Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-16
NO. vI-MACISTRATES

i ruling Americanism-and with full cause
She is distinctly patriotic, intensely sabbath
keeping, and almost wholly decent living
Her individual doorsteps are spotlessly clean
She does not ape New York. like Chicago, nor
simulate Paris, like New York. She is a COM
plete city in herself; a collection OF whole-
some, normal families, rather old-fashioned,
yet accustomed to good living good times and
good thoughts
Yes" says the brain of a reader In self
satisfied accord. I'VE are no mushroom Chi
cago, smudgy Pittsburgh, or malodorous New
York" Then perhaps, after a brief confabu-
lation with the soul this honest brain adds
1T is best to watch out though; we cannot
be absolutely sure even Of ourselves
Brains evolve conclusions from life as 1t
is mirrored in personal experience. How few
of us go up the rough bypath from the sta
ton when smooth, lighted sidewalk runs
to the front gate. Charles Dickens wrote
facts interspersed with pathos and laughter,
into fiction the good people of England
would read and learn of the wretched condi-
ton of their public institutions, Dickens
realized that responsibility did not frequent
"Old Bailey" so he took "Old Bailey to re-
spectability.
Here in Philadelphia we have conditions IN
the administration of justice even worse than
"Old Bailey" If one were not sure OF the
Philadelphia that lives in the homes, one
might throw up both hands in despair over
our magistrate system; 1t is such disgrace
One may speak out bluff and bold If one is
sure of ones ground. It is the business of
a peoples newspaper to level finger OF at
tention at every moth eating into the gar
ment of government
The more closely we examine the local
MAGISTRATES their surroundings and their
| fitness for the judicial role the more clearly
we see that there must be a radical
! change in the whole system Justice Is only
a parody when 1t hangs on the nod of n ward
| leader. 1t makes difference what party
| the magistrate belongs to; whether he is for
or against "The Organization" II he is in
| politics he should not be permitted to be
| Judge Other cities have laws that forbid
| partnership of this sort.
In the First Ward George K Hogg cap
tans the majority party, and James H.
/ Toughll captains the minority party, and
! both are Magistrates dispensing justice.
| They are the political team the Wares rely
| upon for election day results in South Phila-
delphla. In the 23d Ward Edwin K. Borie
| Alls the dual role of Magistrate and minority
| leader T. C. Morris represents THE Organ
| ization" as central committeeman in the goth
! Ward. as does John Meceary in the 31st
| Ward and William f. Campbell in the 25th
Ward. All three are Magistrates. Joseph
| Coward, Leslie Yates and David s. Scott are
presidents Of executive committees for THE
| Organization" in the I'd. 18th and 18th
! Wards also Magistrates. William H. Belcher,
| Joseph S. Boyle and John j. Grelis are indie
| pendent Democratic leaders In the 18TH Path
| and 2sth Wards. respectively, as we'll as Mag
istrates. John ]. Harrigan is secretary OF
the executive committee for Jim McNichol
and the Wares in the Fifth Ward and a
! Magistrate,
There are nearly 100000 former citizens of
Russia and Finland living in Philadelphia.
| They are the overflow from New York.
These alien people frequently get their first
| impressions OF legal values In tho new coun-
try at the bar of tho lower courts where
they are often taken because of minor in
fractions Of ordinances, committed more
through ignorance than otherwise. 1t is i'm
portant that these stranger folk should be
made to feel that our laws are to be obeyed;
that freedom Is not license.
Instead OF finding the Magistrate to be
dignifed parsonage, clothed in robe and
we'll versed in the statutes, these aliens, as
we'll as others look toward the bench and
see what? Why, a politician! Often he Is
the ward leader. II not, he is a man put
there
from the ward leader is magic. Out OF 2s
elected Magistrates at least one was law
yer before his elevation to the bench. Here
are the records OF the men;
Leslie Yates, ex-clerk in City Treasurer's
ONCE: put in by 18th Ward Leader John J.
Flaherty, Of THE Organization"
James II. Toughill sx-elerk in Subtreas-
ury; put in by the Wares throwing him
enough votes to win.
Joseph Coward, ex-deputy internal revenue
collector; put in by Cd Ward Leader Harry
c. Ransley, OF "The Organization"
T. W. MacFarland. ex-clothing salesman;
nominated by reform parties, but really
elected by Sd Ward Leader Harry ]. Trainer
OF "The Organization" throwing him 1000
votes.
John ]. Harrigan, ex-clerk in Municipal
Court: put In by 5th Ward Leader James A.
Carey, OF THE Organization" who was the
former Magistrate.
William Eisenbrown, ex-constable; an hon
orable Magistrate who cannot be reached by
influence Of any sort.
William Haggerty, ex-saloonkeeper; put In
by nth Ward Leader Charles seger, OF THE
Organization"
Charles p Rooney, ex-olsrk In Magistrates
| Court; put in by Buck Devlin. or THE Or
ganization," who was the former Magistrate.
John Mecleary, ex-clerk In building inspec-
tors office put in by Dave Martin, Of The
| Organization"
William ]. Tracy, e1-Iabor leader put in
| through Frank Feensy's influence with Jim
| McNichol: Feeney looks out for THE orsani-
4 cation" at the Central Labor Union.
/ George X. Hogg. eX-clerk in the Recorder
| Of DEEDS once; put IN by the Wares
i NViIlIan, n RaIcheTi eN-ConEfabIa for his