The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-26
Who Is the Liar?

The Honorable M. T. Burke, of Car
bondale, has favored the readers of the
Scranton Truth with letter in which,
among various epithets, he says that on
May 8, 1S9S he voted for the Farr free
text book bill as it is in its present
shape, having previously, on March 16,
voted against an amendment to the
bill which did not meet the high stand
ard of his critical appreciation. In sup
port of this assertion he cites the Legis-
lative Record, pages 1906 and 2144,
wherein, he says, his name is recorded
in the affirmative.
If Mr.. Burke will turn to pages S64
and S65 of the Journal of the House of
Representatives, under date of March
2S, he will find that directly after the
question "Shall House Bill No. rs (other-
wise known as the Farr bilD pass final
ly?" the yea and nay vote is recorded,
as follows: For the bill, 142; against it,
80, of which latter number the name of
Representative Burke stands fifth.
This is the official record of the house;
by it Mr.. Burke must stand or fall.
The bubble that on May 8, when the
bill had come from the senate for con-
current approval, this shrewd politi-
clan, having found out his mistake,
tumbled into the band wagon and voted
| for the measure when it's triumphal
passage was no longer in doubt-when,
in fact, only three persons in the entire
house had the hardihood to vote against
it's characteristic Of NJ. II. Burke.
In this connection the following letter
from Fred w. Fleitz, esq, journal clerk
of the last house, will be read with in
terest:
In reply to your query as to how Hon.
| NJ. r. Burke voted on the final passage of
house bill No. 70, known as the Farr free
textbook bill, 1 will state that he voted
against the bill; and not only voted
against it but spoke and worked against
| it. My official duties as journal clerk OF
secretary of the last house of representa-
| tves necessitated my presence at every
| session, and because / was satisfied that
| the bill was in the interest of the poor
man and his children, as well as the fur
| ther reason that 1t was introduced by my
| friend, Hon. John r. Farr, was particu-
| larly interested in its passage and so re-
collect the vote of Mr.. Burke very well
| The Journal, which is the official record OF
| the house, contains the original roll calls
| and by reference to page S65 you Will see
lust what the vote was.
We have no quarrel with Mr.. Burke
and would not wound his delicate
sensibilities on this ticklish question
were it not that he has challenged an
inquiry into the real facts by posing
before the people of the Fourth legis'
lative district as a friend of free text
books whereas he was persistent and
indefatigable enemy of that measure
both voting and working against the
bill at the time when his opposition
counted. The bill which Representa-
tive Burke, fought so bitterly in the
house has been an inestimable blessing
to the people. There is scarcely 9
| nome III lile CoiHihoiNSaith " "i'SiA ~
has not brought an appreciable anc
welcome saving in the expense Of send
ing the children in those homes to the
public schools. If the constituents Of
Mr.. Burke will consult their own poSket
books they will not hesitate to rebuk'
his unwise course in fighting the Fari
bill; and by electing Charles p. O'Mal
ley will assure themselves of the ser
vices of a representative who will no
pursue one course at Harrisburg an(
another course on the home stump.