New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-22
pBJLADELPHJA,S EXAMPLE.

The people of Philadelphia taking the
shortest cut toward honest city government.
In state and national politics three-fourths to
four-f1fths of Philadelphias voters are Republi-
cans. With party dominant the forces
which demoralize municipal! politics have nat
urally elected to associate themselves. Corpora
lions seeking franchises and other lucrative
favors have sought to fasten their grip on the
Republican organization, and the political go
betweens who flourish by selling protection
forwarding new schemes to exploit the public
have found in profession of militant Repub-
cansm the cloak needed to hide their activities
as corruptionsts and "grafters.'' The COM
munity of inter est established between the pub
lie service corporations and the machine bosses
proved potent enough to exclude from local lead
ership men of high motives and independent
spirit. 1t was also equa: to defeating occasional
movements for reform withi1: the party" False
registration added to the combinations voting
strength some fifty thousand or sixty thousand
graveyard electors The machine had firmly
intrenched itself and Philadelphians had come
to contemplate its nefarious operations with
certain despairing fatalism The Quaker City
was aptly described as corrupt and contented"
Last Mays attempted footing of the municipal
gas plant woke the voters from their lethargy.
In a Mayor elected by the machine they were
not littla astounded to find that they pos
sessed a real defender Of the citys interests.
Under John Viewers leadership they revoltad
against ring rule. terrorized the gas plotters
into calling off thei" raid exposed the iniquitfes
done In the name of Republicanism by what
Secretary Root has called "a corrupt and crim!-
nal combination masquerading as Republicans"
and began a long needed campaign for the pur-
fcation Of municipal administration and munich
pal politics.
Some em1nenty respectable Republicans mis-
led by catchwords, have been endeavoring to
persuade the people of Philadelphia to readopt
the fruitless method of reform within the
party" What they really proposed was to per
petuate the machine which has misgoverned the
city. giving its leaders a chance two or three
years hence to renew their old alliances and re-
vive their schemes of plumber. But the great
mass Of Republican voters have not been misled
by this rusa. The people OF Philadelphia see
clearly enough that popular government cannot
be restored until the machine is smashed and
its leaders are driven from public life They
will submit to no compr2mifs with these lead
ers, and by nominating an independent local
ticket on simple mo graft" platform they have
laid the straightest possible course to tn. goal
they have in view. To overwheim the corrupt
and criminal Republican machine is the first
step toward decent local government
Phlladelphla's campaign vitality interests New
York. because conditions here this year are to a
great extent parallel. Tammany Hall has not
had the power nor shown the audacitv OF ifs
Philadelphia rival; but the two organizations
have the same programme and stand for the
same principles. Some Tammany statesmen try
TO draw the line between honest graft and
other graft; but this distinction scarcely i'm
presses the public which sees itself exploited in
one city as we'll as the other for the benefit of
mercenary politicians and their corporation
masters and employers. George B. Mcclellan
unfortunately. Is not John Weaver Our
Mayor has not had the breadth or strength Of
mind to break with the system" which he
serves. and which, so long as he serves it. must
employ him for its own purposes But we have
here doubtless an electorate as eager to break
its chains as is the electorate in PhlladeIphia.
The Quaker City has served judgment on its
Durhams and McNicholses. The time is equally
ripe for us to break the domination of our Sulli-
vans and Murphys