Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-14

S1S THEKE bogus Liberty Bell!
1 That is what the Mayors most inter.
California is the home Of a lady who is
greatly perturbed lest the city has disposed
Of that relic Of relics.
While she doesn't say so outright. she
also broadly iptimates that Philadelphia has
buncocd the patriotic people Of the Golden
West.
Worse still, that somebody unnamed has
degraded the glorious old thing to the level
Of a grating. device.
1t IL one Of the rarest communications the
Mayor has received in months.
THERE Is such fine feeling displayed in
i the letter that violate my rule about
not publishing letters to give 1t In full
La Mirada. Calf. Feb. b, 1922.
To the Mayor of philadelphia.
My dear sir-peass tell me whot be.
Declaration of Independence 1776? Was
it taken back to the State Hall in Phla-
delphia after It toured the West and came
to California!
have been informed that It is still in
California and has been given away for
the use OF private party Others
say that the real bell never left Phila-
delphia at all. but II duplicate was made
anything happening to the original bell.
and that this duplicate is the one they
have here in California. and are trying
to make people believe it is the genuine
bell.
would appreciate the truth concern.
ing that old bell. as my people fought and
blcd to make true the ringing of our
Liberty Icll.
Very sincerely.
It is needless to say that Mrs. N.Y.
was informed thnt the bell is still in Phila..
I,1,,I;, I knvigc fhat ~ the Original
bell that made the pilgrimage to the Coast.
MAYOR MOORE's principal occupation,
lNl besides governing the city and making
addresses, is answering letters.
His mail runs all the way from dozen
to ninety communications a day.
They are from all sorts and conditions
Of men and women. and from every corner
of the country.
Each week brings a few from foreign
lands.
These letter writer's censure and compli-
mcnt. They beg. cajolc. inquire. suggest,
condemn and rambe.
The "ramblcrs'' are the ones who start
nowhere and never get there.
They write for the sake of writing. With
nothing to say they don't even know how
to say it.
They arc just plain. every day nuts
in the slang of the day.
DONDEROUS, servile. contemptuous.
i kindly. encouraging or congrntulatory
as these letters may be they are all read.
They are not all answered. however.
Durell Shuster; the Mayors Secretary,
He says what shall and shall not reach
the Mayor.
If he didn't the Mayor would have about
one hour and twenty minutes daily to devote
to the business of the municipality.
.,f la lima lao
in reading and answering his mail
CENATOR GEORGE WHARTON PEP.
- PER is still learning the ropes in this
respect at Washington.
That is. the correspondence phase of his
official life
1t is no spirit Of unfriendly criticism that
prompts me to express the belief that 1t will
be some time before Senator Pepper learns
them.
He will have to step some to keep up the
Penrose stride in that respect.
Senator Penrose was the embodiment Of
promptness in replying to correspondents,
yet he never saw one twentieth of the letters
that were addressed to him.
Trained clerks handled his mail; except
the strictly personal.
His official establishment was run like a
great mail order house.
Ills staff consisted Of ten persons, clerks
and steHographerS.
Each was a specialist in his line, whether
it was pensions. posto6ices. Documents or
merely the form letter expert. IL have yours
OF the ION and VIII give the matter my
l once asked Penrosc about a letter from
him in which | had received rather cryp.
tic reply.
IL didn't see 1t. You'd better ask Taylor,
lie wrote II. ! guess.
Leighton Taylor was his secretary,
HEltEs a pointer for the Junior SEN
\ man is known by the company he keeps.
SO an official. particularly in Washington or
Harrisburg. Is appreciated by the prompt-
ness with which he replies TO communica-
tion..
Last year I wrote Senator Pcnrose ask.
Ing him I" forward mo Il copy of a certain
bill in the Senate said business man.
apropas of this correspondence and nublr
servant question.
II received n reply within forty. eight
hour and copy Of the bill two days later.
Two weeks ago | wrote Senator Pepner
asking for Il certain bill. I haven't rornived
an acknowledgment Of my letter much less
tho bill" ''''
THERE isn't much danger that the Tib.
l. crty Bell will ever b" destroyed by fire
even though the Independence Hall group
ol Dullu!flRS SHouN go up III names,
1t il one thing that the city-tardilv 7
confcss--hns provided against.
For eighty years the bell hung In n solid
wooden frame.
II would have taken more men than corId
hav" gathered rolsld it 10 have rescued II
IN case Of fire.
Two years ago a handsome portable frauo
with steel wheels and solid base was pro.
yided for it.
1t was constructed so that it could pass
through the rear door into the park
The force of employees on duty is susi
cient now to remove it to n plnce of scrurItv
beyond the reach of danger at any time.
nR. GEORGE i. DDNEHUE is doubt :.
| - less of the opinion that the city has nro .
! vided for the safety Of Its relics far better
| than the State.
Even the destruction Of the old STATE
Capitol, twenty five years ago, with thou . g..
| sands of Colonial and post Colonial docu
mcnts. has not served as Il warning n
| succeeding Legislatures.
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