La libera parola. [volume] (Philadelphia, Pa.) 1918-1969, 1919-08-23

IF the merits of a candidacy
for municipal office could be
Judged by the platforms of the
candidates, the average citizen
might be excused for uncertain
ty as to the direction in which
his duty lies. But it too often
happens that political platforms
are to be interpreted as much
by what they omit to say as by
what they actually contain. In
Judge Patterson's letter of ac-
ceptance he expressly disclaims
subServiency to any political
master, and in his platform he
outlines various items of muni-
cipal policy, most of which are
SO obvious as to make comment
wholly unnecessary. What pu-
blic-spirited citizen would fail to
agree that the extension of the
water supply, the completion of
necessary public works, like the
transit system and the sewage
| disposal plant, and the improve
|ment of sanitary conditions wi
thin the city are all essential
parts of a progressive municipal
administration, or that sound fl
.nancial methods, the elimination
of the police and firemen from
politics, the lowering Of taxes,
the development of the port are
all admirable aims toward which
the city should strive. Arbitra-
tion of labor disputes, America
nism and woman suffrage, viii
4 ch Judge Patterson touches up
on, are obviously platitudinous
space filters ON topics on which
there can be no real difference
i of opinion.
But Philadelphia will look in
vain for any specific declaration
by Judge Patterson on the vital
issue that looms above all 9TH
ers, namely, that of contractor
government. 1t is true that the
Judge pledges himself to the ex-
ecution of one of the chief pur-
poses Of the charter-reWsion
movement, in which he was an
active participant, that is, the
Inauguration of street cleaning
by the city itself on the date
fixed in the charter. But he ON
its to state that he has accepted
the nomination directly at the
hands of the street-cleaning con-
tractor bosses, against whose do
mination in municipal affairs the
whole charteT-Tevision movem-
ent was principally directed.
And Judge Patterson will be
hard put to it to demonstrate to
the people Of this city what wo-
uld be gained by the abandon
ment of the contract method if
the contractors are to be left in
control of the machinery to be
created to do the work of street
cleaning. Indeed, it is conceiva-
ble that a Ware controlled bu-
.reau of street cleaning charged
with the actual work of cleaning
the streets, with the force of
employees and the apparatus
that would be requisite, would
be a more dangerous engine of
political oppression than the
present powerful machine built
up by the Wares for the perpe-
tuation Of their own control of
contracts.
ut is also only just to Judge
Patterson to say that he pro-
claims his independence of fac
tional control, and it may be
that he thinks that he would be
able to carry out his pledge not
to permit factional politics to
interfere with the administra-
ton of the city's affairs. But his
own close association with the
I Wares, his willingness at their
/ summons to leave a secure posi-
ton of honor on the bench to
contest for the nomination with
so able and experienced an ad-
ministrator as Congressman
Moore, inspires more than a
doubt as to his ability to do
what has been utterly impossi-
BILE for the present Mayor and
for the others who have compro-
missed themselves by accepting
place and favor from that So
urce.