Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-11-21
PROUD OF THEIR CITY
Indignant Philadelphians Call Halt
Upon Insurgent Newspapers.
A POSITIVE REACTION SETS IN

Editors Who Allowed Misrepresenta-
tions to Go UnchaIleneed Now Ad-
nit the Quaker City Is the Best Gov.
erned Municipality In the World. e
Especial Correspondence
Philadelphia, Nov. 19.-During the
recent political campaign the exhibi-
tion of mendacity made by certain
newspapers opposed to the Republican
ticket disgusted many citizens who
might otherwise have supported the
Union party candidates. In order to
create sentiment against the Republi-
can organization, its leaders and it's
candidates, these newspapers, voicing
the spirit Of Wanamakerism, misrep-
resented and maligned many of the
public officials of the Quaker City and
described the city government as reak-
ing with dishonesty, and the city Off
cials with harboring vice Of every
form.
These scandalous reports have done
much to injure the city In the eyes OF
the world and the statements made
during the heat Of the campaign in the
insurgent Republican and Democratic
newspapers have been copied wide
ly in the Democratic newspapers
Of the country to the discredit of Phila-
delphia and the Republican party gen.
ally.
CITIZENS ARE AROUSED.
The public spirited citizens inter-
ested in the great centers of learning
in Philadelphia, the University of
Pennsylvania, Jefferson Medical Col
lege and other educational institutions
with world wide regulations, have at
last become aroused to the Importance
of checking these malicious and dam
aging reports, and they have impressed
this fact upon the editors of some of
the more reputable journals Of the
city which were identified with the
campaign against the Republican Or
ganization of this city in the political
contest just closed.
The Evening Bulletin, which sup
ported the Union ticket, devoted last
week nearly two columns Of space to
show that Philadelphia was never bet
ter governed, that her streets were
never in finer condition, that her po-
lice force and the fire department wero
never better organized, nor have they
ever done better work in protecting the
public. that there is less vice in this
city than ever before and that no city
in the world can compare with Phila-
delphia in the protection afforded life
and property at this time.
While the campaign was under way
such a publication would have been
as bomb exploded in the Union party
camp, while the Wanamaker newspa-
pers were filled daily with misrepre-
sentations of the city and abuse of
its officials.
That the people did not believe nor
countenance these newspaper attacks
can be imagined from the returns on
election night, when John Weaver,
the successful Republican candidate
for district attorney, was elected by
over $4,000 majority with every one of
the morning newspapers of Philadel-
phia, with one exception, the Philadel-
phia Inquirer, opposing him bitterly,
both editorially and in their local
news columns.
LITTLE FRAUD DISCLOSED.
The latest effort of the defeated
politicians is an attempt to keep alive
opposition to the Republican party by
a systematic circulation of reports
that great frauds were practiced at
the late election, and that if the true
vote were returned Rothermel would
have been elected over Weaver. Out
of 1,045 election precincts in this city
there have been specific allegations
Of fraud in but three or four election
divisions, and some of these are based
upon the statements of men with we'll
known criminal records. All the men
accused reside in what are known as
the slum districts, and there is always
more or less trouble in these precincts
on election day. The fact that Mr.
Weaver's majority is over $4,000 pre-
cludes possibility of any serious ques-
tion being raised as to the regularity
of his election. He carried three of
the four wares in West Philadelphia,
the finest residence section in the city.
where there could be no su spicion of
fraud.
WORKING FOR A CONTEST.
There has been more or less talk
In insurgent newspapers about a pro-
posed contest against the successful
candidate for supreme court justice,
but this agitation has been traced to
few men who have been drawing
large salaries from the Union and
Democratic party organizations In
working up the recent campaign, and
they are exceedingly anxious to con-
tinue on the payroll Some of these
men are lawyers who have little prac-
tice of their own, but who have been