Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-30

4
| SCANDAL RECALLED.
The following address, signed Rudolph
Biankenbnrg, John T. Bailey & Co. Geo. Whar-
ton Pepper, Geo. Burnham. Chas. Heber Clark,
Rev stephen W. Dana, Rev. W. N. Mcyicar.
John II. Converse, Rev. Cbas. Wood, Rev. 8.
ID. Mcconnell and 1876 others, WAS made public
| in Philadelphia last evening:
TO the citizens of Pennsylvania:
AS Pennsylvanians and as republicans we,
the undersigned, feel constrained to address
our fellow-citizens throughout the state upon
| the present political situation-to point out
what We believe to be the essential Causes of
the alarming degredati ton in public affairs from
which we suffer and the necessary steps toward
improvement
The republican machine in this state, under
I the leadership of senator Quay and those lieu
tenants he has drawn about him, is corrupt and
IN strong contrast TO the rank and file of the
! party. That Leadership il as absolute in it's
control as 1T is unscrupuloGs in its methods and
disastrous In its results. With Senator Quay's
political record the public is so familiar that it
Is unnecessary at this time to give a detailed
history OF those more remote public acts
through which its notOriety was acquired. while
brlei reference 20 its more recent events Is
appropriate IN order to depict clearly the pres
ent situation.
Mr. Quay is mainly responsible for the over
wbelmlug disaster which befell the republican
party In this state during the past autumn.
whereby nm accustomed republican majority of
t~erty to thirty thousand was changed to a
democratic majority of seventeen thousand.
The single Issue of the campaign. deter
mined by Mr.. Quay himself, the vindica-
ton Of his own personal and political charac-
ter. The adoption of the republican platform
involves u declaration OF confidence and respect
for the junior senator. and in the election Of a
republican candidate the acceptance of man
who was nominated at the dictation of MIR.
Quay. The state rejected both the plank and
the candidate and political revolution ensued
The republican party was defeated in Pennsyl-
wanna. Its most conspicuous stronghold. 1t
might have been supposed that the leader who
had inflicted such wound upon his party and
to whom il had given so overwhelming an evil
dence of n Lack OF confidence in him would have
retired from public prominence.
ONE VIEW OF HIS DFfENsE.
"Mr. Quay. however, conten.ed himself with
| an elaborate defense of his record before the
United States Senate. This Was both untimely
and inconciusiye; untimely, since it came after
all possible damage that could result to his
character had been effected by his silence
under the grave charges repeatedly made
against him from responsible sources through
the long critical period preceding the election;
inconclusive. since he failed in it to adopt the
simple and the only course in relation to the
treasury scandal that could have made clear his
innocence. Had Mr.. Quay accepted the fug-
gestion that he should call upon Hr. MacNeagh
and the other gentlemen who were said TO have
been present when his alleged defalcation in
connection with the treasury covered by
Mr. Cameron, 10 testify in his favor. he would
have adopted the obvious means for securing
vindication. But this he did not do, and fall-
ing to take such a course his defense tails TO
the ground anu his previous position remains
unchanged
Notwithstanding these facts he still retains
the party leadership, and his lieutenants, either
acting under his direct though hidden COM
maud or only in strict accord with the princi-
pies of his school of politics, by the attitude
they assumed toward the ballot reform bill
have violated the express pledges OF the party,
have openly dehed the will of the overwheim-
ing majority of their constituents and have
been guilty of a stupid political blunder. The
mendments hr-t made by the state senate
committee to the Baker ballot bill were of such
! a nature as to transform the very spirit of that
measure from one In the interest OF free and
fair elections to one designed to perpetuate the
corrupt practices under which the state had
so long suffered and by which these leaders
have so long retained their power. But those
| who designed and favored these amendments
| and who thereby declared themselves in favor
of a fraudulent ballot will he remembered by
the voters of this state, and when the day for
consideration OF the qualification OF our public
| servants shall come. the names of those who
/ nave mus ucutu commands OF their con-
| stituents will not be forgotten.
ATTACKING THE LEGISLATURE.
'For the defeat of the bill abolishing the
local school boards in Philadelphia, which was
designed to free our public schools from polit-
ical influence and from divided and cumber-
some control, a republican legislature must
| also be held responsible. The measure had the
approval of the great majority of our best citi-
| Gems Of al creeds and OF both parties and the
| time was ripe for its adoption.
.'All these statements, while thew touch the
root from which other evils have grown. find a
| fitting elimination In that scandal of more re-
cent exposure-the robbery Of the city and
state treasury by its dishonest guardian. Not
| only must the citizens Of Philadelphia suffer a
/ tarnished name, a direct loss of 81 100000 or
| upward. while thousands of depositors lose
| their earnings through the failure OF banks
| connected with this defalcation. but those I'M
| told ana untraceable losses resulting from the
| shaken confidence in the community must also
ensue.
| There is a fundamental falacy in the
| theory of politics which has for wears obtained
| In this state, and of which Mr.. Quay has he IN
the leading exponent. 1t is that public Offices
are sPoils. the lawful property of the politicians
who capture them, and by whom they are dis
\ pen-ed in turn to their underlings the
prizes of war. But the truth is that these Of
fces a.e public trust which should be held in
| stewardship by the politicians for the people.
| The disaster of a looted treasury is explained
by the fact that the step from this fallacy
to the startling and bold appropriations OF
I public funds to the private uses of public
officers Is a long one III appearance only, not in
| reality. That step has now been taken. A
partial remedy for future troubles of the same
| Kind lies in the party's acceptance and asser-
ton of the truth that public office is a public
| trust. and that IL will not support in power
men who deny that truth. We are soon to
| nominate an auditor general and a state and