Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-10-29
OUR KINGS IN COUNCIL
The officials Whom Philadelphia De-
lights to Honor Had Their unIucky
Prototypes In the Past-Aad They,
Too, Had Tough Time
BY GEORGE NOX MCCAIN

diverting,
Were IL not that its Iooders Counc;lnen
Hall, Gaffhey and wcglein, are gentlemen Of
protean versatility with eioouence instsntly
available for every snbioct from s;nkns
funds TO horse stoblea n considerable nun
her of taynevers n,ouid fool tbev wsr.
scarcely getting their money's worth from
the weekly performence
The vote OF confidence In the Ware orpani-
zotion which ,raa n;ron hv tbe c;t,1ens AZ
the recent primary election has inspired the
gentlemen of the ma iority 10 renewed ac-
imprisoned eloquence.
ine lacI tnat bridges are closed 10 traiuc
as',I Oehg GU uunserous 20 me tnat IN inis, tne
snoa sn aVernge Is detailed 10 the protectlon OF
os.od ooVo uMe.ngs, ;, ana tnaI almost every sus
Ssiou Ss,,,,I mp provement Is nainstrung oy Councn
49,. .t II n.arhs rom t's proponeI.s, as S
thn o.i.d nss.ers ; tna. must oe seI asiue untn
sne Ni'ai ISSUE OF lessins an insanllarS morse
H,aU,e s'nn, ifoin locai oosS mas peen ueciueu
uboh'
NAlohALLh' 1t IS Just what the people
~ want. They expressed their desire for
this sort Of thing in no uncertain way at the
polls last month.
They will reafrm that desire November 8
when they vote finally to retain In office the
friends and ''buddies' of their Kings in
Councii.
For Philadelphia today is ruled by Kings
instead Of Councilmen.
They have usurped, in their jovial and
ciamorous way. the administrative functions
OF other city officials.
they nave elevated the rubbish can to the
pinnacle OF honor.
When distinguished Tammany leader
some years ago enunciated that gem of
poilucal wisdom, What the Constitution
INV, luz IIsuaii"ea ~ tne ulin future ware
'oui0'not tlon'
THERE Is another political axiom equally
i applicable whose truth has been verified
In the history of cities and Of nations:
People usually get the kind OF govern
ment they deserve"
Councimen elected as reformers hRve
turned renegades City officials have be-
trayed their constituencies and delight in
parading the fact.
Meantime, their masters. the c,tizenrv.
continue to be manned and robbed for lack
of sufficient policemen.
They complaccntly traverse bridges that
threaten collapse for lack of repairs or re-
building.
They smile indulgently when hundreds of
thousands of dollars Of their money is voted
into the pockets Of favored contractors.
Having been smittcn on one check, thev
position subsequently adapted to the appli-
cation OF the boot.
Citizens who resent the autorracy Of this
councilmanic combination still retain an
Elusive hope that history may repeat itself
in the case of the "Charlies.H y the "Joes "
the Dicks and even the "Alexises." for
each of these councimanic Kings has had
prototypes in history.
In every instance the analogy is not only
striking. but is at times absolutely startling.
-
YylfE voiubc, tmpetuous md undienutod
| loader or tbe Kings In Cnnro;i ThouIal
II, surname HoIj--for CharIns I Irur.es nntros
nymic Scger. was also Of the Seventh Ward
- mas inmumera9e points In common with
tbm,snnJ vcars s9o "s m u, 'h% tr tSt FRANKS
Kingdom, but fell down on the "o i"b' 10 SEIZE
IL ,,o, b;li.o . Va ttto Jop'
torv records bn treI eI - ro% lor, as ms
rivers"
From beginning to end of this first King
Charles reign he was constantly in hot
water.
His fingers were always getting burned.
though there is no record that he discovered
4 municipal scandal in the fact that his
Director of Public Safety in ono yoor had
erected fifteen electric lights in Obscure cor-
n"rs of his capital city where crime pre-
vailed.
WHAT moro appropriate than that tho
w prOtOtNpP or the nrSt joseph III ghould
be Roman Emperor?
In the words Of the historian: "In 1861
he was made member of the newly consti-
tuted Council and began 70 draw
up minutes. to which he rove the nema %
'Raverics.' " W
4 weird prophecy. ousIntIv snnlic,bIo 20
the present. day Emperor JOSEPH, Snn's surname ne
Gaffney. recltcs. These naners contaimoJ
the germs OF his later noljrv and NJ oil tha
disasters which finally overlook hin, "i rbe rbo
astonishing parallel between King Josenh
of 1880 and King Joscph NJ pbiioJoInh;n
Council is ComrIctpd in the fprthnr w.nrdS &c
his biographer: "IIe threw himself into y, n
succession of poIicins oII nin,oJ
at aggrandzement (of the Ware dynastVP
and all equally calculated TO offend his
neighbors. - 0"'''' n'S
But why continue;
..nry EINCDoy Gov hon.o,,
M .ho r,oiI 80 iTt morse was once
1naI1- - "a" voors ~ 49," tNinS hLchard' hun
dreuS Vi rS, SeaLH t"ter II may pc IN" vail of
ahTIhcr ON hici,S'ip t ~, IN h,aFornIty battle.
.h .oeiTart enH - or ii me prototype OF
tH' PyJ PreSiGeht VI our N!l'eS III 3uncll is one
o' tif aauuac n,o- '5ao,'S o u, r;'sIlSil M history