Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-05
SHALL THE LooTERS BE
ASKED TO COME BACK?
The Voters Closed the Door on Them
Two Years Ago, but Went Away
and Forgot to Lock II

! WHEN Mr.. Taft said that the good Lord
| w looked after fools, drunken men and
the United States he did not make his state
ment inclusive enough. When he was
speaking of the United States he thought
on'y of It's foreign relations. He could have
! said with equal truth that the good Lord
| looks after the American cities.
Some power must watch over them. for
their citizens do not Occasionally they
make spasmodic effort to protect them
selves against the ropscity Of their political
exploiters. But they Immediately sink back
into their old lethargy and leave their honest
| officials without any moral support.
Look at what has happened right here
| in Philadelphia within the last two years
| The voters by narrow margin nominated
for the mayoralty a man opposed to running
the City Government for the benefit of
group Of contractors. He was overwhelm-
ingly elected, but with a bare majority in
the City Council pledged to his support.
Within a short time after the new men
entered Office three Councilmen made
dcker with the contractor Gouncilmen and
began to fight Mayor Moore.
Was there any expression of popular in
dgnation at this betrayal of the voters who
elected them? Not SO you could hear IT.
The Mayor has had to carry on his fight
almost alone. The reputable citizens sup
posed to have stake in decent and economi
cal Government have stayed away from his
Office when they should have focked there
with assurances Of support.
About the only interest the big financial
men have shown In what the Mayor is doing
was few weeks ago when delegation of
them called on him to urge him to sign the
gas ordinance which would make present
of about So. 900 600 to the L. G.. |. Com.
pany.
These men did not care n piCayune about
the plain people who have TO provide the
revenues of the L. 6. |. Company. They
were out after their own pockets because
they were interested in public utilities com.
panies. just as the Contractor Combine in
terests itself in politics because ii can thus
increase its profits from contracts with the
city.
The city is now on the eve of another
election. nt which II is to be decided whether
the Contractor Combine is to come back or
whether the people who nominated Mayor
Moore are to continue their fight against
the system which permits the political con-
tractors to award contracts to themselves on
their own terms.
But there is no evidence yet that the
people are interested in the issue. The
matter is really to be decided at the pri-
maries two weeks from tomorrow. when the
candidates for Office are to be nominated.
No one can vote effectively at these pri-
marics unless he or she is registered as
Republican. for the fight is to be in the
Republican primaries.
On the first registration day last week
fewer citizens qualified to vote than qualified
two years ago on the corresponding day.
And yet this year the women as well as
the men may vote.
The man in the street is saying that THE
gang is coming back" and with an in
different smile. "Oh, you can't beat the .
gang 1t is on the job all the time.
When they discuss the matter further they
are wont to say; Ed Ware is a good fell
low. Look at the coal he gives away in
the winter. He takes care of the fellows,
and you can't beat n man like that"
But what happens when the gang gets
into Office?
Under the predecessor to Mayor Moore
the tax rate was raised so that it was
higher than ever before in n generation
The unthinking men who got their tax
bills denounced the old Administration for
its extravaganza 1t is Government of rob-
bers. they said. But they did not remember
that they were parties to the "rObhery.'
They we're responsible for the Kind of men
in office. Their votes put them there and
they had only themselves to blame when
their tax bill was almost doubled without
any increase in the actual value of their
property.
II the evidence Of II were not before our
eyes it would be impossible to believe that
men--Hnd women-could be so stupidity and
! perSistenty unintelligcnt.
! The opportunity is invariably offered to
: them 10 make II choice between men COM
mtted 10 the exploitation of the city by
the Contractor Combine and men committed
to opposition to such exploitation.
II seldom happens that the opposition
| candidates are ideal. but even when it is q
choice between two evils the part Of wisdom
| is 10 choose the lesser. Yet the history Of
the city proves that the voters are in the
I habit. with rare exceptions, Of choosing
/ the greater evil.
The voters are to have choice this
month when they 60 to the primaries The
4 gang il confident that the voters will choose
! its candidates. 1t is making no pretpnse
! Of safeguarding the resources Of the peoDle
! but it is frankly out for all that it can
make out of the control Of the patronage Of
and out of the large fees paid into some
| Of the Offices
I'VE need the money in our business"
the gang says in effect, and we intend to
get it,
But it can get it only with the consent
| of the voters.
viii they give it?