Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-07-01
sham Reform.

this country at present, they are 70 NC
found ia Allegheny county. and they
have been training under Quay ban
ner.
Listen 10 this from the PittsouIg
Dispatch of last Friday.
$50 long as there was any reason tor
expecting that an effort would be mace
to fulfill the promises Of reform. The
Tlzsuatch accorded credit for those
hedges and expected their perform
ance. lit would be worse than farc1cal
now when all the reform measures
have been emasculated. or sheived,
while Jobs like the Becker and Kunkel
bills slide forward az if on fabricated
electricity, to Withhold the recognition
OF the fact that the entire reform pro
srramme has assumed the character OF
lovers perjuries, repeatedly vowed IN
the warm wooings of 1895 and 1886, but
coldly ignored in the waning period OF
1897.
This is, of course, Disappointing to
those who were really in favor or re-
form; but il may be doubted whether
they are the worst sufferers. They can
coreoie themselves with the philosophi-
cal anothegm. IF al man deceives us
once. that is his fault; if IL deceiyes rs
twice. it is our fault" But those who
have serious need to reflect on the
situation in which they are left are
Senator Quay and his immediate lieu
tenants, who must, among them. accept
the responsibility for the most brilliant
array Of broken pledges that adorns the
political calendar.
It ia not necessary to discuss AT
length whether this fiasco is a simple
repudiation Dy Senator Quay Of his OBJ
legations, without even the free silver
ties fifty cent liquidation, or whether
il is due TO the refusal of his followers
to carry out the promises which he
and they had alike made. 1t Is inter
esting as bearing on that question Of
occult philosophy that the first obstacle
met by the Pittsburg reform legislation
was that Senator Quays friends in AL
legheny City did not want any reform
for themselves, and the last blow was
given by Senator Quay's friends from
Philadelphia for the same reason. But
where the exact responsibility lies Is
question for them TO settle between
themselves. Before the public the re
sponsibility rests upon the entire organ
ization.
And this from the Pittsburg Leader
of last Sunday.
TN the present instance. the decep-
ton put upon the people has been base
and heartless to an extent that knows
no precedent.
III was in the summer Of 1895 that the
reform element in Pennsylvania, infiu-
enced by Senator Quays guarantee TO
make the municipal rings nightmare
of the past, to put an end to the con
troI of elections by moneyed corpora
>tions, and to procure the enactment of
q dazzling array of statutes in the IN
terest of better government, came to
the senators rescue and saved his po
liticaI bacon, then threatened by the
notorious Hog Combine. From that
time forward the tendency to repose
confidence in Senator Quay's sincerity
Of purpose grew and bouriHhed brayely.
The Quay program was ratified by
two state conventions thus becoming
the very essence of the Republican de
claratiOn of principles in our State. To
make assurance doubly sure, Senator
Quay, as state chairman. appointed q
commission TO draw up bills embodying
the promised reforms, for submission 70
the state legislature. There was no
anxiety then as to whether Governor
Hastings would obey his party or not:
no solicitude concerning the possible in
ability 70 keep the reform bills from
colliding with those gigantically impor.
tant revenue bills' which monopolize all
the time of the Legislature these days.
unless when spare moment is seized
to pass an act to compelling business
men all over the state to buy fire alarm
boxes from rascally syndicate or to ap-
propriate $40, 900 or more as a subsidy
to loa6ng, worthless investigation
commission. In those days all was
frankness, boldness and masterfui vigor
Send Quay majority to the legisla-
ture, the people were told, and the
reform bills will be put through instan-
ter So, with wholly ingenious be
lief in the good faith Of the Quay organ
ization, the people elected Quay ma
jority, whipping Hon. John Wanama
ker ont of his boots and giving Don Cam
eron's seat in the senate 10 Quay's
friend, Boies Penrose
Thus, within year and half, in ex-
change for the guaranteed reforms, Sen
.at0r Quay has gained the following
The state chirmanship,
Two state conventions,
And. in addition to these great gains
the senator secured almost the mani
nous nomination of his state for the
presidency, and consequent prestige
which places the Federal offices in
Pennsylvania practically at his sole dis
posal.
And now what is the return made to
the people for this lavish rendering Of
the best things in their gift to one man
and his personal follcwingf When the
time comes for the making of the only
return that the people asked-a return
that could not have been more solemnly
guaranteed if 1t had been promised un-
der oath, what is the showing? A leg
islature, reeling with the intoxication
of corruption, casts the reform bills into
the waste basket, snaps its fingers at
the people and busies itself in its ruffian-
ly way, with the preparation Of even
greater robberies and frauds than those
which the Republican party pledged it
self to wipe out.
How far Senator Quay is to be blamed
for this shameful treatment Of those
who put faith in him remains an open
question. The only possible favorable
explanation of the senator's failure to
keep his contract with the people is that
his state organization includes too many
precious scoundrels to be controlled by
Quay himself when the occasion arises
for adopting reforms unpalatable to that
element III NJ s. Quay is to be acquit-
ted, it must be on the ground that his
power over. law making followers ceases
at the point where, asa matter of sound
policy, he commands them to be hon
est
The Press quotes Quay's reform reso-
luton and asks:
What part of this pledge to the peo-
pie has been redeemed2 The legisla-
ture has been in session six months.
Where is its civil service reform law?
Where is its act to prohibit the grant
ing Of exclusive franchises? What has
ii done in the way of ballot reform?
1t has practically legalized political
assessments, instead of outlawing them.
1t has killed every effort to non part
isarize the civil service Ii has refused
any reform in the matter Of city char
tiers. Instead of prohibiting exclusive
franchises, it has passed. in the fire
alarm Job, the worst franchise Job OF
years Failure-is not strong enough q
word for such record Deliberate
treachery is written all over il
Senator Quay may disavow his in
fuence over the legislature as stoutly
an he pleases, but he cannot escape q
large measure of the responsibility
THE Oklahoma Legislature was o
very good Legislature, but the Texa.
Legislature is still better. When any
little discussion arises in this interest
H.. 1,.1dx, oil fha tnamhara stand mn o pS