New-York tribune., 1907-11-08
4 NEW DECLARATION

They have been writing a new Declaration OF
Independence in Philadelphia. Heretofore it
has been the custom of the chief way station
on the Pennsylvania Railroad to subject every
thing in which Il local pride felt to New
Iorks scrutiny and wait breathlesSly for New
Y0rks approval. If a Philadelphia writer pro
duced a book, or a Philadelphia artist painted
a picture, or a Philadelphia orchestra gave
concert. or "a Philadelphia CRATER stole a million,
New York's critical Judgment of the effort had
to be known before Philadelphia could feel Sc
cure in its own But when in the course Of
human events it becomes necessary for Il peo-
pie to declare that they are not in leading
strings and that they are not provincial,
why. Il decent respect for the opinions Of man
kind requires that they put it strongly Phia-
dolphia has endured New York tyranny long
enough. and live or die, sink or swim, survive
or perish. it is not going to be laughed at any
more at least without protest so long rs there
is a little boy left in the birthplace of human
liberty TO say, Ring, grandpa, ring!
Lack of space prevents our reproducing all Of
the new Declaration of independence, but it
should shake the tyrannous capitals Of thought
and art. II is headed New York Snobbery'
and is published in The Philadelphia Ledger"
The occasion for it is the appearance in this
city Of a Philadelphia conductor and his or
chestra and the not entirely fattering comments
upon their performance by New York musical
critics. one of these writers was so inconsd-
crate as to say: provincial was writ large over
the whole proceeding" That unfortunate
phrase we suspect. was what chiefly reused
the ire Of the Philadelphians. Any way, The
Ledger" says The SNUG self-sufiicenCy Of
"the three or four millions of people who re
side on or in contiguity To Manhattan Island
sis comical to Witness" especially when are
reminded what sort of people we are:
The support which It New York; gave to the
Union during the notably reluctant
Its patriotism was always in doubt. 1t the
ceutre of diSloyal conspiracy. spirit Of self
ish COmmerCidliSm ruled its affairs, and ii was
only by force made to observe its national duty.
Since that time ii has been under foreign gov
ernment, and il is without a doubt the least
American Of cities. 1t has less love for our
history and traditions a nation; it is moro
willing to sell its birthright for joke or a dollar
than any community which has yet been estab-
lished within American borders, and its swag-
RerinE air causes 1t to be loved by the citizens
of other portions of the Union about as much
they love a produce market a Midway
Plaisance.
That ought to settle 1t for New York. Its
patriotism is in doubt. 1t has a foreign gov
ernment 1t sold its brthright for that old
joke about Philadelphia's slOwness. And it
has staggering air. That is enough to prove
that its opinions matters literary, artistic
and musical not worth considering. 1T is
nothing at all to Philadelphians whether New
Workers like our orchestra, books our
poets, our historical personages, our pictures
"Our homes or anything that is ours. They
may go on their sneering way" Nothing at
all. 1t is perfectly evident from the temperate
language of this article that Philadelphia is
utterly Indifferent to what New York thinks.