The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-08
pHrLADrLPHIA MAoIsrRArEA
some Aspects Of the Municipal Eiectiou
In That city n Week From Next Tuesday,.

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. lit Is twenty-eight
years since tho last Republican National Cons
vention In PENNSYLVANIA. At that time tho
Republican state Convention met 10 Harrls.
burg on April 10. two months before the Na'
tional Convention here on June I'D. rms year
the Philadelphia Republicans hold their stats
Convention In Harrisburg on April D 70
choose delegates at Largo to the Nationai
Convention In this city on June ~. ons
reason assigned for tho dilatoriness OF the
Republicans 10 get together their promised
guarantee fund for convention expenses 10 the
great concern they are manifesting In thelS
momentous local fight OF this year which will
occur on Feb 20. 1t will be an election Tor Magiss
trates, members Of the Select and Common
Councils, school Directors and Constables. the
most important OF these officers being the
City Magistrates, to the number OF sixteen.
There ARE In all twenty eight Magistrates
elected by the people for five years. two-thirds
by the majority party and one-third by the
minority. Their salaries are S3.OOO. Olths
sixteen Magistrates TO be elected this year.
ten will be the nominees OF tho majority Re-
publican party. and six the candidates OF tbs
Democ ratio minority. unless the miscellaneous
reformers can break In on the arrangement
and disarranae the slate, These local re-.
formers maintain an active organ izatlon IN the
years when there are no important offices 10 he
filled. They have issued a formal statement 10
the electors. setting forth what they considert0
10 the extreme importance OF the Office OF CITY
Magist rates and ca!ling attention to them.
Philadelphia City Magistrate. according to
their lofty view OF his attributes and functions.
is u sort Of High sheriff, Justice Of the Peace.
Sheik OF the Desert, Committing Magistrate.
and Tribe Chief all rolled into one. They
point out that all warrants Of arrest are sworn
out before him and that with ignorant or cor:
rupt" MaRist rites upon the bench. many r"a!
oNende re-, who ought 10 he held for court. will
be discharged. The Philadelphia Magistrates.
For disorderly conduct they can send the Of
fender TO the county lail for thirty days. or
impose n ten-dollar fine. and for vagrancy
and habitual drunkenness they can commit. to
the House OF Correction Tor u term varying
from / hrce months to one year. In. civil cases.
too, they have Jurisdiction whore the sun do.
mandcd Is less than 500, and In cases involve
ing less than 1913 their Judgment IL hnnl.
1t will be observed that the line, which
power Of the Philadelphia Magistrate IL 81. 81.
Thus q sultor for 500 Is wholly dependent
upon them, whereas Il civil suitor Tor 5000 4
independent, II willing to resort to the Court OF
Common Pleas.
II ia under these circumstances that Phila.
delphin reformers have made a strenuous
appcal Ia those Philadelphia electors whose
claims are likely to be 1913 or less to- rally to
the support Of able, incorruptib bic. erudite and
Trustworthy CITY Magistrates
At last wears municipal election tho Hepuh-
lican vote in Ihilndnlph!a was li3,OOO and the
Democratic vote 23,OOO for Mayor. This was
in February, 1902 In November, 1889. the
Rerublican vote was l2l 900 and tho Demo-
cratic vote 80, 600.