New-York tribune., 1902-01-26
PHILADELPHIA POI1r1co
DISINTEGRATION OF REFORM ponou-
BY REASON OF OFFICEsEEK1vc
NO LIGHT ON GOVERNORSrrn

NO LIGHT ON GOvERNORsHIp
Philadelphia, Jan. "A (speciaD.-Reform ~,
the mark of the scoffer in this city for rho ~ zen
| Lame and impotent in its concIusior - week
J Vaunted champion of good government, hS 10y
! ished from the scene. The Union partv ,v,.~, A-
/ than six months ago rallied 1eOooO voters ~ ess
tne present administration of Philadephfa --,-
pai AFFAIRS has collapsed utterly lend the thouss-.-
VINO went into the movement with sincs-. -.
| In the honesty of purpose of Its pro-no,a ,eie'
nothing but the 1eers of partisans for their -ss
Made up originally of most incongruous aisr,
Us ui'iinate uislntegration was considered NV ~
pidc'icai poitcal observers TO be only quesr,,,
tine Even many of these are sorelv disa,.s "
now because they had hoped that the coD,h,A.
| might have lasted long enough 10 furnish - M -oA
victory In city campaigns. at least such wa-S ~ 0'
cesses as might provide a strong and ,,, SUI
! minority in the municipal Iegislature-sucs ts
nority as would provide check upon rna,. nj M
varied extravagances. BY its collapsa !, aao @
! formidable opposition to the regular Ras 'ne
| organizauon-sty!ed Sy it's opponents tha O.
! Durham 'machine'-has disappeared Tba 50
| ehlnes' only adversary now is a proposed co.,-.a
OF the Democracy with the Municipal Leagus ,s
one object of this combination being to sson- n-'
peaceably two magistrates TO whom the Republican
party is not entitled under the Minority Representa-
tion law. There six Of them 70 be elected sna
each eeator may vote for only four.
The Union party will exist on paper for a vsr
yet, because under the election laws Of thu, sta.s
any party polling 2 per cent OF the largest en,,r
vote at the preceding State election Is entitled =,
have on the official ballot the names Of cans,s,,
duly certified to by the officers OF a eonv,,,,,
Under this provision II has placed a ticket IN IS,
field but it's mission ia none the less over vssn
1t was organized last fall fits astute managsr, who
were politicians. some of whom had once been ,,a
head of just such machine as they vars .bo,
fighting. and others who had never been but WIZ
wished to be. controlling spirits IN such a ar.
chine" pushed the genuine refOrmers to the fror,
and secured the public Endorsement and IN r,sr-
instances the active support. OF the most pror,i
nent clergymen and church people IN the o,,v
These We're the people who spoke at mass rpas,.
ings. conscientiously enough declaring the need =,
reform and good government Behind them va-.
the ex-placeholders and disappointed placeseeks-.
with a knowledge OF the practical side OF uol,,,r.
as the game is played to-day. These were pleptI
fully supplied with the cash. the sources OF wh,rb
have never yet been revealed to the pubII, ana
they fought fire with FIRE
This condition made the contest a more n-o,
tsing one than any of those which had been r,aA.
In score of years. for all such were campaign. AZ
amateurs against professionals. Nor did the sd
ministration avoid looking possible results m tba
face. Fearing the probable growth OF the U7Io,
party. 1t mended all it's fences" for thers ia NO
denying that. had the opposition been maintained
intact. IT would have become a factor In the cam,
palsh IOr Governor and d Senator electing Iegis.
lature. And now, since IL has gone down so 5I5
eously ana ludlcrously, its former newspaper sup
PoLteIS are charging that the Quay machine IN.
TTaded the camp OF It's enemy and captured it.
Those who wish 10 understand know that this no
htcal insolvency is due TO lack OF real @ -af1g ~
capital Its practical leaders, who had tu-rs5
against the machine when the machine had turned
them out. fought for the reform cansa ,1rtf ~ 49,
temptation of office confronted them CaIculsti-S
10 elect the two magistrates allowed to the mi
noIly, as agalnSt the Union party. these managers
up peace with the regular Democracy They be-
came candidates for the offices which of right
m fhaCa au1fo
workers who had beey1 R Wis TO 20 tneselyeg ne ward
luay-Durham forces proposed. they baked
Those who had furnished the entire moral force
ior the nton party argued and pleaded in vain and
party at present constituted is no ongsr f1-
reform Those who looked far beyond the holding
a reunited Democracy; The league has acknowI-
ii uon 20 tne maSlstrateS. and in return VIII
us support for an independent Republican for CITY
but the league thus shows the sincerity ~ r d.
Iara!on that its purpose is a genuine reform
There would be hope that something might be
accomplished We're it not for the conditions which
exist within the Democratic party Although irS
discordant elements have apparently been reGnisi
and political love feasts have been in order for
weeks. there are too many ambitious workers in
both factions 10 insure permanent tranquility
During The week there have been many confer
ences or state Republican leaders over the cam
paign for Governor and legislature but Senator uav
maintains his silence and Attorney General ENn
dacy- All the surface Developments have only
oeen confirmatOry of the statement OF the atti-
tude or Senator Quay toward his followers who
are oeSieginS him to declare for Mr.. Elkin and
abandon his Pttsburg friends. Mr. Quay saws
nothing. but the fact that his friends in Two coUn-
Ties In the State have secured from their conven-
t1ons prcnOuncement against Mr.. Elkin Indicates
that the "Od Man" Is ''saw wing wood
The most interesting event of the week IN connec-
uon with State politics has been the visit 20 the
CITY or Democratic editor from Centre County
with a pOcketful of suhpCenas for the politicians
and ASSemblymen who took part in the meeting OF
the legislature at which Mr.. Quay was elected
United States Senator. State Treasurer Harris a
nominee OF the regular Republican, Quay. Or
ganizatlon. was the subject during his campaign
last fall OF editorial comment BY The BeIetonte
W atchnan: which said such hard things about
MT. Harrts.s career as member Of the legislature
that he brought suit for libel T. GRAY Meek. the
saltoT; showed fgh .tand has subpoenaed not only
MT Earrtss fellow members Of the Legislature. out
all the lobbyists of the session. He has also sub
ptsnaed Thomas s Bigelov, os Pittsburg 10 bring
TO the trial all hts checkbOOks which were in use
during the fight for the Pittsburg ripper bin and
the passage OF the notorious franchise grabbing
The possibilities Of the situation are
amazing. but II Is suggested that a solution VIII
be found In the withdrawal by Mr.. Harris OF bis
libel suite.
SAYS II. S. r. BREAKS LABOR L4W.