Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-06-18
JOB COMBINE CAN'T BUCK
AGAINST A MAN IN THE RIGHT
Every Coup Of Which It Is Guilty
Strengthens the Moral Position
of the Mavor

Of the Mayor
TNHE moral position of Mayor Moore Is
stronger than it has been for months.
He is standing firm on his platform pledges
to destroy contractor rule.
He is insisting that the only effective way
to break down the political contractors is to
abolish political contracts
He made a beginning when he turned
down the bid Of the Wares for cleaning the
streets in the two central districts and ar
ranged to have the work done directly by city
employees
1t will cost the city 5000. 900 less to do
the work in these districts than the Wares
offered to do it for
This means that the Wares have been de-
privcd of a profit of at least $500, 900 on a
single job. 1t means that they are "sore"
5000. 600 worth. which is a considerable de-
gree Of sOrcnrss.
1t means that they and their friends are
determined to stop the cleaning of the streets
by city employees if they can possibly do It,
They have been making combinations with
other political leaders interested in spoils
and they have succeeded SO far as to break
down the slender majority Of the Mayor In
the City Council and to secure q solid block
OF thirteen out Of the twenty one votes.
That block was used this week when the
plans for taking over on October 1 the
street cleaning contracts in the city outside
of the two central districts were held up.
Councilmen Limcburnpr. Montgomery and
Wcglein, elected TO support the Mayor. voted
with the ten anti Administration Council
men and against the men who still believe
that they are morally bound to be loyal to
the voters who elected them.
And the partners In the Job Combine are
grinnng today at the thought of their easy
triumph. They think they have the Mayor
tied hand and foot and that hereafter they
can do as they please.
And they can do pretty much ms they
please-for a time. But the weakness Of
their position lies in the fact that they be-
lieve they can disregard every consideration
Of economy and efficiency and conspire to
fatten on the money. Of the taxpayers.
The more shamelessly they 60 ahead with
their plans the stronger will the case against
them become, and the more imperative will
It be that the Mayor shall stand out against
them as the spokesman and representative Of
the people opposed to looting the treasury.
The Mayor has weapons which he has not
yet used. He hinted at some of them in the
statement he gave out yesterday. When he
uses them he can drive his opponents into
hiding and can deprive them Of their power
for evil so suddenly that they will wonder
at their stupidity in challenging him.
All they need is a little more rope and
they will hang themselves. The moose is
already made and they will get their necks
into it IL they continue in their present
course.
Shrewder politicians would know that It
was necessary to 'pander to the moral sense
Of the community" MS a Tammany leader
once remarked. But these men seem to be
unaware that there Is any moral sense any
where.
The Mayor is standing squarely on his
campaign pledges. He is citing the success
which has attended the experiment with
municipal street cleaning, and is demanding
that the express command OF the Charter,
indorsed by the voters. shall be carried out
with all possible speed.
The issue is rapidly taking shape Before
long it will appear 10 every one that dec-
sion must be made between the Job Combine
and the Mayor
The members Of the Combine are twiddlng
their fingers at the Charter and chucklng
over what they regard as the discontinue of
the Mayor. But the day OF reckoning has
not yet come. When 1t comes, and it cannot
be escaped, retribution will land on the
heads Of the faithIess public servants with
crushing force.
Whom the gods would destroy in politics
they first make greedy