The Washington times., 1904-10-08
Philadelphia'S Disgrace.

The Indictment Of Philadelphia as
a city Corrupt and Contented." as
one OF the magazines has denominated
it, is being written in the news col
umns Of It's papers every day The
crimes which have made Tammany
Hall the horrible example of the pO-
litical economies and St. Louis q by
word for newspaper photographers, are
commonplace in a city which pre-
tends TO the quality OF Brotherly
Love. But these are only the lesser
Ofenses. The whole story of Phila-
delphia's degradation is too horrible
70 be told in the public prints and too
shameless to be believed.
This mornings Public Ledger. %
one of the most Trustworthy and un-
sensational newspapers in the United
States, gives headlines to the follow
ing:
An announcement that the city's Fifth ward
contains but $500 legal voters, that the assess
7 ors have reported 5,743 voters, and that the
criminals who have committed this fraud can
[
I padded lists witnesses"
/ The acceptance Of hfty-one pleas of guilty
I in Lower Merton township on charges Of con-
Quoting an unlicensed po0lro0m, the whole agi-
I taJion having been forced by a law and order
| society.
A story that the mayer has protected a con
I tractor by yetcing a street Improvement meas
I urs carrying 5000 in order that the coutrac-
/ tors existing projects may absorb what ne
mains ont Of a $1,000, 900 loan.
/ A statement from a real estate dealer. who
/ seems 10 be a man Of standing. that the
mayor has abandoned land 20 the Peunsy lvania
/ Railroad at a clear loss TO the city Of 5000
A description Of the activity Of the police,
/ after the accused had escaped. 20 capture The
4 head Of a syndicate which imprisoned young
I white girls and sold them 20 the Chinese laun-
/ drymen o. Philadelphia
An editorial announcing that the Republican
I organization Of the city would provide tax re-
I eeipts FOR az least 5000 voters.
This is only one days yield. On
other days It is a story that the police
are selling lottery tickets 10 school
/ children. or that leVies on young
woman school teachers are enforced
/ by threats Of charges against their
] pei HLAAl-4 -A4eAa c-ALE1 VI l-AtAL 5-lLDA IA
mates OF the police department bid
/ open defiance to the mayor. There is
/ apparently no limit
/ Yet the people Of Philadelphia look
on suplnely. They are even naming
a school after the man who made the
present machine ownership a posi-
/ bility and protected II by virtue Of his
/ hold on the national organization OF
/ his party. Democrats, instead OF
/ fighting for good government or serv-
ing their party by Selling the euor-
nous advantage offered by their cor
rupt opponents, join with the ma
chine and make the safeguards of the
/ election laws a laughingstock.
Until the election was imminent nc
one denied these facts. Every paper
in the city gave columns Of space tC
exposure Of specific acts Of lawless
ness, Of trust betrayed. Of open de
/ fance to the public That the pros
pect Of an election could move such
/ papers as the Philadelphia Press" tC
+ gloss over such ofenses or TO pas.
them by in editorial silence Is the las
proof needed to establish the city's
utter shamelessnes and supreme con,
tempt for civic honor.