Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/557

 A YEAR'S MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT 543

existence of rich corporations in a community dependent upon or seeking municipal favors and discharging municipal functions constitutes a serious menace. Who does not recognize the serious import of the Ramapo Water Co.'s alliance with a nefarious political combination ? The united efforts of a courageous gov- ernor and a fearless comptroller and public-spirited organizations like the Merchants' Association have been needed to check its aggressive efforts.

When was the good name of Philadelphia more seriou: ly endangered than during the successful attempts to pass the gas ordinance and the Keystone telephone ordinance, and the unsuc- cessful attempt to pass the notorious Schuylkill Valley water ordinance ? Out of the Keystone telephone ordinance has grown one of the gravest scandals of recent years. So flagrantly unfair were the terms of the ordinance and so patent the inten- tions of its backers that the press of the city, with but few exceptions, united in condemning its nefarious provisions arid its equally nefarious surroundings. So keen and direct was the criticism that the local administration, through its director of public safety, in charge of the police of the city, resorted to blackmail. Mr. John Wanamaker, whose son owns the North American, one of the most vigorous of critics, was visited by the official in question and threatened that if he did not cause that paper to stop its comments he would publish certain affidavits of a derogatory character which he had been gathering for six months.

That an influential official should use the enormous powers reposed in him by the laws of the state to seek out and destroy those who had the courage to point out and criticise the short- comings of the administration filled the community with horror. A great mass meeting was held in the Academy of Music under the auspices of the Philadelphia Municipal League to protest against official blackmail and the gross abuse of official power. Not for many years has so great a mass meeting been held in the city. Never have the people been so outraged. While there does not appear at this time as if any legal action can be taken to punish the offenders, it looks as if the people would