Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-16


william f. Beaton, ex-notary public; put in
! by THE Organization" fell out with Jim Nc
| Nichol; now independent
David S. Scott, ex-clerk in internal revenue
! office real leader of 18th Ward for THE Or
| ganization."
! Maxwell Stevenson, lawyer, put in as an
independent, now out for Boes Penrose and
| 1.-THE Organization"
William Glenn, real estate dealer and ex-
| tpstaff; put in by Dave Martin, of THE
| Organization"
Charles Emely, ex-propretor of china
ware store; put in by Dave Martin, of THE
Organization"
! Joseph Call, ex-boss painter in City Hall
| and member of the Legislature; reelected by
| Jim McNicho over the wishes OF goth Ward
Leader David II. Lane, the veteran; his con-
stables are of recent bail scandal experience
| with the district attorneys office.
T. G. Morris, ex-foreman of the fire depart
ment; put in by Jim McNichol
Byron F. Wrigley, backed by Working
mems League; put in by Jim McNichol.
| Edwin X. Bore, elected as an independent
| but lined UP with 23d Ward Leader David j.
! Hart, of THE Organization
Evan r Pennock, independent; people of
| Germantown watching his course with In
| terest.
| Joseph S. Boyle, ex-constable and follower
| of Postmaster Thornton.
| William j. Harris, ex-deputy sheriff; put
| in by 9th Ward Leader Edward w. Patton,
of The Organization"
Robert Carson, ex-reporter; inde-
| pendent
James A. Briggs, ex-contractor supplying
| teams at gas works; put in by Congressman
Ware whose active man he is in the 26th
Ward.
William F. Campbell ex-clerk in Recorder
of Deeds office; put in by Jim McNichol.
John J. Grelis, put in through THE Or
| ganization" throwing him enough votes to
win; lately switched to the anti-machine
| Democrats.
The claim is made. supported by evidence,
that some of the magistrates, under the di-
rection of the ward leaders, are boldly active
in behalf of the criminal classes. Director
of Public Safety George D. Porter, an ap-
| pontee of Mayor Blankenburg, shows that
| in a single year there were 161 cases of sus-
! pended sentences, of which 40 prisoners had
| previous police records, yet they were per-
mitted to go scot free. The continued release
! Of old offenders encourages criminal tenden
cies. and is discouraging to those called upon
| to enforce the law.
| The Mayor however, took the bull by the
| horns and appointed representative to pre-
| side nights as Magistrate at the Central Po-
| lice Station. He selected Benjamin II. Rem
| shaw, a lawyer unafrad and without pOliu-
| cal strings working him. Whereupon the
| 2S regular Magistrates set up a cry that one
| of their number must be appointed The
| courts have sustained the Mayor both re-
| garding the right of appointment, and the
! right to appoint some one learned In the
| law, even If that individual were not selected
! he oil Cd aryiCt
In 1918 there were 1O367S arrests made by
| the police. OF these $1,000 were for ex-
cessive use of intOxicants and 1O,615 were
! for breach Of the peace and breach of ordi-
| nance, or nearly so per cent. for minor Of
| fenses. Practically all of this human grist
| passes through the mills OF justice controlled
| by the creatures of THE Organization" All
citizens are concerned, for present day social
| conditions are the tomb of the future.
There is only one way to remove a cor
! rupt Magistrate. Impeach him before the
| State Legislature. 1t is a long, long way to
Harrisburg. and under conditions as they
now exist in the capital, citizen even
with a clear grievance against Magistrate
would think twice before kicking up any
| dust
Here is some legislation suggested by
| conscientious judge, who owes his high office
| TO a nomination from The Organization'-
| the contractor overlords having needed his
| strong presence on the ticket to carry in some
| weak canddates-but who clings fast to his
| professional principles:
| No person shall serve In the office OF
magistrate unless he shall have been ad-
mitted to practice as an attorney and coun-
| selor- -at-law in the Supreme Court at least
| three years prior to the date of such ap-
pointment.
| No magistrate shall engage in any other
| business, profession or hold any other public
| office; and none OF the magistrates shall
| serve as the representative of any political
party organization or political. party asso-
citation, or act as referee or receiver, but
| each of the said magistrates shall devote his
whole time and capacity, so far as the public
| interest demands, to the duties of his once.
| You exclaim that this is revolutionary. II
| is. Nothing short of a radical program will
| detach the ugly claws of politics from the
| ermine of the courts. Some argue that the
/ net effect will be naught unless the magis-
| tracy is put upon an appointive basis. under
| the control OF the Mayor This Is a matter
| OF opinion.
! Less than a decade ago Battery Dan"
! Finn Paddy Diver and other Tammany
| leaders OF their ilk were officiating magis-
| trates in New York. The great city revolted.
| II now requires its magistrates 70 be lawyers,
! unattached 10 any political organization. 1t
| is a passing commentary that New York,
| with a population three times greater than
ours. gets along with eight less magistrates.
| But IL pays each magistrate $1,000 year and
/ provldes him with a court room
| Here we have finally arrived at the double
| Iayer of error which hides the kernel of the
case OF the philadelphia Magistrate. He is
/ .,,pdarpaid and Is given cOurt