Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-09-06
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WEDNESDAY EVENING. SEPT. Q, lse2
New Fer HsrrisburHJ'


WEDNESDAY EVENING. SEPT. Q. lsea,
New Fer Harrisburgy $'
At Harrisburg for many years there
has been going on just such plundering
as has been exposed in the Philadelphia
slmshppse. Thousands and tens of
Thousands Of dollars have been spent at
the state capita! year after year for re-
furnishing, for supplies and for work
done-oat ct which the larger part has
been stolen or wasted. The old furni-
ture is csrted OF by the thieves, and
more than once after rooms were relaid
with caspeti1g and tho state had paid to
clean and put swsy the old floor cover.
Ing 1t was found to be missing when
search was made for it. Curtains that are
taken down are never put up again and
mysteriously disappear. Arm chairs are
replaced with new ones, and those which
have pFphably botbeen used more than
one season, and are good as new, are
sold to favorites ut q merely nominal price
or shamelessly carried of. Many house
o. some ring thief or the chamber of
his mistress, has been furnished with
carpets, furniture and decorations,
bought and paid for out Of the state
treasury Of Psnnsylvaois.l
Any one who can recall the lists of
supplies published in the INTELLIGENT
GER from time to time, which are asked
for by our state officials, will be filled
with wOnderment at the variety of them
and the quantities In (which they are
asked for. Many of these things are of
= permanent character and should not
need replacing oftener than once in ten
years. But they are bought, or at least
paid for, annually. We. have heard of
state officials who could not use or
carry of all this plunder, who would
take in its stead from the contractor
gold watches fSr themselves and silk
dre4es fbr tAef wives. A Soal contrac-
tor was caught some years ago deliver
ing 100 pounds, Of coal to the
ton for the state, and The
scale VI upon which tbisA thieving
has been carried on at the state capital
induces the belief that the swindle runs
up to tens Of thousands Of dollars an
nually. Somehow or other it has
been kept concealed from the public.
Occasionally = quarrel among the rob-
bers let's out some of Their secrets, but
even this is soon adjusted and the
I'"squealer is silenced. 1t needs a
courageous and intelligent man, vested
with high official authority, to let in the
light upon the rottenness at the state
capitsl. ''" ''...
This, community some time ago heard
with establishment how things had been
going on for years at the county prison.
Philadelphia is shocked at the relations
in the almshouse management. But all
Of Pennsylvania is interested in dis
closure Of affairs at Harrisburg. They
need to be turned inside out. The de-
pattments must be cleaned and fumi-
gated. The rats that have 50 long in.
Tested them must he scattered.
Municipal reform in Philadelphia be-
gan with the advent of Pattison into
office. Nobody pretends that he has &C.
complished it single-handed, but bc and
his administration first made il possible.
Not step has been made except in the
line of his work, not a reform has been
accomplished save by his cooperation.
On the other hand the men who are sup
porting Beaver are the Phippses of the
city. They have plundered the munich
pality and grown rich upon its spoils.
They opposed Pattison and his work !;
their insolence and corruption drove
tens Of thousands of honest Republicans
to his support. and with their aid the
ring has been driven into the last ditch.
When the cellar and store-room of the
Phipps mansion were uncovered the
Philadelphia ringsters saw that their day
of doom had come. Now for Harris
burg!