The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1870-01-13
THE nrssAer OF Gov. eEARY.

mendations in regard to the manage
ment of the State finances. The chiefs
of the Treasury combination will de-
rive very small consolation from the
perusal of this document. Having en-
tered on a second and last term of ex-
ecutive office, Governor Geary mani
tests strong purpose to cut loose from
the selfish politicians who contributed
so much to bring his former admins
tration into disrepute. The message
shows determination to rely on the
intelligence and patriotism of the peo-
pie rather than longer trust to the cor
rupt agents of political intrigue"
On the subject of State finances, a
plain and succinct statement of their
condition is presented. The public
debt at the close of the fiscal year,
amounted to s32, ,814, $40 95 cents. The
reduction during the year amounts to
$472, 406 IS. The vicious and corrupt
system under which the public funds
are managed are exposed in the follow
ing vigorous and truthful paragraph,
to which we call the earnest attention of
the reader.
beg once more to remind the Legis-
lature that the salary of the State Treas
urer should at least be equal to that Of
the Governor. 1t is only seventeen
hundred dollars, sum entirely insult
ficieut to command the services of any
responsible man, who is required to
furnish bond with good and appro-
we'd securities, for eighty thousand dol
lars, and to run the risk of handling at
least five or six million of dollars per-
annum, without the unlawful use of
the State funds, and subsidies from sour
ces that dare not be revealed to the
public, because they are positively pre-
hibited by law, under penalties of no
ordinary magnitude. Yet there are
but few men who have held this Office,
however poor they may have been
when they took charge of it, who have
not become rich. There is certainly
some advantage to be gained by the
holding of the position of State Treas
urer, unknown to the public, but which
readily accounts for the disgraceful
scramble, and for the political and NOR
al debauchery which the people of this
State seem to be doomed annually to
witness, in the election of that officer
and because of the disgrace it brings
upon their representatives, the people
hang their heads in Indignation and
shame. Then, in tn name of he good
people of Pennsylvania, | call upon the
members of the legislature to rise a
bOve the murkiness of the polluted at
mOsphere of the past, to the true digni
ty of manhood and exalted patriotism,
and pnrify the election of Treasury, as
W9ll as that of every other officer with
In this Commonwealth, and punish eV-
cry one who tampers with the purity Of
elections, whatever may be his position
or pretentions.
This is not the invective of demo-
cratic newspapers, but the deliberate
aud careful official language of the
chief magistrate ofthe Commonwealth.
When he declares that few men hold
ing the Office of State Treasury, in lat
ter years, have failed to enrich them
selves with the public spoils, he stat es
what has been repeated in a thousand
forms in all the newspapers Of the Com
mnnwealth. This solemn official re-
COgnition of the shameful fact that tie
money in the treasury has been used
for years as fund to debauch the leg
islature, cannot fail to arrest the deep
est attention, and quicken the resolve
that thorough reform in the manage
ment of the finances shall be made.
| GOvernOrGeary states i'm round numbers
/ the amount Of that unexpected bal
ance which is employed by the Treas
urer in private speculations and in cor
rupting the representatives of the peo-
| pie. He owes it now TO the citizens OF
/ the Commonwealth, as well as to his
| own reputation as an executive, that
| the reforms which he has indicated
/ shall be introduced in the government
of the State. He has accomplished but
half his duty in pointing out the
weak places in the system. His
/ second administration will be an un-
happy failure if he shall neglect
| to bring all his legitimate infiu-
ence to bear in repelling the evils o.
which he gives so vivid description in
his message. If he content himself
merely with this paper pellet at the
ring, he will have accomplished just a.
bout as much as Peter Van Corlear did
in his famous war by proclamation a.
/ gainst the Swedes. Unless he shall
! sustain himself by staunch, able and
/ fearless advocates of reform, in the leg
islature, and give them the support OF
his administration, all the recommend
ations of his message will be forgotten
in nine days, and the next three years
ofhis executive career will besignalized
by the same disgraceful scenes at the
Capitol which have marked the first
three years ofhis term.
The London Economist and the Spec
tator say some very rabid things of our
two eminent financiers, Messrs Bout.
1 we'll and Grant. Reviewing the fiscal