Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-10-01

ueOl, ana II tnls cannCl DC auVanla-
geously done, then the taxes should be
reduced so that the revenues collected
will only be sufficient TO defray the ex-
penses of the Government, economical
ly administered. We hold further, and
our candidate for State Treasurer, Dan
iel o. Barr, Esq, is pledged to this
course of administration, that the
State funds, remaining unexpended in
the public Treasury, shall not be used
for speculative purposes, but sacredly
guarded to meet all just and lawful de.
mands ofpublic creditors. During the
two years past, that the State Treas
ury has been under Democratic guar
dianship, there has been no scandal as
to its management-no Treasury Ring
dispensing favors in the interest of
political party or the section of par
ty-no misappropriation of the public
funds. This condition of affairs we de
sire to perpetuate, and il the Demo
cratic party is successful in the cleo
ton of its candidate for State Treas
urer, the assurance can be confidently
given that it will be done,
How is it with the Republican par
ty and its candidate2 With their sue
cess it an admitted fact, demonstra-
BILE by the controlling influences of
their Convention and the surround
ings of their candidate, that the infa-
nous and corrupt Treasury Ring
which dominated the politics and legis-
lation OF Pennsylvania for years, will
be rehabilitated in all its power at
Harrisburg. This cannot be gainsaid.
1t is in the air. The election of Mr..
Butler will mark a revival of the old
Treasury Ring, with all its demorahz-
ing schemes of personal and political
gain. The adoption Of the new Con-
stitution and the election of Colonel
Noyes in 1877, drove the Ring from
the Treasury; but as Republican
Legislature had steadfastly refused to
pass the needed laws for carrying out
the reforms of the new Constitution,
let the Cameron Republican-Ring can
didate for Treasurer be elected this
Fall, and within year the old comb.
nations will be at their old work in
the Treasury and throughout the
State.
From 1851 to 1877, with the excep-
ton of two years, the Treasury OF the
State has been controlled by ringsters
some of whom secured their election
the Legislature by the most auda-
cious bribery. This was the golden
period of the Treasury Rings power
1t is reported of one Treasurer that be
paid out in one day, from his room al
Harrisburg, over sixty thousand dol
lars for the legislative votes that SC
cured his nomination and election at
Treasurer for one year. The salary
attached to the office was but five
thousand dollars year, and under thf
law the Treasurer was not allowed tC
use a dollar of the State innds for spec
+ ulative or personal purposes. But thu
Treasury Ring cared nothing for th,
law or official oaths. At times ther,
were as high as three millions of dol
lars of unexpended balances in tn,
Treasury. This was the banking cap
ital of the Ring the money it loaned
out in prosperous times at six, eigh
and ten per cent. interest. The fac
that a candidate could pay out, for on
) year In the office, sixty thousand dollar
bribe money, shows the money ther,
was in the place for the Ring. Treas
urer Mackey lost, by the failure Of po
| ltical friends with whom he had dc
! posted State funds, over one hundred
and sixty thousand dollars in singh
r year, yet he promptly made the defal
, cation good out Of the profits of hi
=. other operations with the unexpendes
balances. The Treasury Ring con
8 ducted banking business with th
peoples money, against which no legit
: innate bank in the State could success
+ fully compete. Their capital was th
l. two or three millions in the Stat
7. Treasury, and operating through th
u Legislature OF oourse corruptly-
}, they had no difficulty in securing law
0 maintaining the unsxpended balanc
D at the highest figures. They actual
) collected unnecessary tdres from the pee
n pie that they might speculate nth N
D money va .
Nor was this all. While the Treas
ury ringsters amasscd great wealtl
, out of their speculative operations il
!, State funds, they built up and nonsoli
dated a political power that controllc'
, the Republican party for years, an
though that party controlled the State
: and the attempt ia pow being made
through the election OF the Ring car
didate for Treasurer, TO rcinstato chi
, power at the State Capital Tho way
Of the Treasury Ring in sirengthenin
their political supremacy wore pccr
liar, and were felt in every county &
n the State where needed delegate I
b o Convention or . desirable membe
4 of the Legislature was 70 bO choser
= Deposites of State funds were allolte
n TO favored politicians 70 place in bank
, for their own personal benefit; an
!. private banks or chartered bank
= whose influence II was important 10 ~
D |cure, were made repositories and O
}. lowed TO make what profits they coul
}. .lby lodning he peoples money 6ar5 10 n