The Washington times., 1905-06-17
Ring Is Crumbiing.

John Weaver will stay to the end. de-
clare Pennsylvania. who know him
best. They have no fears on that score.
He has been making wonderful prog
ross thus far The organization is APP
parently fast crumbling to pieces
Its splendid bluff, based on the as
sumption that the mayor could not find
its really vulnerable places, has been
given up. Its armor of selfish interest
has been pierced. Confessions have
been made dragging Its highest officers
into the calcium and showing them to
the world as plain corruptionists and
boodlers Weaver is winning at every
point.
Whether. Viewers work shall have
fair chance depends first on himself,
then on the public in Philadelphia, and
finally on Governor Pennypacker. No
man knows, at least none who will tell,
where the governor stands.
He is one of the interesting men In
public life at this time. Everybody testl-
fies that he is honest. He was known as
ar incorruptible judge. He became
fame as a result of his fight on news
r.aper cartoons. which nobody enjoys
more than he-when they are aimed at
somebody else
can only be guessed. If he should call
an extra session of the Legislature there
is little doubt that the ripper law
would be repealed. for the tendency 10
erywehere But will he call 1t?
Ii is impossible to say, In this juno
tire. who-wilI most influence Penny
packer. Penrose is not sIrons enou 1s. LOT -.
Nv many advocates of q better order OF
things: but it is admitted By these that
as a Senator he has been, this tar, dis-
appointing.
tfves. But they do protest that he has
held himself too far aioof from the
activities of plain politics. he mas not
given a hand where II Woolo nav
elusive. too much the sflk-stocking. the
aristocras And he has sadly lost ground
in western Pennsylvania, in his home
city of Pittsburg, as result
Criticism of Knox.
He IS said to have agreed to act as
chairman a. the last State convention,
and then to have changed his mind ana
declined TO serve He Is criticised bit
terly by some of his best Pittsburg
friends for agreeing, as they claim. TO
serve as chairman of the Allegheny
county delegation and then withdrawing
this consent and precipitating serious
and embarrassing complication.
But despite all this Pittsburg is in
sight of being a greater power In the
state than heretofore. If 1t shall sue
coed in its project of annexing the sur
rounding minor municipalities 1t Will
have as has been said. close to 600, 600
peopie. That will make powerful
counterpoise in the west TO Philadelphia
in the east.
There will be possibilities of combina-
tons that might at times defeat the
Philadelphia influence. II that should be
desirable. With philadelphia honestly
reformed. and with a great city created
at the opposite end OF the State to
hold in check Its political pr,edominance
out. that almost anything revolutionary
would be possible in Pennsylvania af-
fairs. Something is certain TO happen.
and that soon.
The Pennsylvania railroad, the coal
and iron interests. the high protection
Industries. and the city political ma
chimes Of the two great cities will con-
tinue indefinitely to rule Pennsylvania.
But the corruption is likely to be elimi-
mated by the Philadelphia revolution.