party organization. Meehan's wealth gave him some advantage over the other two, but none of the three was strong enough to control the entire organization, and intra-party feuding was often the result—as was an increase in "indiscriminate graft," according to author James Reichley. By this time, Meehan's contracting business was more successful, as well, as it received contracts for much of the city's street paving. In 1949, the Democrats, led by Dilworth and city controller candidate Joseph S. Clark Jr., mounted another campaign focused on corruption. Dilworth claimed that Meehan was bribed by the local utility companies, though he did not present any evidence of the charge. Meehan dismissed the two Democrats as "Dilly and Silly". He and Meade drew attention to the Americans for Democratic Action, a left-wing group that backed the Democratic ticket, which Meade said was "infiltrated with communists." This time, Meehan and Dilworth did debate before a packed house at the Academy of Music, as well as over the air on radio and television. The debate soon turned to an exchange of insults, with the personal morals of both politicians being criticized. Unlike in 1947, the Democrats won all of the races on the ballot by 100,000-vote majorities. After the defeat, relations worsened between Meehan and Meade, leading to an open split by 1950. Dilworth and Clark ran again in 1951—this time for district attorney and mayor, respectively—and painted Meehan and his associates as irredeemably corrupt while endorsing the recently approved city charter. The campaign was successful and led reform-minded voters to abandon the Republican Party, resulting in sweeping losses in the 1951 mayoral and council races. The Democrats won nearly every election on the ballot in 1951, including sheriff. Meehan did not run for a third term. Head of the party The 1953 elections saw Meade and Meehan enter rival slates in the primaries, with Meade's faction coming out on top. Meehan backed the primary victors in the general election, and the result was a surprise victory in the city controller and register of wills offices that were on the ballot that year. After the election, Meade joined with the Hamilton brothers of Roxborough's 23rd ward to place William Hamilton Jr. at the head of the city committee. However, Meade and Meehan soon both tired of Hamilton, and replaced him with the newly elected register of wills, Robert C. Duffy. By 1954, they were again