The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-07-17
ABIF OF HISTORY.
COL. QUAY's CONNECTION WITH THE
PHILADELPHIA RECORDERS BILL.


Seven years ago the people Of this
city were agitated over an attempt,
which proved to be successful, to saddle
upon them the expense OF bOlstering up
one of the most Infamous political jobs
that had ever been paractic9d upon
them.
The Recorders biII-for such was the
lob we refer to-was from beginning TO
end one of the most odious of political
scandals. The Office was created with
out any reference whatever to the public
wants OF wishes. There was no neces-
sity for it. There was no demand tor
it. To the contrary, the sentiment OF
the overwhelming majority OF the peo-
pie was expressed against it in the most
emphatic fashion through the press and
on the stump. 1t was only through the
pliancy of the rooster delegation which
then represented Philadelphia at Har-
risburg that the bill was finally enacted
into a law, Never was q measure pas
sed through the Legislature which excl
| ted more Indignation among our own
people. They saw that its only purpose
/ was to Cypress aud pillage them for the
/ benefit of a powerful boss politician and
/ his dependents, and they never rested
| in their disgrace and shame at being
/ subject to the Recorders law until the
| reform revolution came and swept 1t
| away as one of the most odious relics OF
/ the era of bossism.
Who was the powerful politician for
/ whose benefit this law was created
/ He was then a stranger in Philadelphia.
! He had not even acquired a residence
/ in the city on which be was to fatten
/ and prosper. He was known 20 the peo-
] ~ oe Ibf1ada1nhio nrIu 90 of the
/ most unscrupulous serVitoTs of the
| House of Cameron and as the virtual
| master and dictator of the Hartranft
/ Administration. By coercion and ca
/ jolery he had caused the Governor to
sign bill which nineteen. twentieths OF
| the people of Philadelphia had bitterly
protested against, and which was to
make the shopkeepers and half the 9TH
er taxpayers of the city subsidiary to the
private emolument of himself and his
personal followers. This man to. day is
the Republican candidate for the respOn-
sible office of State Treasurer of Penn.
sylvania.
In all the schemes, intrigues and bar
gains which distinguished this infa-
nous performance, Col. Quay was the
central figure His greed, his daring,
his unscrupulousness were conspicuous
In the entire transaction. There was
! not a redeeming feature in the part that
he played, as there was not a Tedeeming
feature in the law itself. He was at
once the promoter of the job and its
beneficiary. He originated it, and he
put it into execution. l. was, indeed,
/ the crowning usurpation of that period
of legislative corruption at Harrisburg.
! There was only one act that approached
/ in disregard of public opiniOn-the par
/ don of William II. Kemble, and in that
act Col. Quay was again the one prime,
essential factor.
We cannot believe that the people of
/ Philadelphia have yet forgotten the Re
/ cordeT's bill. Nor has there ever been
| anything that could lead them to excuse
/ the man who fastened upon them this
I measure of oppression. Do they wish
/ now to have the same prohigete system
/ of which it was the outcome restored
/ IN full growth to the management of
| the funds of the Commonwealth Do
| they wish 20 reward the man who treat
| ed them and their opinions with con-
I tempt aud indifference aud then came
among them to enjoy a sinecure support
ed by OdiOus taxes wTung from their
/ pockets There will be a good many
! citizens here with long memories who
/ will hesitate to make a State Treasurer
in 1885 of the Recorder of 1875 and those
who who have short memories will
will yet learn good deal more of that
and kindred transactions than we have
given them to-day in the way OF a gen
tie remindeT.-Pbildd'G Record.