The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-10-21
lelphia. The mayors of Philadelphia in

:
delphia. The mayors of Philadelphia il
| the past have been expected to assume
) the role of outward responsibility ant
allow the political bosses to prosecute
their game of robbery unhindered
!: Weaver continued for some time as
other Philadelphia mayors had been
All at once the character of the man
seemed to change. He turned against
i bosses of the old Quay machine; sum-
moned the people to his assistance
land started an aggressive campaign
against the boodlers. The result is
that Philadelphia, long the most cor
rupt city in the United States, prom
Uses this fall TO overthrow the entire
outfit of grafters.
Folk and Weaver We're both acct
dents. Both We're nominated by po-
litical rings; one Democratic, the other
I Republican. Both We're expected to be
the tools of these rings. The shrewd
political tricksters made mistakes and
! the people of the two localities and
of the whole country are the gamers
\ because of those mistakes. Folk, in
| starting his campaign against the
boodlers of st. Louis, announced the
! fact that while he was a Democrat he
did not consider that boodler was
either Democrat or Republican.
Doodle" he said, has no politics."
Nothing could be more true Political
leaders and partisan newspapers make
a great mistake by trying to prove
political virtue in themselves by point
ing to political vice in the other party
The Democratic ringsters in the city
of st. Louis affiliated with the Demo-
cratic party simply because it was con-
venient to do so. The Democratic
party of Missouri offered better cover
under which to do the dirty work be-
cause 1T was the party in power. The
Republican party of Philadelphia and
the state Of Pennsylvania was likewise
the proper medium through which the
plunderers of the public in that city and
state could do their work. 1t is time
that all good citizens should know
that graft and Doodle have no politics.
1t is an encouraging incident in our
political life to see Governor Folk of
Missouri upon the same stage with
Mayor Weaver of Philadelphia, en-
gagged in common fight against the
enemies of our country. 1t means that
the time has come when party name
can no longer restrain honest men from
engaging in open fight with dishonest
officials who happen to bear the name
of their own political party. The Phil
adelphiGs Press which is one of the
staunchest and most influential Re-
publican papers OF the country well
coined the Governor of Missouri in
the following language: He will have
abundant evidence of the grateful es-
teen in which his vigorous work
against the boodlers and grafters is
held. He> Gid in St. Louis what John
Weaver is doing in Philadelphia. Gov
ernor Folk is one of the three or four
pre-emirent leaders who by their deeds
represent the great national awaken
ing against public dishonesty and cor
ruption."
1t means a great deal when Il paper
of the character of the Philadelphia
Press can use language of this char
acter in reference to a political oppo-
nent. 1nestimable aid has been given
in the past to political bosses by the
partisan newspapers and by honest
men whose partisanship destroys their
judgment. 1t is not loyalty to party
to support dishonest members; it is not
intelligent citizenship to vote party
ticket when party happens to be
dominated in this or that locality by
dishonest bosses. It did not hurt the
Democratic party of st. Louis because
Joseph Folk sent some Of its members
to the penitentiary. 1t will not hurt the
Republican party Of Philadelphia and
the state of Pennsylvania to be rid
Of such men as Israel Durham.