Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-06-09
Philadelnhia,sliAMaken

The plot thickens in Philadelphia. The
Supreme Court of the State has granted
to Mayor Weaver a supersedeas, setting
aside the injunction of the local court,
and acting upon this, the mayor has
ousted the directors of public safety and
public works and placed his own men in
charge of these important branches of
the city administration. In the mean
time his opponents talk of impeaching
him. If this impeachment can be car
ried through, it will take him out of the
chair and put in temporary power one of
the gang" in favor of the gasworks
steal.
1t is easily believable that the Supreme
Court of Pennsylvania is untouched by
this corruption that seems so prevalent
in Philadelphia. Let us hope that the
present contest will give that tribunal
an opportunity for thorough airing of
the Philadelphia situation. More than
one Independent Investigator has declared
that municipal affairs there are worse
than they have ever been in New York,
even in the palmiest days of Tweed or
under the Croker regime. Certainly the
astounding inpudence with which the
gang that has so long been in control
of Philadelphia is now engaged in push
public seems to corroborate this verdict.
Corrupt and contented" sandbagged
and smiling, Philadelphia has gone her
way apparently treating with silent con-
tempt those that have raised their voices
in favor of reform. Her great million
aires and social leaders having been the
ones to profit most by the robbery of the
people. they seem to have been able up to
now to suppress all public interest in the
shameful methods followed in controlling
public property and privileges. When
the public awakening came, however, it
came with crash. 1t is well that it has
resolved itself into legal battle. Ar
rayed against each other are two of the
greatest lawyers of the country. 1t is to
be hoped that the judicial investigation
of affairs will be so thorough as to arouse
not only every decent citizen of Phila-
delphia, but the people of other cities
where municipal corruption holds sway
in greater or less degree The one great
blotch on American civilization is the in
ability of the people to govern their cities
honestly and well.-Terre Haute Morning
Star.
1t is true, as our Indiana contemporary
says, that an awakening awaits the
people of Philadelphia. For four de-
cades the civil administration of Phila
delphia has stood forth as a striking ex
ample of what political corruptionist:
dare do. During the past forty years the
city's finances have been handled by q
band of political thieves, her public fran
chises have been sold by this ring OF
bosses, the entire municipal government
has been administered by grafters. Civil
service rules during the last decade have
been an unknown quantity in the admin
istration of Philadelphia affairs.
Apparently a new dispensation is to be
inauguratad and law is to receive the
respect that belongs to it and order will
supersede the chaotic methods of those
whose sole aim has been to rob the city
One of the brightest rays of hope that
Can possibly iliu,Gine the situation is that
the reform movement is not to be con
Quoted upon party lines.