Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-24
MAYORWEAVER AMMAN
HOLDS BALANCE OF POWER IN
PHILADELPHIA.

Mayor John Weaver of Philadelphia who
year ago assisted in the overthrow of the
Durham-Penrose- McNichol machine, has de-
clared bitter against the reform party
which he helped to create, and the city is
plunged into civil strife.
Following a convention of the city party,
called to nominate a district attorney, and
which rejected his candidate and personal
friend, Frederick ]. Shoyer. for d. Clar-
ence Gibboney. favorite of the Lincoln
party. the mayor has openly charged that
party with treason. bribery and corruption
and has severed all relations with it, He
has dismissed his director of public safety.
Col. Sheldon Potter; the assistant director.
Thomas w. South, and Thomas Hicks, re-
form director of public works.
He has dismissed his advisory board, a
municipal directorate of twelve of the fore
most citizens of Philadelphia, and he now
stands alone, without a party, hated by
both sides in this contest. but in absolute
control of machinery which can bring VIC
tory to either side he wills. Yet neither
the organization that he made nor the rem
nant of the old machine that he disinte-
grated desires an alliance with the mayor
Under Israel w. Durham. insurance COM
missioner and boss United States Sena-
tor Boies Penrose and State Senator James
P. McNicho1 contractor the city machine
was powerful smoothly working appara-
tus that seemed unbreakable. Both cham
bers of council We're theirs. They had
elected John Weaver mayor, after having
made him district attorney, and through
him they controlled all the powerful di-
rectors of the city departments.
Fall of the Machine
On the other side were the outs under
the leadership of Edward A. Van Valken-
burg manager of the Philadelphia North
American and the Philadelphia Record, an
adrot and resourceful political leader.
With him was John NJ Mack, asphalt king,
once high in the councils of the Durham
machine.
Between the mayer and the leaders of
the machine a rift had been steadily widen
ing. When the machine tried to pass over
the mayors head a lease of the citys gas
works that in effect sold them to the
United Gas Improvement Company the
storm of the peoples anger broke and the
mayors opportunity was made to his hand.
Out of it all came Lincoln party. of which
Mr.. Van Valkenburg was the leader, to
battle against the state machine under
Penrose. and the city party, of which the
mayor the head. to battle for reform
in the city. The mayors friends assert
that he had been promised the Lincoln
party nomination for governor
Then came the November elections for
county officers. Durham. dying, fled west
Mayor Weaver and his party had con-
quered and from every quarter came praise
for the man who had annihlated a dynas
ty. And the moment was ripe for Mr.
Mack and Mr.. Van Nalkenburg to reap
their reward. There remained but one OBJ
stacle-councils, of which the remnants
of the machine were still in control. With
Mr.. Mack the mayor and Mr.. Van Valken-
burg combined to control the chambers.
CnqueStion3bly the mayors motives We're
fairly disinterested. At any rate he threw
himself into the fight and at Its victorious
end two Of the mayors men, Samuel
Crothers and Thomas F. Armstrong, were
presidents of select and common cham
bers. McNichol still had creditable show
ing in both branches, but the Mack-Van
Valkenhurg faction had good working
majority.
As the Case Stands.
So sure were the new leaders of the
mayor that they neglected to take him
into their confidence as to the makeup of
the committees. When the lists were hand
ed to him on the very of their pres
entation he suddenly awoke to the fact
that the Durham machine had not been
destroyed at all. On the list he read
names of his bitterest enemies. There
was net a CLINT OF reform. So came the
first break with Mr.. Van Valkenburg and
the Lincoln wing of the new organization.
The mayor asked many questions and hint
ed at treachery. He succeeded in modify
ing the lists and was still apparently in
control. Mr.. Mack retired farther to the
background.
The problem now was to break the hold
of the mayer on councils. Mr.. Van Val
kenburg and McNichol formed coalition.
There was sharp. short struggle and
Weaver found himself still in possession of
his council presidents, but with hardly an
other man on either floor to do him hon.
age.
Then came the nomination of Lewis I
Emery for governor, instead of Weaver by
the Lincoln party. And finally burst this
dramatic nomination and declnation of
Clarence Gibboney and the charges of
bribery and corruption with which the
whole fight has been tainted
Before the committee of investigation
made up of five Gibboney supporters and
two Stoyer men. the mayor presented his
evidence. When to the reconvened conven-
ton a few nights later the body presente ed
a report finding delegate guilty of
bribery and one of receiving brides and
generating every one else concerned not
even the mayor was surprised. With a
hurrah the cleansed delegates renominated
Gibboney by majority Of 203-1I4 votes
more than at the former session. IT meant
that the city party had broken from its
maker and that the mayor had no more
influence there than he had in councils.
To Col. Potter's place Weaver ap-
pointed Robert ]. Mckenty, an old-tme
detective, a man who has arisen from the
ranks and who VIII take and execute
orders. If he is told to turn the police
loose on election day to defeat G:bboney
he will do it. If he does it the mayor kills
the city party. Whether he medtates this
act of retaliation is uncertain.