The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-09-07

Chester ......--... fS.a0 q lfi,zoS oS
jefferson ......... 1l.O67 % 1870 oS
Juniata .......... 5.216 81 s1.5ss 50
Lackawana ...... 54.4S9 Il 2i6.1l4 9S
..It win be demonstrated to the peo-
pie of Pennsylvania and of the United
States during the present campaign
that our state during the last quarter
of a century has been the most hap
pily governed state in the Union; that
her advance in wealth. population and
general prosperity has been phenome-
nal. During that time the state has
never lost a dollar by reason of de-
fault OF dishonesty of any of her state
officials. Such, indeed. seems to have
been the opinion of Mr.. Wanamaker
himself until very recently. for il is
only within the last year that he has in
timated anything to the contrary. OF
course, we have been subject to the
criticism which is inseparable from the
conduct of public affairs whose control
is disputed by enemies of the party
and persons having disappointed ambi-
tions.
When an army breaks camp to
march 10 battle vultures gather over
the camp fires. and there is always
EOlllE DtldtN0 uoH " 1ANSA CNCAy
triumphal procession.
THE structures made by Mr.. Wana-
maker on the last election of a United
States senator. it seems to me, come
with bad grace from defeated candi-
date. and explain the sOured feeling
emanating from that source ever since.
/ was not personally familiar with the
details Of that campaign. but from re-
am surprised that Mr.. Wanamaker
should make use of the following Ian
guage: The whole business Of eIecting
a United States senator was an arith-
metical problem and a check book
Mr. Wanamaker's managers undoubt-
edly impressed him. more in their own
than in his interest, with that theory.
and he, no doubt, speaks from his per-
sonal knowledge and experience.
ROASTING THE PIGS.
Il am surprised that any person with
the intelligence of Mr.. Wanamaker
should be guilty OF repeating, by inuen-
do at least. that the burning OF the
state capitol was the result of a con-
spiracy Of state officials. and for the
purpose Of destroying public records
which might incriminate them. II Mr.
Wanamaker and those who report
these silly charges would take the time
to investigate they would learn that
the capitol building burned down con-
tained no records Of value The REQ
Ords OF the auditor generals and the
state treasurer's departments were kept
in separate building. having another
building between il and the building
rn1an . l. ~
was not a single record OF the treasury
or auditor generals department I'm the
building burned down. This senseless
fabrication reminds me OF the interest
ing story told by Charles Lamb of the
Chinaman who discovered roast pig:
The hut of a Chinaman having burned
down, and some young pigs that were
there among its tenants having been
roasted, the Chinaman proceeded 10
devour them with intense satisfaction.
He was so well pleased with the viands
that he turned incendiary and burned
down several establishments belonging
TO his neighbOrs. in order to roast the
pigs therein confined. He continued
his hazardous course until Il got
through his Mongolian head one day
that the pigs might be roasted without
the burning of the dwellings. II VIII
occur to any one who reflects q moment
that If there were any papers in Har-
rishurg for which destruction was nee
essary for any purpose. II Is not likely
that they would be carefully preserved
and filed away in the public buildings,
and IL they had been so preserved and
filed IL would not be necessary to burn
the building in order to burn the
papers. The pigs could be roasted
and the papers could be destroyed
without the risk and hazard of burn
ing down valuable buildings.
ABOUT BROKEN BANKS.
The attempt of Mr.. wanamaker to
connect the Republican party with the
failure of the Peoples bank. the Guar
antors' and the State Insurance COM
pany is. to say the least. far fetched.
The Republican party is no more re-
sponsIble for the failure of these insti-
tutions than it was for the failure of
the Keystone bank, of unsavcry mem-
ory, and / presume Mr. Wanamaker
Will not undertake TO say that the Re-
publican party wrecked that bank.
The fact is that the state has not lost
a single penny by reason of the fall
ure Of any OF these institutions.
Mr.. Wanamaksr also attacks the re-
cent Republican state convention With
the facts attending that convention the
Republican party is already familiar.
In many counties the candidates for
gubernatorial honors submitted their
candidacy to a vote OF the people. The
delegates were elected under party
rules. At the convention AIR Wana-
maker. finding that he did not have
sufficient number OF delegates TO nom-
mate himself. withdrew from the con-
test and transferred his delegates in a
body to another candidate, who num-
bered among his delegates many OF the
most prominent organization men in
the state The union of these forces
was not successful. and the convention
nominated another candidate. All the
contests brought before that conven-
tion were decided in favor OF Mr.. Wan
amaker and those with whom he COM
bined his forces. In not a single In
stance was decision made in favor
OF the prevailing candidate. On the
floor of the convention the fullest lat
itude was given to Mr.. Wanamaker
and his friends. and no decision was
made against their interests. The con-
yention was conducted in a spirit of
generous fairness. and no reasonable
person can find fault with anything
that was done in its proceedings.
THAT CHESTER COUNTY TALE.
while il is not within the purvie,v
Of this interview to discuss the charges
made by Mr.. Wanamaker in reference
to the deposit of state funds with the
Chester County Guarantee Trust and
Safe Deposit company. yet 1 feel that
Ii is proper for me TO recall the facts
in reference to the legislation upon the
subject Prior 10 1897 the state treas
urer, under the law, was personally re-
spo1sible for all state moneys which
came into his hands. He was required
TO give a bond for the safe keeping of
these funds Under this system the
treasurer and his bondsmen. being re-
sponsible for all state moneys, claimed
and exercised the right to select the de-
positories In which state funds were
located Mr.. Darlington. as II appear
ed from his testimony. was a bondsman
OF the state treasurer and had a de-
posft IN his institution. Being thus IA
vored. he seems to have felt himself
called upon to make contributions In
support Of the party thai extended