The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-05-13
By SAMUEL GOMPERS.

Philadelphia, measured by the cri-
terion of a civilized city, has once
more shown herself wanting. Her sup
posed 'better elements" have been
proven to be her worst She has ex-
hibited in an emergency all the fail
ings naturally consequent upon her con-
tendcdness with her chronic corruption
A reasonable expectation in we'll
governed community today is a street
car system so planned, constructed, fl
nanccd, and managed as to perform a
satisfactory service for the public with
fares at Just rate-sufficient to re
imburse the investment of capital in
the plant and compensate those who
perform the work, and no more How
has Philadelphia acquitted herself in
this civic duty? The facts in answer
to this question we do not need to
supply ourselves They may mainly
be given through quotations from bust
ness sources. \ New York daily paper
tells us
"The Philadelphia Traction company
is an overcapitalized accretion of over.
capitalized companies. Some of its
subsidiary leases are for 10, 20, SO
and so per cent year, and one is
even higher
What story this statement tells of
the betrayal of the interests OF the
municipality by its legislators! How
many blocks of stock, how much cash,
what other gifts, what pointers on
rugged stock markets passed from the
recipients Of franchises to the men in
council and Legislature before this
legalized loot could become a vested
interest?
While such nefarious work was go
ing on, where were the guardians OF the
city's civic honor? 1t took years of
rascality heaped on rascaity to bring
about the elimination of the holding
traction company's power to rob the
people. During all that time, in the
presence of a public game in comparison
with which highway robbery is a gent
leman's Occupaton, who among Phila-
delphia's social leaders showed himself
capable of getting at the bottom OF the
plot to plunder the city and of rousing
the public to the shame of the situa-
ton? The history of the cession of
the series of privileges to the companies
is valid indictment of the capacity
and honor of every Philadelphian promi-
nent in its politics or business who did
not raise his voice, and make it heard,
at every stage of the disgraeeful pro-
ceedings.
The Survey says: zone of the most
conservative newspapers in New York
has pointed out that to tsympathizd
with the strike seems to be the only
way Philadelphia could show indigna-
tion against abuse by the company and
the political ring" Very well, in
poor behind the-time way; but how
about that showing of indignation
which ought TO have been made when,
earlier in the story, company and ring
were getting close together?
Is Philadelphia always asleepy
No; her business men at last some
times awaken-when their own immedi
ate interests are injured. In the
street car matter they slept long as
citizens but awoke finally as shop
keepers Their public activity is not
civic; il is to protect their own dollars.
How frantically, when at length their
group began to meet a direct loss, they
called on the governor, the local labor
leaders. the civic federation, and the
national trade union officials, to give
them sweet peace, not for the honor of
their city, but that they might not lose
their daily income of mere That's the
way Philadelphia's business men re-
gard the traction problem. While the
people are being robbed for years they
will slumber, but the moment their
own business interests suffer they be-
come awake.
And when Philadelphia pulled herself
together and decided that for the in
terests of all concerned the company
managers and the union officials ought
to meet and parley. through what
agencies did she act? One might ex
pect that the big city could in her
straits call on a circle of citizens of
undoubted integrity and patriotism who
would cheerfully respond to a call of
duty and propose terms which would be
supported by such public sentiment
that both contesting parties must con.
sent to abide by them. Did Philadelphia
have even one leading citizen who could
make of himself the man of the hour
through a noble utterance of the right
sentiment, convincing insight into the
possibilities of the moment, and saga
cious suggestion of practicable peace
measures for the time being and fol