Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-07-22
paint.


1T must be borne in mind that this
was Mr.. Quay's legislature. 1t was
elected TO do his bidding. and it did.
II elected his candidate to the United
States senate and his selections for
speaker OF the house and president pro
tenn. of he senate were affirmed by
these bodies. AS a consequence all the
committees of the two houses were con-
trolled by Quay men.
Moreover. we must not lose sight
of the fact that throughout the, session
Senator Quay enforced the provisions
of the amendment to the state ccnstl-
tuition adopted by him and State Sem
ator Andrews unanimously several
years ago. which provides that all bills
before final adoption shall be submit
ted 10 him over the long distance tele-
phone. and which authorizes him to
call a special roll over the phone In
case any of his followers among the
members happen % he shaky upon any
measure q vital importance to the
machine. Legislation BY long distance
telephone is the greatest invention OF
the Nineteenth century.
While the legislature is evsrywhera
denounced for its proflEacy, imbecility
and venality. the people are loud in
their praises of Governor Hastings,
who. with his vetoes. has interviewed
between the legislative buccaneers and
garroters on the one hand and the reo-
pie on the other Except for the vigor
Gus courage and independence Of our
governor the taxpayers of Pennsyiva-
MIA would he in a sad plight TO-DAY.
have neyl- been a partisan of Gov
ernor Hastings, but | am constrained
to say that his courage in protecting
the public from the political sharks who
have robbed and brought shame upon
the commonwealth is deserving of the
highest praise.
Drawing Two Salaries.
Let me mention one other matter.
We are about to enter upon a cam
paign for auditor general and state
treasurer. The present incumbents of
these two offices are today drawing
illegal salaries from the treasury of the
state. They are eX-oiIicio members of
two state boards, to wit: of public
property and public accounts. In such
capacity they are receiving two addi-
tional salaries besides their regular sal
aries as auditor general and state
treasurer respectively. In controven-
ton of the constitution, and without
warrant of law, the Legislature of 1895
appropriated these two extra salaries
to these officers; also similar salary
to the attorney general as a member
of one of these boards.
Attorney General Mccormick prompt
ly refused to accept any such addition
al compensation, he having stated that
he did not believe he was entitled
thereto. But Auditor General Mylin
and State Treasurer Haywood have
continued to draw three salaries each
for the past two years. An effort was
made to strike these Illegal appropria-
tions from the general appropriation
bill at the late session, and the effort
succeeded in the house. The senate,
however, restored these Illegal items
and they are there today.
I'm view of the fact that we elect an
auditor general and a state treasurer
this year, 1 think the party in state
convention assembled next month
ought to repudiate this outrageous
grab and force the party's nominees
to pledge themselves not to accept this
extra compensation"