The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-10
A WOLF IN THE sHEEPFOLD.

| remarkably good reputation. II was debauched
at n very early period by Thad Stevens. and has
never since recovered tone. On the contrary.
| Stevens was followed by men seven times worse
than himself. and Simon Cameron. the Penn
sylvania Railroad. and the Treasury Ring. with
| such chiefs as Mackey Kemble. and Quay.
| have bought and sold the Legislature like other
goods and chaues. tho market price OF men,
bers being frequently as well known as the
| price Of hogs.
Tradition relates that one Vice President OF
the Pennsylvania Railroad used to stand in the
rotunda Of the Capitol. convenient to the cor
| ridors that led to either House. and pay mem
bers as they passed out from n roll Of bills
| which he held conspicuously in his hand.
| After a while this practice was abandoned. not
| because II was dangerous. but because 1t en-
abed every man to know the price Of every
| other, and so prevented just and reasonable dis
| ordinations in favor Of tho abcr and more
| influential Then the same excellent Vice.
President fell into the way OF holding levee in
his pleasant rooms at the hotel. after the pas
sage Of bill for the special behoof and benefit
| OF his corporation. when the members would
| find envelopes addressed to themselves lying
around the apartment. in each OF which the
gentleman concerned would find enclosed the
wages OF his patriotism.
1t is not surprising that under such manipu-
lation things went rapidly from bad to worse ;
| that the railroad company speedily robbed the
| Commonwealth Of the public works. and then
| Of the inadequate price II was TO pay for them
| that Cameron went to the Senate whenever II
seemed good in his own eyes and finally be-
| uueathed his chair to his son that the Treas
ury Ring 1ourished greatly. plundering the
State OF vast sums. and making huge fortunes
for the chiefs and that the people tremble Mt
the annual assemblage of the freebooters. and
are duly thankful for the providcntial defeat Of
such acts Of barefaced spoliation us the " nine
million steal few years ago and the -four
million steal" OF the present session. We
speak OF these defeats as purely providential
for in the former instance Providence put it
into tho heart OF a Ring Governor at the last
| moment to veto the bill when the consprators
| had every reason 10 expect his signature. and
| IN the later case he raised up n man named
| Wolfe to throw Greek fire among the thieves.
! by way Of checking the first assault and since
to spring such a number Of deadly mines under
them as to leave the prevailing impression that
they are all standing over dynamite.
Mr. Wolfe is n rather singular character in
Pennsylvania politics. He is a Republican who
refuses to wear the Cameron collar. to serve
the Treasury Ring. or to be either bought or
| bulled by the Pennsylvania Railroad. He
| uIOkt lulo lIt bOHlb lehIb ago lIOiu
Union County. and made himself extremely
disaRreeable to the governing Rings. He
talked openly against the practice OF members
selling their votes. denounced all steals regu-
larly MS they came along and was described
throughout the State as erratic and impractical
BILE. and even crazy. II the powers that were
had known Mr.. Wolfe. It is safe to say that they
| would have taken measures to prevent his APP
pearance In public life at tho beginning. and
thereby saved themselves no end Of trouble.
As II was they succeeded In defeating his cleo
ton to the Senate. and there is extant. am in
formed. an AFFIDAVIT OF his showing how II was
done by combination Of the railroad. Treasury
Ring. Camerons and unworthy Democrats. and
how much money II cost.
At the last election Mr. Wolfe was OF course
unable to procure the regular Republican NOM
nation. but having some faith in the people. he
ran on his own account as an anti Cameron
anti Ring and anti Pennsylvania Railroad can
didate. and was successful by handsome ma
jority. demonstrating thereby that the voters
will occasionally stand by the men who stand
by them. and giving new heart to the few poiti-
clans who are inclined to be honest and indie
pendent.
And now Mr.. Wolfe is back and more trouble
some than ever. During the whole OF the
present session he has made himself terror
10 evil doors. The four million steal was sci
up with the consummate skill OF the men whose
maxim is Addition. Division and Silence. led
by the author OF that famous phrase in person
backed by an unknown quantity OF money, and
the enormous political power Of the Ring ant
the railroad. But Wolfe gave them no rest. He
fought them at every turn. and rained the
blows on them from every side. until the whole
State was aroused. indignation meetings were
held all around. and protests poured in agains
the spoliation. But with all his skill and cour
age. sustained as he was by an overwhelming
public sentiment. Wolfe was able TO muster
only one hundred votes for tho Commonwealth
against ninety nine for the steal. 1t was a mar
row margin. but enough to save t4.000,0OO to
people already plundered IA the last point o.
endurance.
But Mr.. Wolfe is not through yet; indeed. h'
announces that he has but just begun. He pro
poses to show how the ninety-nin votes aeains
the State were secured. and how much was paiC
for them. With much difficulty he managed t
get a committee raised OF which he is himsel
the only member whom rumor credits with
the smallest intention OF finding out any
thing. But he has taken his measures so wei
that one IL enough. 1t appears. from the testi
mony, that the price Of vote ranged all the wa!
from 800 to 1000; that many officers an,
members OF the House were engaged in tn
work OF seduction rs O-betweens and pro
curers; that the present Secretary Of the Com
monwealth and an ex-State Treasurer were thu
chief managers on the part of the railroad that
in addition 10 the corrupt offers Of cash Repub
lican members were assured that the success o
the proposed steal was vital TO the welfare o
the Republican party and that. when the run
ners found a man willing TO be bought the
took him TO Quay or Kemble. who he was as
sured. would fix the amount and arrange 70
its payment.
1t is, on the whole, a most hideous exposure
and the tiutter and cackle among the VINCE
roosters-for that is the name they give legis
lative thieves in Pennsyyania-is not at all sur
prising.
Mr.. Wolfe has been needed in the Pennsyl
vania Legislature for n long while and homes
, people rejoice over his arrival. Honest peopl
trust he will stay and that the Rings will I'm
, no means Of removing him again until hi
work is thoroughly done. When through wit
the present inquiry l suggest that he ask fo
another committee to ascertain whether tn
: proclamation calling out the troops in 1877 wa
; a forgery, and. II so. how much the lorgers ar