Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-13

the transit and port loan, prOfessedly TO
save the latter from the wreck" has also
the eject of throwing great and and needed
civic civic improvements into the SoGkpn on iae
ing over minor features Of the s47,0O0,OOO
cf possbie % n9sinS 20 and S IoekeSins y. w with the
larger details of the city's plan for perma-
nent improvements.
THE final passage Of the city loan bills in
u Councils clears the way for a closer ex.
animation of the implications contained in
Mr.. Trainers graphic language describing the
reasons for making the s67OOOOOO transit and
port loan and the s47,OO0.0OO general loan
separate issues before the voters There was
somewhat piratical flavor about his phrase,
"1f the bill comes to smash we should try to
save something from the wreck"
In other words IL the jockeying and Juggling
between the warning political factions should
come to "showdown" at the polls May 16,
there could be a truce as far the transit
loan was concerned-both factions could sup
port it. But that truce will leave them the
more free for skirmshing over whatever fea-
lures of the grabbag order the general loan
may involve. 1t is surmsed that the Penrose-
and Mr.. Trainer in Councils has threatened
to work for the defeat of this loan if the
Smith-Vare faction, nominally in control of
both the Administration and Councils, does not
make concessions. This faction has succeeded
to a certain extent already-perhaps within
hailing distance of "peace"-notably in the
eliminating of the 100000 Ware claim for
boulevard work and of the provision for 500
extra policemen.
These would have been ware policemen"
The citizens of outlying wards, where bur-
glaries have been too frequent because of
insufficient policing have never said they
would prefer "McNichol policemen" What
they have wanted is men in blue coats who
would give reasonable amount of protection
to endangered residences while doing their
more important political work. But this is
only one example of the spirit in which both
factions have taken up the greatest con-
structive work in the city's history Is it any
wonder that they are to be feared "even when
they offer gifts? For there is still the dark
scheming over contract awards to threaten
the best interests of the city.
This is the sordid background for what on
paper-and it has been too long merely on
paper-is the city's long evolving plan for
great civic improvements. There is the Free
Library provided for, the Art Museum, the
Convention Hall, advances along the path of
modern enlightenment which the Importance
of this city not only deserves but demands,
which it has striven toward in the dark
though blinded by the tricks and shackled by
the Indifference of self-centred politicians.
More needed than even such improvements
are the items for sewage disposal and the in.
stallation of the sewerage system. Health and
recreation centres. The appropriation for
Blockley is a long-deayed act of justice that
the city could no longer defer.
South Philadelphia is the recipient of the
lions share, but the needs in that section loom
larger than the question of the Wares and
their fortunes to those who see that the de.
velopment of that section has been delayed |
by the railroad grade crossings that have held |
up building operations. And the installation |
of crosstown sewers will make habitable dis.
trict too long surrendered to the mosquitoes
On the face of it the need of the desolate
southern half of this section is greater than
West Philadelphia's but this did not warrant
the meagreness of the allowance for the sec.
ton across the Schuylkill.
No matter what their underlying motives
may be thought to be. the tendency shown by
the % West Philadelphia Councilmen to be
in their sectional demands should
receive full face value praise for an attempt to
think for the benefit of the city as a whole.
But the curse upon the financing of city prof.
ects is not sectionalism. as a matter of fact;
is the tool of contractors, and
through sectional needs contractors mIsrep.
resent the people-make them seem provin-
cally in behalf Of 'our street"
No one ever suspected South Philadelphia of
greedi or North Philadelphia; or West Phila-
delphia. But contractors. who 'work for'
their sections-they have been and are sus-
pected.