The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-07-06
QUAY AND THE Farmers
How He Defeated the Tax Bill Which
They Wanted Passed.
STORY or THE LEGISLATURE
Ex'Chairman W. u. Andrews. Quay's
Chief Lieutenant. In Defeating tho
Desires Of the Farmers. Now Asks
Them 10 Help Him In Crisis.
Special to the Scranton Tribune.


county. are endeavoring TO make 1t ap-
pear that In the present contest In the
Republican party Senator Quay Is the
only friend of the Granger They
boast that his strength lies principally
with the farming element Of Pennsyl-
vania; that the farmers and members
of the State Oranges are his most ard
ent adherents. On this basis they are
endeavoring to secure the Granger sup
contest
II Senator Quay Is the friend of the
farmers of Pennsylvania his friendship
must have been Of swift and sudden
growth. since June s, when the late
legislature adjourned. During the last
session of the legislature Senator Quay
was not only not the friend Of the
Granger but he used all the prestige
OF his name. and all of the political
power that he possessed in that legis-
lature to defeat the expressed wishes
of the farmers OF the state. This state
ment is borne out by the facts and is
substantiated by members Of the legis-
lature.
One bin which received the conspicu-
Gus and undivided support OF every
farmer. and farmers friend in the last
legislature. was what was known as
the revenue tax conference l;ll. Dis
tinguished members of the state grange
and others from the rural districts We're
members of the conference which for
mulated the revenue tax conference bill.
Leonard Rhone, grand master of the
State Grange; Hon. Frank Moore,
member of the legislature from Brad
ford county. and Hon. Jerome B. Niles
Of Tioga county. were conspicuous rep
resentatives of the farmers in this state
who helped TO frame. ard who voted
for the passage Of this bill.
Quay Defeated the Tax Bili.
Senator Quay defeated that bill in the
legislature.
He gave the orders to his followers,
and it was defeated after one of the
most stubborn fights on the part Of the
farmers ever known in the history Of
Pennsylvania legislature.
In the defeat of that bill the men who
are now conspicuous as the leaders of
Senator Quay's faction were the men
who compassed It's killing. 1t was dis
tinctly farmers measure. The ten OF
thousands Of names Of grangers which
were attached to petitions asking for
the passage Of the measure, the en-
dorsement of Pomona oranges. even
the petition of the State grange. asking
for its passage, were ignored by Sena-
tor Quay.
To furnish reason for thus tramp.
ling on the wishes OF the farmers Of
Pennsylvania. Senator Quay enlisted
the aid Of statisticians at Harrisburg.
who were his friends. BY an elaborate
series Of arguments they presumed to
show that the bill would not furnish as
much revenue as the present law. In
less than six weeks these statisticians
endeavOred to prove that men who
stand highest in point Of authority on
tax laws in Pennsylvania, men who
had given them years of careful
thought and study, and who had heard
representatives Of all classes upon the
subject, had made a series Of inexcus-
able blunders.
The facts are that after Mr.. Quay's
statisticians had made their statement
Joseph ID. Weeks, of Plttsburg; Stuart
Patterson, the most eminent lawyer
Of Philadelphia; Leonard Rhone, grand
eral Niles, simply tore their arguments
to tatters. They proved that the fig
ures from the auditor generals office,
furnished at Senator Quay's orders
were entirely misleading and were fur
nished for q purpose.
These farmers on the tax conference
had no political end to subserve. They
were laboring for the people. But Sen
ator Quay's orders. given through ex-
Chairman Andrews, were all powerful
and the measure was defeated.
Asked Quay TO Pass IT..
Before the defeat OF the bill had been
finally accomplished delegation Of
farmers and others favorable to this
granger bill visited Senator Quay at
his home in Beaver and asked him to
throw the power Of his influence toward
the passage of the measure. Senator
Quay told them that " his statlsticians
showed that the bill would bring In as
much revenue, or more than the present
law, that he would be In favor Of It; II
not, he would be against 1t.
That was all the satisfaction that the
statesman from Beaver would give
them. He knew at that time just what
report his statisticians would bring In.
He knew that their figures on the face
would be unfavorable to the bill
Even while the delegation Of grangers
and friends of an equitable tax law
were beseechinR Senator Quay nt his
home In Beaver to help them pass their
bill, he had resolved on Its defeat and
had given orders accordingly, for Sen
ator Andrews, Senator Grady and other
Quay lleutenants In the legislature
were announcing the fact to their
friends that the granger bill was
clicked"
That Is how Senator Quay played"
the grangers.
While ne listened to the prayers Of
the farmers, his lieutenants In Harris
burg were passing the word around
that the farmers tax bill must be killed.
One Of the remarkable things In con-
nection with this fight on the confer
ence tax bill lies In the fact that the
men who fought hardest and longest
to help the farmers pass their bill were
the leading members from Philadelphia
and Plttsburg: Hon. Frank Ritter. Of
Philadelphia. fought for II even after
ne knew Quay had ordered Its death.
City vs.. tho Country,
Senator Quay, Senator Andrews and
ex-Magistrate Durham, Of Phlladel-
phia. claim that this contest 10 war of
the city against the country, that SEN
ator Quay II the champion OF the coun-
Try. Thst National cemmittssman