Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-10-02
DILL AS A REF0RNER.
WHAT 4 WORKINGNAN'S ORGAN
THINKS OF HIN.
HIS RECORD IN THE STATE SENATE

DEMOCRATIC GUBERSAToRIAL CANDIDATE
VOTED WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE FACTS.
From the Pittsburg National Labor Tribune, Work
ingmen'S Organ.
Mr. Speer asks the people of Pennsylvania to
vote for Mr.. Dill as the special representative
of honesty and an economical administration
of the State government. A reference TO the
record OF Mr.. Speer upon the Congressional
back-pay salary grab msy lead some to doubt
his sincerity in the cause of reform, and ref
erence to the proceedings OF the Democratic
State Convention of 1873, which rejected him
for this reason as its chairman, may impair
their confidence in his right TO speak for his
party.
The record of Mr.. Dill himself does not
sparkle with evidences Of his devotion to eco
nomical administration OF the State finances,
nor of desire to protect the Treasury from
corporate and individual greed.
Section Of the supplement to the act 10 au-
thorize the New York and Erie Railroad Com
pany to construct said road through portion
of Susquebanua county, approved 10Th March,
1915, is as follows:
..Section ). That It shall be the duty Of the
president aud managers of said company, as
soon as said railroad shall have been completed
through Susquehanna and Pike counties, Penn
syvauia, to prepare a full and accurate ac-
count OF the costs of that portion Of said road
within the territory of this State, autbenti-
Gated Dv the oaL0 or 9UrlDAl4On oil tue pFe>l-
dent and secretary of said company, aud COM
municate the same TO the Auditor General of
this Commonwealth, vino shall file the state
ment In his office. That after said railroad
shall have been completed and in operation 10
Dunkirk, or shall have connected az the west
ern end with any other improvement extend
ing to Lake Erie, said company shall cause to
be paid into the Treasury OF this State, an
nually in the month of January, ten thousand
dollars: and any neglect or refusal by said
company to pay aforesaid shall work a for
feiture of the rights and privileges granted by
this act"
This annual payment Of $4,000 having at
trscted the attention of certain covetous gen
tlemen, bill was introduced at the session of
our Legislature Of 1870, entitled "An Act to
incorporate the Milford and MatamOras Rail-
road Company" authorizing Henry ). Mott,
ID. VI. Vanauken and others to construct a
railroad from point in Milford, in Pike coun-
ty, TO point near the village OF Matamoras,
in the same county. The county Is not large,
thriving or populous; indeed, quite the con-
trary, and the enterprise was not formidable
The act having been approved lst April, 1870,
was promptly followed by a supplement con-
tanning the following remarkable section:
'.SectiOn 1. That said Company shall con-
meet with the Erie Railway at the railroad
bridge constructed by the Erie Railway, at the
village of Matamoras; and that the provisions
of the fifth section of the Act entitled An Act
10 authorize the New York and Erie Railroad
Company to construct 4 road in the State of
Pennsylvania approved March twenty-sixth, e,
one thousand eight hundred and forty
shall enure to the benefit aud be enjoyed By
the Milford and MatamOras Railroad Company,
their successors and assigns for the term OF
ninety-nine years, as fully and to all intents
and purposes as if the same had originally been
enacted for the benefit of the said Milford and
Matamorss Railway Com pany; progi5ed, horeUsT,
nothing in this act shall nc construed to ex-
onerate or relieve the New York and Erie Rail-
road from the provisions Of the fifth section of
said act CT March twenty-sixth one thousand
eight hundred aud fOrty-slx; and pTOcide1 fisr-
tier, that said Milford and MatamOras Railroad
shall be completed within three years or this
act shall be null and void"
il will be noticed that this section does not
mention in terms the annual payment of the
Erie Railway Company, and one unacquainted
with the legislation referred to would not sup
pose that its effect was to rob the State OF
$4,000 annually. 1t was of the snakes
whose like have been efiectualIy scOtched by
the new Constitution. The supplement was
approved April q, 1870, just six DAYS after the
signature of the original charter. Mr.. Dill,
the Democratic candidate for Governor, voted
for both these bills Shortly afterward the
first insiallment OF $4,000 was actually drawn
from the State Treasury and paid into the
treasury Of the corporation, or, as was allie ged,
was used in detraying the expenses of this lesis-
iaiion.
The bill had been improvidently approved
by the Executive, and, its true character be-
coming apparent, Gov. Geary, in his annual
message Oi 1871. made 1t subject to the follow
ing recommendation:
TIE MILFORD AND NATAMORAs RAILROAD.
"AbouL the clo.e OF the last session of the
Legislature IN act was passed aud approved
entitled. a supplement TO the Milford and
Mat Raf u.H
section Of this enactment seems to have been
intended 60 take from the State and give 10 the
company the $4,000 bonus paid into the State
Treasury annually by the New York and Erie
Railroad Company, under the ifth section of
the act Of 10Th March, 1916. Soon after the
adjournment my attention was directed to the
subject, and To guard against loss, | caused the
Attorney General 20 give notice to the New
York and Erie Railroad Company that the
State would look TO that corporation for the
payment Of the annual bonus as heretofore,
Notwithstanding the passage Of the supplement
referred to. l regard the latter as having been
enacted and approved through iuadyertenee
ia the hurry Of a closing session, and, as nasty
and iBeousiderste legislation. az variance with
the settled policy Of the State. and highly pre-
judicia! to the public interests: and therefore
earnestly recommend its immediate repeal, or
at leas; SO much OF 1t as relates to the
NO actlon naNlhy DeeN taken, IN 1879 he
again alluded 10 it as follows:
The Milford and Maiamoras Railroad Com
pany. About the close OF the
session of the Legislature in 1870, an act was
passed and approved entitled "A supplement to
the Milford ard Matamorss. Railroad Com
pany.' The fourth section of this enactment
seems to have been intended to take from the
State and give to the company the $40, 900 bonus
paid into the State Treasury annually by the
New York and Erie Railroad Company under
the fifth section Of the act of 26th March, 1916.
SooD after the adjournment nv attention was
directed to the subject, and 10 guard against
loss caused the AItOrney-tieneral to give
tice To the New York and Erie Railroad Com
pany that the State would look To shat cOTpO-
ration for the payment OF the annual bonus rs
heretofore. notwithstanding the passage of tue
supplement referred to. | regard the latter as
having been enacted and approved through i'll
aGyertence in the hurry of a closing session,
and, as hasty and iucOUsderate legislation, at
variance with the settled policy of toe State,
and highly preiudiciaI 10 the public interests,
and therefore earnestly repeat the reCommen-
daiions in my last annual message for the i'm
mediate repeal of this obnoxious law, or at least
of that part of il which relates to the bonus.
The State having long since abandoned the
policy OF paving money out of her treasury for
the construction of railroads, there is neither
equality nor Justice IN allowing tins enactment to
remain in force"
A repeating bill was introduced 10 1872.
The remarks of Senator Warlel of Lancaster