Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1898-10-14


him that It was but a pinch. a political
charge for political purposes, and in
stead Of introducing the Impeachment
resolution, he went to his seat in the
house and exposed all the facts In
volving all of the ring, and the news
papers employed to back II. The ring
fed. the newspaper syndicate stood its
ground and when Hartranft was nomi-
mated, renewed the charges. And then
a wave swept over the state demanding
the withdrawal of Hartranft A great
caucus was called at the Continental
hotel in Philadelphia, a caucus Of great
men, who demanded withdrawal. j.
Don Cameron, not then a senator, but
a private citizen, walked into that eau
Gus, defended Hartranft's reputation,
said he should not withdraw, but that
his accusers must. Some Of them were
there. Chester county's county meeting
was held the same week, and a resolu-
ton had been prepared demanding the
withdrawal of Hartranft This was in
August, months after the legislative
exposure. and when II had been forgot
ten. The writer attended that meeting,
recalled the exposure, produced the
records, and instead of condemnation.
support was freely given. Then came
the reaction. and because of It Bucka-
lew and Greedy fell, and Hartranft and
Grant triumphed. That experience
makes us cautious as to political ar
rests where political conspiracies are
behind them. II makes us do more than
suspend judgment. It makes us hope
for such a clearing of the air as will
give full opportunity to the accused,
and If innocent, the chance TO renew
regulations assalled.
I'VE are not now in touch with Senator
Quay. We are In opposition to his
methods In this distrlct-in open oppo-
sition. We are trying to smash the
two rings in Chester and Delaware
which apply those methods and supply
others Of their own a thousand fold
worse. That Ia our battle, still con-
tinued. but In continuing It we are not
ready to affirm belief In the guilt Of one
who Is vaguely accused Of specializing
with state and bank funds, neither
state nor bank losing anything by any
Of the alleged transactions The ac-
cusers do not come out and show their
presence and their faith in their own
accusations. They hide behind Of
hcers Of the law. when they should be
known to all men.
quay iitAnbub hTe one InlHBt Ine
man is another. We have known him
long and WE'LL we have often quar-
relied with his politics. we are now in
quarrel with his politics, but we know
his personality so well that 1t will take
the plainest possible evidence to con-
vince us that he would wrong either
the state or any person within OF with
out Of II a single dollar. In other
lie NC har III g - -,
est as the world goes, and never saw
occasion to doubt his personal integ-
rity.
I'VE cannot be wrong in our expert
ence, for that is part of our history;
we may be wrong in present estimates,
but we prefer to wait once again upon
experience before we join in the per-
sonal condemnation Of one whom we
never knew as a fool, nor yet as a
rogue. Quay's enemies have repeated
the Delaney mistake when Swallow
was arrested, and If these prosecutions
of Senator Quay and his son and ex-
state treasurer and others are aotuated
by political motives and times to suis
political ends. their effect will be Just
the reverse OF that planned, as in the
case of Hartranft more than a quarter
OF a century ago.
Not foreign born citizen but knows
the bane of political arrests; not an
American who reads but deplores the
practice, unless the motive is high and
wholly for the public good. Then they
are justified. but only then, and all
too sadly the justification must walt
while grave questions are pending and
turning upon things which in the end
may be shown TO be mere conspiracies.
Into this vortex we are plunged by po-
litical arrests"
Another sample of this immediate
effect upon fairminded people is the
following editorial in the Chester Re-
publican, a paper which has con-
slstently and strongly opposed the
Quay leaders In that county. 1t says.
IF Senator Quay is guilty of an in
fraction of the criminal code, the fact
that he has attained high position in
national affairs in itself increases the
gravity of the offense, for which, II
conviction follows, ought to bring upon
him the severest penalty which the law
imposes In such cases. OF the facts and
circumstances on which the charge Is
based we have no information other
than that which appeared in the Phlla-
delphia evening papers yesterday, but
as Senator Quay is amenable to a pros
ecution for an alleged criminal act, as
is the humblest person In this COM
monwealth, so equally with his fellows
to him applies the charitable precept OF
law, which proclaims that all men are
deemed innocent until their guilt has
been legally established.
1.-THE time, however, in which the
prosecution is instituted ia I'll advised.
On the very eve Of an important cleo
tion. In which Senator Quay has been
selected as a shining mark at which
the shafts of his enemies are aimed,
will necessarily lend to the case an ele-
ment that may defeat the very pur-
poses for which the prosecution was
instituted. His prominence In the state
and In the Republican party, and the
efforts which are being made in almost
every county in the commonwealth 10
strip him Of power and influence, Will
breed a suspicion in the public mind
that the machinery of the criminal law
has been put In motion not so much to
secure the end of justice as 1t Is to
crush him individually, that others
may fall heir to the place he now holds
and from which this prosecution may
/ eject him. The American people love
fair play and their sympathies go out
/ to the man OF men who are forced into
q position which may appear as that
Of martyrdom. The prosecution cannot
/ but intensity the political struggle In
| mis- commonwealth. and II public opin-
on crystallizes into the general belief
that Senator Quay has been selected
as victim, to be slaughtered for po-
iltical reasons alone, the effects Of tn
/ proceedings are likely to add to hi