The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-05-04
wAEAMAKER's MISTAKES.
He Mixes Things Either Ignorantly
or Purposely.

He Mixes Things Either Ignorantly
or Purposely.
Mr.. John Wanamaker is going up
and down the state making many
charges against Republican leaders
and arraigning the last Legislature for
what he alleges to be its many sins OF
omission and commission, says the
Crawford Journal. He mixes things
which were not done, and bills which
did not pass, with things which were
done, and bills which did pass, in
way which to say the least is disin-
genuous, and which, in any one max
ing fewer pretensions of great piety
and honesty, would be called thor
oughly dishonest. We will cite only
few examples of Mr.. Wanamaker's
recklessness. He alludes, among other
things, 10 the proposition to tax oleO-
margarine. This bill did not pass. Yet
Mr.. Wanamaker, inspeaking to the dai
rymen of Bradford county attempted
to arouse antagonism to Senator Quay
on account of it, holding him respon-
sible for bad measure which did not
become law.
He alluded 20 the proposition to cut
down the school appropriation. But
this bill did not pass. Instead, a bill
did pass so changing the method Of dis
tributing the appropriation as to bene-
fit the country distTiets-a bill asked
for by the country districts. Yet Mr..
Wanamaker is very severe in his de
nunciation of the legislature because
of the bill which didn't pass, and en-
tirely ignores the one which did pass.
He talks grandiloquently about the
great wrong done the state by the
placing of state moneys in banks with
out interest. The same Legislature
passed the bill requiring banks to pay
interest on all state money deposited
with them, and the law goes into effect
May l.
He is very severe on the bill (vetoed
by Governor Hastings) changing and
increasing the mercantile taxes. The
bill had some weak points, Int was in
principle just measure. 1t was de-
signed to make such men as Mr.. Wan
amaker pay decent share Of the pub
lie burdens-Mr. Wanamaker's share
would have been about $4,000 year.
He cuts sorry figure advocating his
own personal relief from just taxation.
But the most reprehensible feature
of Mr.. Wanamaker's reckless scold is
his claim for the ''seventy-six" his
supporters in the caacus) of all the
credit for all the bad measures defeat
ed, although the seventy-six were
largely in the minority. He charges
that the legislature was Senator Quay's
creature, and charges him with re-
sponsibility for all bad measures pass
ed or even introduced, but claims credit
for his friends, small and far from
united minority, for all good measures
passed and all bad ones defeated.
Now, Mr.. Wanamaker ought to be
consistent. If the legislature was SEN
ator Qnay's creature he ought to be
given credit for good measures passed
and bad ones defeated. Mr.. Wana-
maker does neither. Instead, he holds
him responsible for all bad measures
which became laws, even for all bad
measures introduced, but gives no
credit whatever for the useful laws
passed nor he bad ones not passed.
1t is said that Mr.. Wanamaker is
surprised that county after county in
which he speaks votes against him. 1t
is not surprising. The only surprising
thing about his campaign is that be
should imagine the people Of this state
cannot see through such shallow, COM
monplace triekery.
There are serious defects in the gov
ernment of Pennsylvania which will be
remedied in time. The most serious
defects are in the government of Phil
adelphia, where Mr.. Wanamaker is
hand-in-glove with those responsible
for the mismanagement. As we have
before advised him, the best place for
the work he is trying to do, if he is sin
cere, is within a stones throw of his
own store. When he has assisted in
giving Philadelphia measurably hon
est government, in stopping Mutual
Automac deals, gas works lease jobs
Gin which his closest friends are inter-
ested, if he himself is not, and Sehuyl-
kill water jobs, he can with better
grace come to the people of the state
and ask them to help in reforming
legislation at Harrisburg.