Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-09

ring IOr JOhn j. CrOut FORMER city chairman
Of the Progressive party; his waistcoat to
ex-Magistrate Edward A. Devlin, a Penrose
man, and his shoe buckles to F. A. Van
Valkenburg, brother of the local representa-
tive Of William Finn, of Pittsburgh
Neither example nor precedent bent the
| Mayor from his course. He simply would
! not shove his knees under the same table
with Jim McNichol and the Wares. Therein
in his whole offense against "The Organ
! ization.r>
Ethfiiciency experts constantly bring
| ing new ideas into the board room of "The
| Organization" The late Chris Magee, of
| Pittsburgh, and partner of William Finn,
was superb originator in his day. He ad-
| vised the permanent combination between the
majority and minority parties, later intro
| duced into Philadelphia by Dave Martin,
whereby the people fixed so they cannot
vote for Democrat except he is chosen by
"The Organization"
The elegant Magee also conceived the over
tapping idea which provides jobs for "the
boys on the off-years, with county pay
roll to carry them over just such a con-
tingency as the Bankenburg Administration
No matter what happens there is always
shelter around the corner. For instance
the Mayors term ends in the middle of the
terms of half of the Select Council the Dis
trict Attorney, Register of Wills, City Treas
urer. Receiver of Taxes, etc. The over
tapping idea in business politics is the
gamblers chance that the roulette ball that
has just dropped red will roll into a black
pocket on the next spin.
New York city caught Tammany mapping
one year and removed its District Attorney.
This insured prosecution of election frauds.
and eventually drove Tammany from the
City Hall. Philadelphia's chance for better
government has begun with the Mayor, at
the opposite end of local administration
affairs.
Another product of Pittsburgh that must
not be hurriedly passed was the contractor
idea which spread over the country like a
prairie fire. Franchises were running low
about this time, and those that had not been
given away in 999-year leases were not worth
peddling. So the political bosses went into
the contracting business, and they are still
at 1t vigorously. While Philadelphia is
widely credited with having set the pace with
general plans and the specifications for the
running Of public affairs for private profit
1t remained for Pittsburgh to put in much
home comforts and landscape gardening
Incidentally, there has been rivalry be-
tween all of the self-cOnstituted operators of
the large cities to get out something new
something that would stand the acid test of
time and critics, But Pittsburgh appears to
have got over the wire first with the con-
tracing firm of Booth & Finn, which took
tnnumerable city contracts from a director
of public works, e. NJ. Bigelow, who, Curl
ously enough, just now happens to be state
highway commissioner.
1t followed that the contractor idea eventu-
ally proved to be the solution Of the diff
culties of all business exploiters of munich |
palities. For there always was big outside
contracting work to be done, and the people |
who wanted it done often proved to be the !
very people who wanted important favors |
from the City Councils. Quite remarkable! |
If Tweed had only lived a half century later
he might have owned a trotting stable pos
sesed a summer home at the seashore and |
been a highly respected citizen. Who knows? |
But we have wandered away from THE
Organization" itself, and the source of it's
immediate power. Approach the heart Of this
bold combine and we find its great strength
at the points where the members of the
board of directors come into direct contact
with the public-the As wards, with their 4S
ward leaders Here is where THE Organi-
cation" sells its stock, drives it's small bar
gains, buys off competition and handouts
better government for the whole public (the
greatest number) by a systematic and really
clever distribution Of petty favors among a
few carefully selected barkers, pacemakers
and really deceived citizens
II is annoying TO have ones watch stolen.
1ut one must remember that the pickpocket
has as much pride in his dexterity as you
lave in the contented satisfaction Of a spot
ess character Heredity and environment
their full share TO the making Of
pickpocket Likewise, heredity and environ
nent have made the district leaders callous
o criticism.
To traffc in justice through the control
# a Magistrate, or acquaintance with the
district Attorney; TO trade in assessments
through influence with the officials whose
worn duty 1t = to repel such influence; or
o barter over a local improvement through
share in the control of Councils-these
cts do not seem wrong TO the district leader.
I is business, his business, frequently all
he business he knows or ever knew.
We have shown that there is nothing pic
uresque about the honest official. On the
the Central Committee members
f The ORGANIZATION directors we call
hem, ward leaders they call themselves
re often most picturesque. They are quite
Mysterious They usually can be found
round their haunts on the off-beat Of normal
darkness had fallen on the
district or between two stated hours then
nd only then. 1t fascinates this enigmatical
oming, and one speculates on the location
nd doings OF the leader in hours when his
resence is unrevealed.
Moreover they deal in commodities Of
yhich the sale is forbidden by law. They
elong to an invisible force a secret gov