The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-09-30
Pa THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 80, 1869

saying friendly word to him, all of which
| served to separate that everlasting bore of a
Judge from him. whereupon 1 clutched INV
man cenvulsiveiy by the lapel of his coat.
| and. dragging him around the end of the
building. had him by myself alore.
PERSISTENCE OF TIE ''sUN" CORRESPONDENT.
"Hnw far north are you going, Judge q"
I asked in breathless haste.
I'm going up into Susquehanna,' he re-
piled.
''IIow far can go on this train and get
back in time to catch the New York train
tonight ?''
''1'o Wilkesbarre''
"IIow long does it take to 60 to Wilkes
barre?'
About three hours -
Every well; then I'lI get on The train
with you, and we can talk as we go along.n
''As you please" replied the Judge; we
will get aboard at once then" and, suiting
the action to the word, we we're both soon
seated in comfortably filled car, though we
were fortunate in securing two vacant seats.
The engine gave parting shrek, the brakes
were unloosed, and the train sped away.
JUICE PACKER s BUSINESS VS.. HIS POLITICS.
Judge Packer-for a number of yoais
past, as you are probably aware, my private
affairs and the business of the company with
which | am connected have assumed an eX-
tent and importance To monopolize nearly
my entire time and attention, forbidiug me
the opportup ity to devote to current polit-
lea! questions the attention | would like to
have given them and now | re-enter public
life not by my own wish or. at my own sug-
gestion, but rather at sacrifice of personal
interests, in oIisr to crafty my very par
tial friends, aud in obedience to what con-
ceve to be the demands Of my fellow-citi-
on1 = I
must confess myself not fully prepared to
discuss the general issues involved in nation
al politics, but such opinions as hold you
and the public are welcome to.
DIDN'T WANT THE NoMINATIoN
Reporter-Do understand you to to say,
Judge Packer, that you did not aspire to the
GubeTnatorial nomination
Judge Packer-Distinctly so. I never
have changed the position l took in my
Chambersburg letter, which was that, while
l had no aspirations for the Office of Gov
ernor, yet if the nomination should be vol
unfairly rendered me by MY fellow citizens,
would feel it my duty to accept. although
at the sacrifice OF my personal interests.
have always held that the State and my
country have claims paramount to mere per-
sonal considerations.
TIE BITTERNESS OF THE CANVASS.
2eporter-Are you devoting much of your
time to the canvass
Judge Packer-But very little. The
question of my election row rests with my
lellow-c citizens: l suppose that the party
that has placed me in nomination will make
all my merits known, if l have any, while
the party opposing me viii certainly not
fat to make my demorits known. l am
somewhat welded to tie antiquated notion
that the Office should seek the man, not the
man the Office.
Reporter observe that the canvass
opens with something of personal bitterness
in it.
Judge Packer-If so it must be wholly on
the other side So far as l am concerned,
or my friends who may be influenced by my
wishes, everything of personal nature is
and shall be vigorously avoided. We have
no desire to assail the character of the Chief
Executive OF the Commonwealth, much less
the reputation of a soldier. But the official
acts Of an administration are legitimate sub
jects of criticism.
THE GROUNDWORK OF THE FIGHT.
Reporter What are the leading features
of Governor Geary's administration with
which you take issue2
Judge Packer-The financial policy of
tnat administration has not tended to
strengthen the credit of the State to the ex-
State Treasurer during the last three years,
in the items of receipts, show that at least
twice the amount of the public debt night
have been lquidated that has been. The
large balance remaining in the Treasury
from year to year, amounting to about two
millions of dollars, should have been appro-
priated to the payment of SO much of the
public debt. All well-conducted and sue
cessful private corporations. as, for instance,
the railroad with which ] am identified, +,
make it a matter Of economy to appropriate
! promptly all their available surplus funds
| 10 the extiuguishment of their Indebtedness,
thus saving large sums in interest money /;
| or if that is not needed, they use their means
in the Improvement of their facilities for
business. In my own opinion the financial
| affairs Of the Commonwealth should be ad-
ministered by those to whom they are in
| trusted upon the same pfincip les that should
! govern these private affairs. No ind ividual
possessed of large means would be consid-
| cred wise or sagacious did he allow any con-
| siderable portion of his money to lie idle in
his hands. Such policy is not merely open
to censure upon business principles, but is
! contrary to the injunctioDs of the Scripture,
/ that we should make diIigent use of the
means intrusted to us.
Reporter understand you to mean,
! Judge Packer, that the same rule that has
governed you through life in your private
affairs and ministered to your success, you
would apply to the management of the affairs
of the State were they intrusted to you ?
Judge Packer-Most certainly I do. l
manage my railroad affairs precisely the
| same as if they were wholly my own. /
would manage the State affairs upon the
same principles The same rule that has
/ given me personal success in life has made
my-4eilroad success. and would unaotbt-
edly make the administration of the State a
success. a 20
DISTRIBUTE THE sPo1Ls WITH RIGID ECONOMY.
Reporter-But, Judge, yoa-hAve no party
| favorites to rerward, or party paupers to
provide for. in the management-ef-youro own
affairs or those of your railroad
Judge Packer=The public service re-
/ n,iras ,nnrnnrn11s GERS II is narfenf L v