The times., 1898-12-28
Quay's Tactics.

when United States Senator is charged
with using his political influence to cor
| rupt the guardians. of the public money for
his own personal benefit he is entitled to
| just as much consideration as any other
accused person, but no more. He is to be
regarded as innocent until there is reason
to believe he is guilty. If persons who have
no knowledge of the facts. or who present
no evidence to support their affirmations,
proclaim his innocence at a time when he
I seeks a reelection, 1t is entirely fair to
say that they are bad citizens and are in
different to the facts; that they would sup
| port him even IL they should be convinced
that he is guilty. When the Mckinley
Patriotic League of Harrisburg indorses
Senator Quay and denounces his accusers
as infamous slanderers. and condemns any
legislator who proposes to vote against him,
it disgraces the name it bears. 1t is not a
patriotic league.
Senator Quay. when first accused, was in
the position of any other man against
whom proceedings are instituted and enti
tied TO suspension of Judgment until he
should be proved guilty or acquitted. But
ne ci!dTstu WE prosecution Will udNiub
formed conspiracy merely to prevent his
reelection to the Senate, and threatened
to punish them. To disprove this the dis
trict attorney made public Senator Quay's
own letters, which seemed to establish the
charges. They do not appear to be capable
of any explanation except that made by the
district attorney. 1t was then in the power
NF 20 nj ION,
he could. He has made none. Instead OF
being eager to meet his accusers in court,
as he asserted, he used all his great in
fiuence to have the trial postponed until
District Attorney Graham's term of office
should expire
Because Senator Quay has not attempted
to explain the letters which, on their face,
show him to be guilty. and because of his
obvious fear of meeting Mr.. Graham, thou
sands Of his former friends have turned
against him. Members of the legislature
who were friendly and would vote for him
IL he could explain now threaten to oppose
his reelection. Does anybody suppose that
if he could clear away the evidence he
would keep silence?. He is eager to be
eleCteu again ana yet ue diloHs NOlcS W DC
lost to him because he will not tell what
his letters meant. Can anybody doubt that
it is because he cannot offer an explanation
that would show his innocence? The Nc
Kinley Patriotic League, unless it is an
organization of idiots, must know that he
would if he could.
Until he does that Republican organiza-
tion has no right to assert his innocence.
unless it has proofs which the public does
not have. II it had such proofs, 1t would
publish them. AS it is, the Mckinley Pa
triotic League is a disgrace to the Repub-
lican party. 1t insults the President, whose
name it dishonors. 1t has no claim to the
title of patriotic league. Simply because
it is under the power of some of Quay's
creatures, for whom he has obtained Fed
eral offices, it tries to force the election of
man who has had ample opportunity to
prove his innocence If he were innocent,
but who not only does not, but shows his
fear of the prosecuting attorney. He shows
his fear of Philadelphia, too, by swearing
that he believes he cannot get fair trial
there. The honest Republicans OF Pennsyl-
vania are trying to prevent the calamity of
his reelection and they are entitled to the
sympathy of honest men everywhere.