Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-03-03
JAMES N. MOORE. ESQ"


This is the title of an alleged commu-
nication IN the Eagle of last week, but
written by its old editor, Thomas Rob-
inson, Esq.
II ia an attack on Mr.. Moore, and MIR.
Robinson begins his piece by referring
to articles published in other papers,
and then asserting that he had voted Tor
Mr.. Moore seven times and that Moore
was defeated for District Attorney be-
cause 'it was currently reported that
his nomination had been secured by
questionable means.
We remember Of supporting Mr..
Moore faithfully when he became our
candidate for District Attorney. but our
recollection also is that he was defeated
at the election beca use it was current
reported" that he was KoDfnson's man
Mr.. Robinson follows these prelimi-
nary remarks with a reference to Mr.
Moores health, and an attack on his
record as a member of the Legislature
That Mr.. Moore's health has been bad,
unfortunately" for himself but fortu-
natsly for his political enemies. no one
can deny; but at the same time he arose
from sick bed at Harrisburg, time and
again last winter, and went up to the
House and fought a set of scamps who
were trying to rob the State better than
any man we have ever sent there.
He was one of the leaders of the noble
49," whose declaration of independence
was directed against Quay and his gang
at the beginning of the session, and who
fought the election of Quay's man Pen
rose to the United States Senate
No Legislature of Pennsylvania was
ever more thoroughly dominated by
Quay than the last one, and no greater
outrage was ever perpetrated upon the
people of the state than Quays selec-
tion of Penrose, as his associate. That
act alone ought to damn him in every
decent household in the Commonwealth.
Mr.. Robinson is the only man in But
Ter who, as yet, possesses bound copy
Of the Legislative Record for the last
session, and he seems to have made an
exhaustive examination of it. He
notes that Mr.. Moore was not present
and voting on the passage OF some im-
portant or alleged important bills.
These assertions will be answered in full
and completely probably next week.
Mr.. Moore was member of the Judi
ciary General Committee, which had
about four hundred and fifty bills on its
calendar, and he informs us that he
attended every meeting of that Com
mittee; and also that of the fourteen
hundred and some bills on the Calendar
Of the House, he was present and voted
upon all but about thirty.
Mr.. Robinson refers to Justice OF
the Peace bill, which was submitted by
Mr.. Moore to some old Justices of the
Peace in this county and approved OF by
them; also to the Hamilton Road bill.
TO which Mr.. Moore had the 81, 000 900
provlso attached-which proviso made
the bill imperative until the Legisla-
ture appropriated that amount to carry
it into effect.
But his most astonishing reference is
to the Becker Bill (No. 34). This was a
bill to amend the charter of the city of
Philadelphia, and put the patronage of
the city into the hands of the faction or
clique that at that time controlled the
Select Council of the city. 1t was a
distinctively political bill, conceived by
Quay's friends in the city; but it was SO
utterly outrageous that Quay could
not hold his friends among the country
members for it. 1t was lost, and in
their desperation the Quay people from
Philadelphia offered to vote for the bill
making more just and equitable dis
tribution of the states appropriation tc
the school fund if the country members
would vote for the Becker Bill
The deal was made on the floor of the
House during a fight for the School
Bill; Moore took a leading part in it and
knew what he was doing; Philadelphia
lost $3.50, 900 by it, and, if the figures
given for Forest county are correct
Butler county, in the same proportion
will gain about $ls, 900 annually by it
1t is the sequel, however, to the Beck
er Bill that is the interesting part
Quay's fat boys in the Senate passed it
as matter Of eonrse. and it went I,
the Governor; then QDay and Penros
went up to Harrisburg and tried to bul
ly Hastings into signing it; and afte