New-York tribune., 1905-02-13
PHILADELPHIA SYSTEM.
As Devised by "Mott' Quay, 1t Is en-
Force IN Pennsylvania Legislature.

,,. 17onr Feb u (SpeciaD.-There is no
,tgIa+i,,a Iohbv in the capital city OF the state
Of Pennsylvania and that may SOUND ill.e Z S'i
assertion but IL Is true. nevertheless mere uSu
to be lobby. Once upon a time the AQuo1 NIA'
tho Reef Trust the street railway people th7
-. -oilroad people and many other interests
had Hobbies here but they come no more Ane
lobby has been dsintegrated, and IN lIs Pao' -
the combine known as 1.-The organl@auoii' %
"+ba Leaders, Time when the 4ooDylsIS
svyarmed through legislative halls took poSSeSSio"
~ 1ao-sla+ors' seats on the floor. threatened Co
creed catoled and jollied men into Young 1oF VI
against certain measures. always win q sue a.
roent of cash. and the lobby held sway. 1Ihhss
ere different now If man wants BILL Alneo' Ii
q trust wants a bill smothered. II an lnteFes'e0
marty wants a measure to pass, he goes TO tue
organization" made I'D OF the leaders OF lhe ma
jority party. ~ su 11
The average legislator here takes orders. he
,s told TO kill this bill. and he votes asln IT,
IL .. +oId IN vote for that BILL and he walks up
IN the rack and with the same blind commence ne
votes for it. and 1t becomes law Ihere are "a
members of the present Pennsylvania Lesislature'
and only twenty-five of them are Democrats Ihe
others are all Republicans, the vast majority Oh
whom owe their political existence and elecuon as
members Of the legislature TO 1.-The organization.
When they vote they are told thsy are 0illS
having 4 political debt, and they ask no Qeesuohs'
They take orders and ask no questions Ihat Is
the rule There are scandals There could not
well be any with such perfect organization. IL
is said that they will all get their bit when the
legislature adjOurns, but some are growing hungry
in the waiting. One good feature Of the organlza-
1ion is that IL permits hshy Legislation 10 get
nv II II may kill some good measures. but it viii
not ''stand for anything crooked and NOBODY mas
vet discovered a cloven hoof. The late Senator
Ouay was the originator Of this order or things
IN his residence in Philadelphia years ago. and
his successors have brought it to the highest order
OF perfection 1t Is called 1.-The Philadelphia sys-
tenn and is the order in the Philadelphia City
Councils.
There is no sending for men to come to certain
committee rooms and "see a man; there is no
rex gaIlnorum." king of the roosters." any
more. select coterie passes upon all legislation,
says what shall and what shall not be done. and
forthwith It's commands are obeyed.
once upon a time there a bill before the
House Of Representatives which provided for the
inspection of all dressed shipped into the
State from other States 1t imposed heavy taxes
on the meat shipping companies. which had not
then been dignifed by the name Of trusts. and
1t was plainly got up for the purpose OF hamper
ing them. 1t was what is known in Pennsylvania
as a "pincher," and ''the boys ION TO the
game" They were almost all on the fence. They
didn't know whether they were for or against the
bill. but they willing to merit either
way. They were told to be good and kill the bill.
and all would be well. Each woud be taken
Of" Now. II was d most uncommonly hard session.
The pork barrel" had not been opened once, and
there dearth OF hard cash The poker limit
was down to nickel. and beer took the place of
champagne. The fellows the inside stood about
waiting for the meat bill come Tp on final
passage. They needed the money. Many of them
had spent their all, and they had not the where
withal to requite the landlord for their board,
trusting to the meat bill for that purpose In the
silent gloom day dozen OF them sat
in the smoking room beWailing their fate softly
curslng the luck and hoping for better things when
suddenly the door was burst open red faced,
loud voiced member few into the room and shout
ed: For Gods sake, fellows, hurry up and get
into your seats the board bills upr' II was So
Tho meat bill. which was TO pay their board was
before the House. and thay promptly lrilled Il an
board bslls ysers paid