rule of corruptiohists, II
has remained true that. on the basis of
sheer political and public robbery, the
big city could never be compared with
the town on the Schuylkill which we have
always identified with the peaceful and
staid ways of the Quakers. Philadelphia
has been for twenty years and over the
most consistently and uniformly corrupt
city in the Union. 1t has been always
under Republican control, and the dom
mating influence in It's political lie has
been the gentleman whose title t. a sea-
by executive appointment in the United
States senate has already been virtually
decided In his, favor. Senator Quay Is
easily the foremost citizen of the state of
Pennsylvania; but in the city of Phi,a-
delphta his sway is as absolute as If he
held commission from its people to
govern 1t at his will.
Around election time the press of the
country gives some attention to the pol
tiles of Philadelphia. This IS so because
reform movement more or less Sc ious
comes to the front on such occasions. OF
Mr. oh
played the chief part in the Philadelphia
reform movements. But, in every case,
the great administration statesman, Sen
ator Quay energies from the fray as
completely master of himself and his city
as he had been at any time before. The
effort to put him IN Jail, or TO exc ude
MIN from the senate. or In anywise to min
imize his influence, has always resulted
in the same way He has always come
forth stronger and more secure In his
control than ever before.
The latest reform movement in Phila-
delphia presents at least a shadow Of
success. 1t has been effective In at least
a small way in breaking Quay's grip on
the community. The small end Of the
wedge has been inserted a very brief dis
lance, but far enough to Indicate that
the huge block Of popular insens. bIlity
may be parted before another generation
comes on the scene.
The Philadelphia politicians do not paw
much heed to party divisions when they
are in pursuit of the spoils, and hence
it IS said that Mr.. Quay has been able
to find quite a few lieutenants among
the ward politicians who profess to be
Democrats. These men have been elected
to office more than once in political di-
visions where. were votes not a mer-
charitable commodity. no Democrat could
secure a majority Of the votes cast.
There is danger that these gentry are
about to lose their occupations. Dem
ocrats have in the election Just closed
shown very clearly that they will not be
parties to the conspiracies which have
Kept their city a very stronghold Of cor
rupt Republicanism They united their
votes with decent Republicans, with the
result that four magistrates, all of whom
had been refused nomination by the ma
chine politicians. were elected by good
round majorlties. while the old-tin1e ma
chine Republican vote was pretty badly
split up.
This result is due to an organization OF
business and laboring men, known as
the Municipal league. which has never
ceased. even under the most dispiriting
conditions. to strive for the relief Of the
community. The Importance of the re-
suit will be seen when it Is understood
that in Philadelphia local elections have
been in great measure so many pubic
farces enacted to humbug the voters into
the belief that they were maintaining
party principles by their votes; whereas
In New York, the elections are fought out
year after year with spirit and deter
mination by both Sides
The happiest feature of the recent Phil
adelphia election is. after all, that the
citadel of the power of that monster cor
ruptionist, Matthew Stanley Quay, is Il
able soon to pass into the hands of his
enemies-the decent people of the city Of
Philadelphia.