Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-15
MOORE CAN REDEEM CITY
IF VOTERS WANT 1T SAVED
Tomorrow's Primaries Furnish PhiIadeI.
phlans the Opportunity to Give
Contractor Rule It's Deathblow

1OMORROW WI determine whether
l. Phila Ielphia is devoted to its idols
with feet of mud. The primary cleo
ton not only defines the issues; it viz
tually decides them. The public can have
precisely what it wants. Each candi-
date for Mayor represents a specific
thing.
Judge Patterson is the Organizations
man. He is Vare's man. Everybody
knows what that means.' 1t means four
years more Of the same kind of admin
istration the city has had since 1916.
Take Judge Patterson at his word and
it is impossible to find any indication
that he has repudiated his masters. Have
his glitteringIy generalizing campaign
speeches contained a single syllable i'm
plying that he will throw over THE Or
ganization"? They have not. He has
never proclaimed that he will fight the
Ware outfit. Therefore, he will protect
it. A child could see the point.
Equally clear is J. Hampton Moore's
position. There are no blank spaces on
his standard. He is embattled to redeem
the city from nefarious contractor rule,
to end Frog Hollowism, to crush a sys-
tenn which has made its chieftains rich
at the expense of the taxpayer. He uses
plain language to describe a plain dis
grace.
With such a platform even 6 candidate
of less. ability than Mr.. Moore would be
infinitely preferable to a mere flabby
agent of the crowd that has brought
Philadelphia so low. But fortunately Mr..
Mo1ro ,1p,hipns Lr;11;,nt -r,oti,,1
equipment and a ripe experience with
right and lucid principles.
His Republicanism is unshadowed, for
he has consistently championed the high
est ideals Of his great political party.
Machine Republicanism is a farce, a pre-
posterous sham. 1t is counterfeit, pre-
cisely as is the alleged Democracy of
Tammany." To be fooled by such a
transparent abuse of terms is to be
weak-minded.
For members of a great community
with imperial our a way out of
bondage is now revealed. The long-de-
layed emancipation can be prevented in
only three ways or by a combination of
them.
If the city goes crazy tomorrow it
will nominate Judge Patterson.
If it is lazy and stupidity supine. as
so often in the past, the Ware candidate
will win.
If it really enjoys misrule, believes in
contractor domination, ~rejoices in unnat-
ural burdens and takes delight in in
creasing tax bills, the prospect of
eventual bankruptcy and neglect of pub
lie improvements, it will once again sup
port the Organization.
The first possibility might perhaps
seem extravagant had not past cleo
lions cast so much doubt upon the atti-
tude of the citizenry. 1t has at times been
exceedingly difficult to comprehend why
Philadelphia has tolerated so many po-
litical atrocities.
The second contingency, however, I'M
fortunately entails no strain on the
imagination. The lethargy of decent
Philadelphians has become a byword. In
difference to the primaries has given
corruptionists so convenient a flying
start that on the November election day
there has often been no worthy candidate
for a self-respecting man to support.
The Importance of tomorrow's pri-
maries cannot be overemphasized. 1t
will decide whether or not Philadelphia
is still loyal to political thuggery. The
large registration e~ncouragingly- indi-
Gates an awakening. But the interest
already aroused will be largely inef-
fective unless there is also a great out
pouring at the polls tomorrow. Registra-
ton was the indispensable preliminary.
1t is votes alone which will purge the
city.
The Organization leeringly prides itself
on its strength. That will utterly
vaporize tomorrow between the hours of
seven in the morning and seven at night
if Philadelphia hurls sufficient ballots
into it's vitals. Not the most brutal po-
litical machinery ever devised in the land
can survive an active, determined, antag-
onistic popular will.
Citizens who live by the Organization
vote with the Organization. If repre-
hensible, they are at least consistent.
But what of the brow-beaten general
public? Does it actually long for abso.
lutism as the ignorant people of Spain did
a century ago?
If so, let these willing sacrifices line
up solidly against Mr.. Moore tomorrow
Let them ~perpetuate the policies of the
Smith administration; let them choose {
candidate who withholds any pledge t.
overthrow identified oppressors; let then
encourage contractor tyranny; let then
pile taxes upon themselves to satisfy
Unsuitable masters; let them plunge
the town into insolvency, stife its prog
ress, crush its legitimate development.
Any person who sincerely favors thes,
things will know how to mark his ballot
If there are enough people of this typ,
Philadelphia will get exactly what it de
serves.
"This contest" declares Mr.. Moore, $50
control of Philadelphia is not a question