The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-08-31


From the Philadelphia Inquirer,
Any stranger reading the reports Of the
meetings of the so-called Business Mems
League would naturally suppose that
Pennsylvania Is an unsafe place TO live
in. There are resolutions which paint
terrible state Of affairs and speeches which
call men thieves and charge them with
nearly every crime short of deliberate
murder. Here, for instance, is the prin-
cipal agitafor in the association induiging
in an arraignment which includes hid
eons and profane orgies" the suspicious
burning of the Capitol" Onslaught on
the treasury ''padded pay rolls"
''Grace Church Scandals" ''eriIne so
gross,n ..frand so palpable," and so on
through columns of invective until one
would naturally suppose that Pennsyl-
yania, instead of being the great and
proud State she is. is nothing but a
dangerous den Of thieves.
And what does it sll mean? Nothing
on the face OF the earth except political
attack on the Republican party, which,
in all the years of its management Of the
State administration, has made the mag
niticent record of accounting faithfully
for every penny. There has never been
defalcation to the amount of single
dollar. Aud what is the object of these
attacks founded upon an exaggerated
imagination? Simply TO break down the
Republican party at time when every
Republican force in State and nation is
needed to grapple with the great and new
issues which are opening up as the result
ofthe war. Because few men seeking po-
litical advancement, have started in TO tear
down other men who have been placed in
Office by the people. ''crime" and fraud
must be shouted from the housetops and
men are expected TO believe that Repub-
licanisIn is rotten to the c1re.
is any Republican voter who knows
that his party is not corrupt, who realizes
the importance Of keeping Pennsylvania
| in complete touch with the national ad-
ministration, is any such voter going to
be turned aside by reiterations Of the
virulent abuse that already has been
overwhelmed at the polls by free and
independent people who would have none
Of it9 Are the Republicans of Pennsyl-
vania going TO follow the sO-called Busi-
ness Mems League into alliance with
Democrats, Popocrats, Populists-any
where and everywhere an opportunity
offers to defeat a Republican candidate
for the Legislature? Are the Republi,
cans of Pennsylvania ready TO send other
than Republican to the United States
Senate?
The League has had two experiences
and, deserted by its president, who is
presumably no longer in sympathy with
its aims, is about TO start on third cam.
paign. What it will do beyond making
its openly avowed alliances with every
dissatisfied political element in Pennsyl.
yania perhaps it does not know itself
but the less said abont its previous cam
Paigns the better for it. II entered poll
ties with an attempt to defeat Penrose foI
the Senatorship, and well-known bood-
lers claiming to represent the organiza-
ton filled the streets of Harrisburg with
the scandal Of their own doings and at
tempted TO carry debanchery 10 a limit
never before dreamed Of in this or any
State-debauchery under the white ban
ner Of political purity Then it turned
its attention to the Governorship and ap-
pealed directly to the Republican voters,
and was overwhelmingly beaten by the
popular vote. It has been at work ever
since in the Legislative districts, and in
almost every instance has been thrashed
as of old.
We do not believe that the people OF
Pennsylvania are in any mood to listen 20
campaign orators who deal In personal
spite and try to promote personal ir terests
by outrageous assault upon everything
| Republican. Republican rule has brought
prosperity, and we rather think that the
party. under the leadership Of Colonel
William a. Stone, the veteran soldier,
and General Goblin, now with the troops,
can hs trusted, despite those who prefer
to run things according TO their own
peculiar notions.