Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15
THE DEAD LEADER

ONE of the most popular men in Ill =
delphia died when James Z. McNichol
breathed his last His popularity was
earned by the qualities he displayed ~
his fellows. He was human. intensely
human. He did not sit in Judgment over
his fellow men and decline to have any
thing to do with those who did not
measure up to an arbitrary standard.
We were all men and brothers to him.
This Is only another way of saying that
he was essentially democratic. Therein
lay the secret of his political success.
He was man OF great abilities. He
started as a contractor in a humble way
and built up one OF the largest businesses
IN this part of the country. He was the
successful bidder on many large pieces of
work in other cities than Philadelphia.
His capacity for affairs was recognized
and envied by many lesser men. There
is no disposition anywhere to begrudge
him credit for his business success.
His political methods have been con.
demned and he has been denounced for
combining business with politics. While
he was alive and active this newspaper
did not hesitate to call attention to the
evils inherent in the system of which
he was a part and product. The system
II vicious. Mr.. McNichol might have
sought to change it. He chose, rather,
to accept it. Revolutions are rare. He
was not a revolutionist. Evolution is
the order of nature. 1t sloughs off the
old as fast as it becomes useless
AS a matter Of fact, evolution is at
work in the politics of this city. Mr..
0cNichol was machine politician, using
methods which must be frowned upon
by all who work for the efficient and eco.
nomical conduct of public affairs. But
he and his methods were. perhaps, a
shade better than those of Israel Dur
nam, NO politician would dare today,
II he were so disposed to colonize the
doubtful districts in the way that was
common twenty years ago. Public senti.
ment would not permit it, This means ,
that the standard of political morals has
been raised and that political leaders, |
who necessarily represent the people |
have been affected by the change. The |
political leaders of the next twenty years |
will not dare use the methods which |
McNichol adopted, for the reason that |
the mass Of the people are demanding |
better things from their public servants. |
The situation is encouraging. but IL |
would be much more hopeful If the re- |
formers were as human as the dead |
eader. Abstractions appeal only to the
'highbrows" in their libraries. Theories
'f government are important, but mere
thinking machine evolving theories is |
mpotent when brought into competition |
With human being gifted with the heart !
" friendiness and endowed with SYM |
,athy for the suffering. The successful, |
political leaders in every large city are |
men who, like McNichol, get into close
ouch with the people and convince them
that they are men of like passions with
the rest of them. In brief, they are not |
men too far ahead OF their times. II is !
important that this fact be recognized. !
Taking account of it, however, does not |
lbsolye the leaders of public sentiment
from their obligation to demand better
things and to point the way. II does
however, mitigate somewhat the severity
OF the criticism which IL heaped upon
the individual leaders In the existing
order. for it spreads that criticism over
the whole body of the electorate. The
whole city of Philadelphia is responsihle
for the machine of which McNichol was
the leader, and 1t must bear the blame
for whatever that organization was per.
mitted to do. II the citizens had 40
manded better things he would have
reeponded. He was merely the creature
- his times. He attained his leadership
shroush the operation of the law OF sur.
vsysi Of the fittest, in the sense that the
nttest means the man with the necessarv
abilities to command.
His successor will be developed in the
eans way and he will turn his back unon
- McNich)l methods as soon as the
atty demands H. This is ,ho -
e4nocracy and It is the way of progress.
NO RAILROAD STRIKE,