The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-28
A nATrI.r FOR THE RTCHr.


 It begins to look now as If the dawn of civic honesty is breaking in Phiia- delphia. It looks as if the long dor mant conscience of the people has been aroused, and that the rule of the gray wolves may come to an inglorious end. And never, perhaps. in tho history Of cities has there been a more urgent need for such awakening as now awaits the result of the battle between the Mayor. backed by the honest citizenry, and the thieves and robbers who have so long disgraced the very name of civil government The famous Tweed ring which almost wrecked the city of New York more than thirty years ago was no worse. If, indeed. 1t was as bad.
 It is not necessary to enter into de- tails or particulars in this case. For years the city has been in the grasp of one of the most shamelessiy corrupt machines that ever footed a goyerE- ment. The members of the gang liter ally owned the city. Civic honesty was an unknown virtue. and loot and graft and bribery and official corrup- tion reigned supreme. In every form that a gang of rascafs could resort to this Philadelphia machine robbed the city and the, people. In their fancied Security they had cult making even a show of conceaiment
 But as a limit was reached in New York, and Tweed and his fellow cor- ruptionists were routed. so 1t seems orrfU n a- delphia, and 1t is to be hoped that the ring will be overthrown and buried. The breaking point was reached when the Council extended the gas franchise. It is not necessary. to go into Q de- tailed statement of the matter, It Is sufficient to say that the gas corpora tion owns a profitable franchise which now has nearly twenty-five years to run; but that is not enough for the cormorants. They wanted to shut out all chance of competition for the fu- ture so that they might feel themselves secure, so they asked for an extension of fifty years more and the machine passed the ordinance.
 This was the last straw. A public sentiment was aroused which was prac- ticaliy resistiess and Mayor Weaver vetoed the ordinance. Whether the aroused sentiment of the citizens in- duepced. him.. or whether he was gov erned entirely by his own conscience Is imuaterial, so far as the result is con- -cerned. He not only vetoed the ordi- nance, but removed some officials who were upholding 1t. That precipitated the conflict and few more bitter ones have existed in municipal govern ment. The courts have been invoked on each side. writs and injunctions and other papers fly thick and fast. Next Tuesday, we believe, the Council is to act on the Mayors veto. If they pass the ordinance over the veto 1t will be one more triumph of villainy. If the Mayor wins it will be a triumph of honesty and distinct gain for good government. It Is battle royal be- tween an honest official and a combi- nation of shameless rascals. Both sides claim to be confident, but already there are indications that some of the looters who voted for the ordinance are weakening and will stand by the Mayor. They have heard the voice of the people and have seen the coming of doom for the machine.
 It Is sincerely to be hoped that Mayor Weaver representing honest govern ment. will win out over Durham and his gang who stand for everything that is vile and shameless in municipal poli- tics. The defeat of Weaver will mean the defeat of the honest people of Phil adelphia and discourage those who would redeem the city from the hands of the spoiler. The result of the con- test interests good people everywhere and its course will be watched all over the country. Let us hope that honesty will win.