Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-10

and then Wen take him into camp.
Wen put up n man, Of course, and
try to win. If we do. all right; but
probably we won't. This town in
sists on electing a reform mayor
about once in a dozen years any
way. It'll be easier. probably. and
better to let the wave of reform
roll over us. and then while they're
hOllering victory and holding ratifi-
cation meetings. well just open the
door and let their mayor come in
with u.s."
But what makes think you can
take Archer into camp" Mr.. Bucking-
ham was respectfully interested.
That" said the Boss. with an in
sinuating grin, "is what / came to talk
to you about. Young Archer is pretty
close to some of your family. / under
stand. and-every man has his price
Not every nan :" rebuked Bucking-
ham with a scowl, recalling one or two
unpleasant experiences. AND let me tell
you something right now. / have less
influence with jeremiah T. Archer on
political matters than with any man in
Philadelphia.
And anyway"-Mr. Buckingham grew
excitedly emphatic to the point where
his face Redeemed and the veins stood
out on his fo~rehead.--"I don't want
to have any hare-brained reform adj
ministration to deal with next
year. There are too many issues M
stake. railroad matters. matters of
bonds, matters of bank deposits, mat
ters of--oh, all sorts of projects pend
ing. They make it important that in
Nestigations and trials and furores and
mares nests of every sort shall not be
stirred up, by Weddings of long-haired
political theorists.
"A reform administration means freak
commissions. freak legislation, freak ac-
tons you never know what the city is
going to do with those fellows at the
wheel and investors never know where
and men in charge of departments thai
are unreasonable and hard to deal with,
Know what 1t was like In the Blanken-
Derg administration; men like George
W: Norris. able. high-minded gentleman
-Dbut-too h~igh-minded. And then
there was that little fellow. Morris
Cooke. Why. blast him, he could stir
up more suspicion and public dissatis-
faction In one day than all Of us to-
getl'er could settle in a year. They
are all SO conscientious they think
everybody else must be q thief. Tie
total effect is that they-unsettle
Mr.. Buckingham. after a moments
h~esltance, came out with this final
phrase and stopped. apparently will
Ing to let, 1t go at that. In it he had
put the whole truth. Mr.. B~uckingham's
$3.50 " duIllflStTd-
tons could be truthfully summed up in
that. They unsettled values that was
his fixed idea. He was not a corrup-
ZIONIST he dealt not in political favors
a business of crime. like Maldono's
thteving contracts that looted the City
Treasury. venal advantage In the courts
all such Mr.. Buckingham utterly con
temned. He had no personal knowledge
OF such things and preferred to doubt
their existence.
Politically, his creed was summed up
In opposition to change. He felt him.
self TO be an advocate permanently re-
tanned In favor Of tho status quo and
Of the status quo ante. 1t was this
that made him the ally Of a Mayor for
whom he yelled his contempt blu thinly
and every machine to which the Mayor
belonged. They did nothing to u~nsettle
values. and Mr.. Buckingham wanted
values to be absolutely steady except
when he could know in advance tina
they were going to be joggled, and jusi
how and how much.
At such times he was sure to be
standing around with buckets to catch
whatever of increment was spilled over
and the amazing thing was that the
values so salvaged nearly always be.
longed to Mr.. Buckingham personally
while the values that had been joggled
! would nearly always be partnership