Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-10-27
REFORM Will NOT
COME FROM DEMOCRATS
Republicans Not Willing to Stul-
tify Themselves and
Their Party.
TO MEET EVERY ISSUE.
The Legislative Records Calmly Reviewed
and Facts Presented Showing That
the Republican Voters Hsve
Risen to the Occasion

"Now that the campaign orators have
pretty well covered all the important
issues of the present canvass in this
state, ! am convinced that Republicans
generally are going to stand by their
party nominees" remarked General
Henry III. Bingham to Philadelphia
interviewer a couple of days ago.
They have very properly come to the
conclusion that 1t is useless to look to
the Democratic party for reforms.
Pennsylvania is a Republican state
and it would be an insult to the honesty
and intelligence of Republicans to say
that in Pennsylvania, with her great
Republican majortes. reforms can
only come. through Democratic chan
nels."
HE SPEAKS BY THE CARD
In this connection and while the
topic of reform was under discussion.
reference was made to the comment of
Frank Willing Leach on the record of
the last legislature, he having had su-
number Of newspapers with informa-
tion exhibiting the short comings Of
the members of that body.
TT cannot be denied" said Mr. Leach,
that the performances of the last leg
islature were not acceptable to the peo-
pie OF the state. But / speak advisedly
when 1 say that it was not one whit
worse than any one of the dozen legis-
latures which have convened since the
new constitution went into effect. There
was this difference-the doings of the
legislators last year Were, as never be-
fore, made known to the people. While,
however, the last Legislature was no
worse than its predecessors, it was bad
enough. But it is a mistake to assume
that all the Legislators We're corrupt,
or that the wrongdoing was confined
to the Republican party or to a faction
thereof. There We're many conspicuous
members of the two branches who val
iantly battled for the people, but it is
historically incorrect to assume that all
of them were from the socalled '76' who
supported Mr. Wanamaker for the
United States senate. Not a few of the
much lauded '76 proved derelict be-
fore the session closed OF course,
many of the rs did heroic work for
the people which should never be
forgotten, but so did other members of
both houses who had not been Mr..
torship. In other words, both the
wrongdoing and the rightdoing, SO to
speak, were non-factional, and it is 4
perversion of history to claim the re-
verse.
Nor was the wrongdoing partisan.
Those now engaged in crusade
against the Republican organization
are forming alliances in many of the
counties with a view to the election of
Democrats to the Legislature. While in
the last legislature some of the Demo-
cratic senator's and a number of the
Democratic members of the lower
house, led by the incorruptible Greasy,
of Columbia county. were always found
upon the side of the people, others, and
generally the majority, gave their sup
port to the various vicious bills which
1t was sought to enact, and which the
recent Democratic state convention so
vigorously asSailed.
In word. it is strikingly unjust to
charge all that was vicious in the last
Legislature to either party, or to either
faction of the dominant party. 1t was
simply case of some corrupt men get
ting into the legislature-and they have
gotten into every legislature since a
Republican form of government was
devised-who sought to further their
own interests at the expense of the
peoples"
PROFESSOR HAMILTON'S S REVIEW.
On this point, Professor John Hamil-
ton, of the state department of agri-
culture. and a director of the Farmers
of Pennsylvania. talked inter
the other day. He has made
careful study of the work of the last
legislature.
Bad deeds are indefensible," said
Professor Hamilton, whether COM
mitted by an individual. legislative
body or political party, and l have no
desire to defend a single bad action.
but my Investigations disclose the fact
that the Objectionable votes were cast
by Republicans and Democrats alike
of all factions We hear q good deal
of talk now about fusion Would not
1t have been a fitting time to fuse in
the last Legislature? Why did not the
20 and the Democrats fuse then.
when they had an opportunity of doing
valuable service to the people of the
state. instead of leaving it until now?
The facts show that neither Mr.. Quay
nor Mr.. Wanamaker nor Mr.. anybody
else controlled the last legislature 1t
was a law unto itself. One or two peo-
pie attempted early in the session to
tell members what they ought to do
and how they ought to vote, and the
reception these gentlemen received pre-
vented forever after the repetition of a
similar attempt The record shows
that no party or faction of a party
possessed all of the virtues, and it also
shows that neither We're wholly desti-
tute, but that they We're all alike in
this respect, sometimes doing well and
sometimes doing ILL., Much oftener.
however we can truthfuily say, we'll
than ill, as you will be convinced If
you go over their entire work The rec
Drds show that the charges that Re-
publicans alone We're in guilt in the
passage of Objectionable bills Is un-
true. for tho vote shows that the DEM
bora Q were aOual narticipaptS N what