The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-28
COL. MCGUIRE
 WAS VIGOROUS Arraignment of Repub-
 lican Ring. FIGHT IN PHILADELPHIA Postmaster General Smith Joins the Opposition. District Attorney Rothermel is Nominated to Succeed Himself.
 Resolutions Pay e Tribute to His Fidelity.

Philadelphia, June 27.-What prom ises to be a fierce local political war was inaugurated at the Academy of Music tonight when 5,000 citizens in town meeting nominated P. F. Rother- mel, JF., for the office of District Att torney against John Weaver. who was nominated for that office last week by the Republican organization of this city. The speakers of the evening se- verely arraigned the present city ad- mlnistratisn and the State officials. A telegram from Postmaster General Charles Emory Smith was read and enthusiastically cheered. It follows:
 Gan you use my name as Vice President? It Is time for a new decla- ration of independence. Philadelphia ought to rise in her might against jobbers in her public rights and the ravishing of her sacred safeguards of law"
 The principal speech of the evening was that of Col. A. K. Mcclure, the retired editor of The Philadelphia Times. MT. Mcclure did not .nince words. and his arraignment of the whole Republican organization. both city and State. was most severe. Dis triet Attorney Rothermel. he said. was nominated by the Republican orRaniza- tion three years ago and elected. Now this same organization, controlled by the same men. refuse him another term. They have named a man, he con- tinued. who Is untried and an up- known quantity. Mir. Rothermel sent to prison ballot box thieves. the masters of whom are the political leaders of the city today.
 He had also made 1t so uncomfortable for others of the same Stripe that they are living in distant lands and cannot come home until Mr. Rothefmsl is out of office. That is the reason, ne said, why Mir. RothermeI was not named.
 Colonel Mcclure then told of Mir. Wsaver's unknown quantities and said l:
 MT. Weaver has been nominated by these men because they have been as- sured or have reason to believe that he will prosecute or not prosecute crime as their interests might demand. The issue has been intensified by the most bewIldering public robbery ever witt messed in the State, and the men most interested are Mayor Ashbridge. IH5tir- ance Commissioner Durham, Contract or MoNichol and their associates. They are committing public robbery by criminal conspiracy
 Colonel Mcclure told how the street railway bills were rushed through the Legislature, and how the Governor had signed them at a convenient hour, 50 that the gangs represented could be first at the door the next morning to get their charters"
 He closed by saying the battle was not one of party. but one of self-preB" ervation against organized crime. . corrupt ballot and the footing of the public treasury.
 Former District Attorney George C.. Graham, who served eighteen years tp that office, followed Mir. Mcclure. He strongly urged tho citizens 10 stand united and he felt confident that the patient and suffering public will rise and annihilate the robber crew and give back to the people their civil government.
 Addresses were also made by ex- Postmaster John Field, Rev. pr. Henry c. McCook and others.
 The resolutions adopted by the meet" ing pay a tribute to MT. Rothermei rur his fidelity and integrity and formally nominate him as candidate for Dls- trict Attorney to succeed himself.
 The resolutions also instructed the chairman of the meeting to appoint a committee to conduct the contest and confer with all organized friends of re- form in completing an independent ticket