Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-04-01
FRIDAY, APRIL l, 1898.
CoRRuPrlNo INFLUENCES IN POLITICS

CORRUPTlNG INFLUENCES IN POLITICS.
The following from The Outlook illus
trates the abuses which constantly creep
into our politics, and are often permitted
to continue for a long time, because the
majority of the people do not understand
IT, for we do not believe the. average citi-
zen wants state funds to be used for
political purposes, whether for his own
or any other party. We have been in
formed.that the Office of State Treasurer
Is considered here in Vermont quite a
plumb among certain bank officials inter-
ested in having the large state deposits
made in their own banks and that this fact
is being used for all it is worth in the
management of state politics. And hence
the numerous different candidates that
we see announced for this office of state
treasurer.
Nj. Wanamaker has accepted the request
OF the Business Mems Republican League that
lie should become candidate for governor
of PENNSYLVANIA, and j. vigorously prescott
ing a campaign against the misrulc of the
Quay despOti~m In a speech made ut Lam
caster last week he exposed abuse after abuse
which should overthrow the organization re-
sponsible for them. No such arraignment has
been made i'm years OF any administration
outside OF Sew No k city and New orleans
. Some of the ABUSES are those charged against
the boss systems in other states, hut some are
peculiar i'm degree If not ia kind to PennSyl.
vania. For the past 1--WE years, said MI. W AN
amakcr, the average amount OF state money
ON deposit Mt privately owned banks has been
i'm the ueighborhOod OF s5,00o000, and ON this
stupendous sum not one dollarin interest has
been paid to the state. one private bank in
Phlla lelphla, with a capital of only Sl51,OuO
Tut with president who has been one Of Nj.
Quay's lieutenants has continuously carried
81 deposit OF state money ranging from $500
Oo0 TO 81 100000. Nor have these bonanza
deposits been subject to draft in such way
rs to lessen their value. or January no less
than S3,5OOOOO OF money due to the public
schools the previous June was stlll unpaid
vet all this time the state had ON deposit in
the favored banks an average balance OF
Stj79,OO0. In view OF the magnitude OF these
sums and the rate OF interest which banks
and trust companies pay on deposits for
shorter periods, Mr.. Wanamaker seemed to
he within bounds when he said "For fifteen
wears the control OF the Office of state treas
urer has been the citadel of Senator Quay's
power; 1t is believed to have yielded annually
a campaign fund of not less than Slh0,000,
mortgaging. individual banker and atfording
unlimited credit" Other evils hardly less
revolving to men who care Tor their STATE were
exposed in terms equally specific. He told
how the last legislature was kept without
committees for nearly n month that chair
mRnships might be bartered for votes in the
senatorial contest, and how, alter its organic
alton was completed, the legislature padded
the pay.rols, created commissions costing
S75OOO0' inT salaries, and ordered inYestiga.
tions, until the cost of all these things, united
with the unwillingness of the machine to pass
the Bliss bill taxing beer, lied to cut of
81 600, 600 i'm the appropriation for the public
schools No other state in the union has had
maladministration so serious charged against
it, The arraignmcnt seemed the natural pre-
lude to an unrelenting campaign for the over
throw of senator Quay and all his supporters
Unfortunately, however, Mr.. Wanamaker
inaugurated no such campaign. ON the con
trary, he asked tor support ON the ground
that he was an unwavering supporter of the
Republican organization. al have" Shc said,
"never voted any other ticket, neither have
scratched it or bolted il. am "A better
Republican than the chairman of the state
committee, who, when asked If he would sup.
port me if nominated by the state convention
said he did not know" Apparently, then, if
the state convention continues the leadership
of senator Quay, MIR. Nanamaker win again
sustain il at the polls. No wonder therefore,
that independents an over the state are urg-
ing the nomination OF man whose hostility