Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-23

eriticises itself openly Is proof that the
old order Is doomed. Mere pertinent
are questions as TO the strength Of the
creative purpose and the shaping Of the
new things.
WTE do not attack fossils. We classify
w them.
Inc fitness of the dodo ceased to be a
problem the moment competitors estab-
lished the fact that the bird could not fly
and was only able to run very slowly.
Thereafter its survival was dependent
only on the degree of it's indigestibillty.
by the same token, the moment it be,
came matter of loyal and responsible
public discussion to question the old order
OF Philadelphia, instantly the survival of
the old order ceased to be a problem
There is no more comfortable city in
the world than this one. It is because of
its many comforts and the comfortable
spirit they have engendered that it is
willing to put up with so many discom.
forts. SO that even when the dodos were
| spotted, here, and their doom foretold
the pursuit and extinction of them did
not appeal particularly to the hunt.
ers. Did some one call for more city
parks? Well, there was Fairmount Park, |
best in the world. Did some one want
cleaner politics? Well, we were rich.
1t is undoubtedly our rich Colonial |
heritage of dignity and proud self,sufi. |
cheney that produced this air of detach-
ment. There were so many good things
Of past and present to treasure that IT
became matter of inconsequence to de-
fine present evils and future dangers A
century ago the city was run by it's aris.
tocracy. 1t still kowtows to its aris.
tocracy, but that aristocracy has aban.
doned the business of government TO a
class of men eager to do dirty work. So
long as the club windows are comfortable
lounging places so long as the barber
chairs are comfortable, why worry, why
even Know about unpleasant things? The
story is told of Philadelphia dame of the
old school, who, when taken for drive to
League Island, waved her hand airily at
the wide South Philadelphia meadows. $50
these are the vares," she said "Iow in.
teresting! Like the steppes of Russia.
what do they grow on the vares?"
II is unpalatable, but it is true, that
this note of Indifference struck by the
leisure class is echoed in the attitude of
other classes There is an astounding
number of men who work in well.
dressed" vocations, and who. therefore
try to ape the rich. They, too, see the
1lup window as an ideal of gentlemanly
aloofness from the political mass. They
are content to see things "go on" 1t is
'ather n joke to them that "the gang
Won again." and the primary voting booth J
Knows them not. One concrete example d
II their civic sloth is sufficient. In no t,
1ther city is this type of well-educated 8
'oung man so little represented in the p
'ank and file OF the active and powerful S
ward and sectional political clubs. Those
luos are organized and filled with fol.
overs or ward heelers. They are too
Intensely partisan in the bad sense of that
'ord to provide useful centres for the =
isinterested to visit for information about
andidates, registration, and the host of
etails that keep interest in city move.
tents alive in the individual.
That there is big change taking place
! spite of this spirit Is shown by the size.
ess with which these unorganized young
len have been drawn to the polls by such
'nely and devoted leaders as Taylor.
nose loan campaign gave the dodo a
'ightful black eye and chewed off one
his impotent wings. But there are
lture similar victories to be won, and
'eir realization must not be left to the
aphazard of eleventh-hour heroism
'hat If the next successful leader is as
aergetlc as Taylor and yet at the same
me unscrupulous? The future must be
laped as well as dreamed of. There must
tracks for the locomotive as we'll as
cam to run 1t. There may be no mora
aylors for generation or two If you-
'u-do not fit yourself for possible
adership now,
1t is not that anything really good of
'e Old Philadelphia and its old order
ust be sacrificed, The quiet streets Of
'mes' the sense of traditional dignity
10 willingness TO give men of education I
I'd inherited culture a hearing. the
ealth-an these are to be kept. But IL
true as Mr.. Wilson never tires of reiter- S
ing that to keep white post white you ga
MT leave 1t alone-you've got to keen 4
Uniting it. Lii
And to swallow the dodo you have TO Mrs
ep after him with strong and aggressive Caan
ws and an eye alert. Jea