Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-30

The hfst OF the articles reviewing the
work OF the BlRnkenburg Administration
puts II squarely up to, the voters whether
they shall return to the days OF organi-
cation domination or unite TO continue
20 give Philadelphia a business admins-
tration.
LEST WE FORGET"
Jnder the heading Lest We Forget,
-Four Years of Business Administration"
the article says:
On the iirst Monday OF December, 1911,
new chapter was opened i'm the history
OF Philadelphia. After years Of strug-
gle, running back through the days OF
the Committee OF One Hundred, the Mu-
nicipal League and the City Party, an
Independent Mayor had been elected As
the executive board Of the city of Phila-
delphia there at last stood a man who
owed none OF his success 10 entangllng
alliances with the contractor bosses who,
from time immemorial. had been the
rulers of the city.
A tremendous victory had been won A
magazine writer a few years before had
characterized Philadelphia as being Cor
rupt and conhented." The people had
risen and placed In office one whose alb
golute honesty has been admitted by even
hts bitterest enemies. Philadelphians at
last had shown that no longer were they
content with the old order OF things that
were corrupt. The time had come to put
an end to graft in all its forms. to politi-
cal assessments and the "macing' of
corporations and individuals of high and
low degree, TO the stuffing of ballot boxes,
fraudulent voting and the intimidation OF
voters, 10 the framing OF specifications
1or contracts In the interest OF contractor
bosses, to the manipulation OF police de-
partments and the magistrates courts so
as 10 protect from criminal punishments
those who for the benefit of the BIZ
partisan machine disregarded and vio-
lated the laval these evils were to be
ended and the city was TO be purged OF
all criminals and especially those en-
Eaged In gambling or maintaining disor-
derly houses, vice resorts and speak-eas-
ies.
The people OF Philadelphia heard much
OF graft and fraudulent and supplemental
contracts. and the alliance between the
criminal rich and the criminal poor, OF
white slavery, OF the intimidation Of vot-
ers and the illegal arrest OF those who
dared 10 oppose the bipartisan organlza-
ton
They had seen DR.. Walter M. James
bfutally STACKED on election day in the
very centre OF the city; they had watched
the y M c. a. boys being beaten up"
~ the polling place near Broad ana
Arch streets. They had learned OF the
spiriting away 70 Siberia" OF independ-
ent watchers In the 7th Ward and their
being hidden by police officials, so as 10
prevent their friends learning anything
OF their whereabouts. Thls occurred in
the election o. 1869. and the present Pres
lhent Judge OF Court of Common Pleas
No. 3, on June ?, 1911. In refusing a new
trial to some Of the defendants In the
criminal prosecution resulting In this
case used the following solemn language:
The defendants are charged with an
pnenfe that strikes at the very root OF
our free institutions. Nothing can be
more dangerous to the continuance Of a
rtpnhiiean form Of government than the
fnort TOO frequently made by the police
officials OF our great cities 10 control
r,rroont through their power over those
glasses Of the population that, for various
ffnsonf' are peculiarly subject to their
tniluenca. II from this case II becomes
more generally understood that the law
" fcnneyiranie contemnlates that voters
and election officers shall not be inlimi-
dated BY men IN authority, and will not
tolerate, even az the hands OF police,
Outrage and violence. having for their
object the prevention Of the free express
tlon u the popular viii through the hall
|pt there will be nothing OF which any
one can properly complain" (From the
p'nion q iudEe Audenried N Common
wealth - lieutenant Lynch et al.)
Il seemed Ia November. 1911. aa n the
Republican, form OF government, AZ ap-
I|If4 10 q representative large American
f|I>. eaa on trial should the older order
~ ihinss continue wlth the intimidatlona
and Abuses prevalent under the rule II
|I1 Contractor BOSSES. or should one more
<IoII be made 20 prove that the Amer
|tN form d tofefnment Was nttrd 20