The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-09-09
WHO is TO BLAME IN PHILADEL
PHlA?

The disclosure OF gross frauds in the
registration OF voters in the City of
Philadelphia. recalls charge frequent
ly made i'll certain quarters against the
foreign element in the population of
our large cities. 1t has been a stock
argument with some people that the
foreign population is responsible for
the fraud in Our municipal govern
ments. We have been told time after
time that the Irish Catholics of New
York City constituted the bulk and
backbone Of the Tamnlany organiza-
ton. 1t is true that there is large
Irish Catholic population in the City
of New York. 1t is true that hereto
fore the bulk OF that population has
been allied with the Tammany organ
ization The reason for this is patent
T:mmany has been the regular DEM
ccratic organization of the great city
for more than 100 years The Irish
Catholics have attached themselves in
the past to the Democratic party for
the reason, that it stood for equal
rights and that it was opposed to the
know-nothing idea in all its phases
Tamnany has at different times been
guilty of gross faults, but on the whole
the organization has given the city OF
New York a good administration and
the purposes of the organization out
side Of the political side have been ex-
tremely good.
1t is not our present purpose to JUS
tify Tammany nor to account for the
political preferences OF the bulk OF the
Irish Catholic vote of the Metropolis.
We wish to call attention to the dam
gerous ground upon which those stand
who attempt to fasten upon Catholics
the faults OF municipal government.
Philadelphia is the one great city OF
the United States in which the Catholic
population is comparatively small: it
is the one city OF the whole North in
which the foreign population is greatly
in the minority: it is the city par ex
ccllence OF the American. 1t also has
the uncnviable reputation OF being the
worst governed city in the whole
country. Recent investigation has
shown that there are at least 10000
illegal voters upon the registration
lists who have voted year after year.
/ The names OF persons long dead are
still upon the lists. and someone
always appears to cast their vote. 1t
is said even. that the names OF dogs
and other animals have been registered
and votes cast for them. Nothing OF
| the kind ever occurred in the City OF
New York. even i'll the palmiest days
| OF the Tweed ring. 1t is found that
the residence OF Israel w. Durham,
the Republican city boss of Philadel-
phia. is in another county from that
iii which he votes, and the same is true
OF other prominent office holders in
that city.
Following the course OF reasoning
employed by the enemies OF the Irish
Catholics. we would be led to the con-
clusion that the American Protestants
OF the City OF Philadelphia were re-
sponsible for the disgraceful political
situation in that city. This, however,
is not truc. 1t would be unfair to say
that the good people OF the City OF
Philadelphia. out OF choice. maintain
a grating political ring i'll power The
situation in that city is due to lack
| OF interest on the part of its good
citizcns. There are enough good peo-
pie in every city to out-vote the bad
ones. The difficulty arises from the
fact that the good people sleep while
tlosc who thrive upon vice are active.