Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-04-21
WANAMAKER'S
SERIOUS CHARGES OF CoRRUP-
TION

TION.
This is the twelfth speech I have de- |
.ivered since the beginning OF this CAM |
paign for the liberation OF Pennsylva- |
mia, and in any single one OF them |
| have made charges so serious, based. |
however. upon official figures and in |
records. against the ex- |
isting political system, that I fail to
see how any honest or self respecting |
voter who has read them carefully can |
gain support a Quay ticket until those |
charges are answered or proven false. |
I am asked why, II these abuses exist |
and this lawbreaking is SO widespread |
and far reaching, does not some one
begin a criminal prosecution.
Il have shown that since Senator
Quay has possessed control of the funds
of the state treasury that the loss to
the taxpayers from this one source
alone has been s2.5OO.O0O. I have also
shown that the millions Of the states
money that is withheld from the peo-
pie and used for the benefit of Sena-
tor Quay's political machine and Sem
ator Quay's political friends. is the
heart of political corruption in Penn
sylvania Why, then. you ask If state
deposits, which they convert to their
own personal use, are they not prose-
cuted?
1.-TWO very good reasons can be given.
First, laws have been enacted and so
amended for the past Is years that
those with the backing Of the machine
dare openly violate the law without
fear of harm. There seems to have
Nd
those who deal dishonesty with state
funds with protective laws.
DOUBTS PROBABILITY OF CON
VICTION.
"Second-With the machine control
as it is today. l doubt If any attempt
to convict in our federal courts a self
confessed treasury raider would be sue
cessful. This belief is based upon past
history, since it is known far and wide
that those who now control the party
have been caught in speculating with
vast sums of states money. and all
efforts to prosecute them have failed,
and. upon the opinion of most learn
ed lawyer of Philadelphia, who had be-
fore him the confessions Of high state
officials, that they had ccnspired to
meet and fully take from the state
treasury a large sum of noney-who
said that with their own confession,
publicly made, and with collateral
proof in abundance, they were so thor
oughIy entrenched behind potent Of
fetal influences and political laws, that
the cause OF Justice would surely be
blocked, and, while their guilt was ad-
mitted, a conviction would be out of
the question"
ITO show how utterly impossible it
is to break through the line Of ma
chine guards that are stationed at
every approach to the state treasury,
It is but necessary to review recent
history. For months prior to the meet
ing Of the last legislature the question
of a thorough treasury investigation
was agitated, So pronounced was the
demand for an honest examination of
the affairs of the auditor generals and
state treasurer's office that Il could not
ignored. Ordinarily the majority in the
legislature is strong enough to defeat
any resolution not favored by the lead
ers, but at the beginning OF the ses-
sion of '97 the strength OF the anti
machine forces was unknown; orders
came to not risk the chances of defeat
ing an investigation resolution, but 10
have one offered by a servant OF the
machine, and have a committee ap
pointed composed of men who know no
law but the will of their political mas
ter, and in this way to hide the secrets
and inerjmInating evidence that Is be-
lieyed to abound in plenty.
A FAKE INVESTIGATION.
The work of the treasury investiga-
ting committee will long be remember
cd as a legislative fake and political
Job without parallel. The witnesses
who testified before the committee were
carefully selected by the Quay leaders.
The same stereotyped questions, care
fully prepared in advance with view
of smothering every important fact'
were asked each witness, and only an
swers of the same cut and dried char
acter were permitted. Every effort was
made to have the committee ask the
state officials certain questions touch
ing the methods of apportioning these
xsaax- slarna iNr'n u
state treasurer, and the possibility OF
getting this money If the state should
ever demand it, If banks that have
state deposits are assessed or COM
manded to contribute for campaign
for state officials to receive interest
from state bank deposits.
But no member of the committee
would ask these and other pertinent
questions. It was desired by the anti
Quay people to summon the presidents
and cashiers of banks holding state de-
posits and interrogate them. Several
members Of the legislature offered to
- hat
said to pay regularly for their deposits,
but the committee absolutely refused to
conduct that kind of an investigation.
which might have led to damaging de-
velopments. Senator Kaufman, on
March IA, in the senate, offered a reso-
luton that was defeated, every Quay
senator voting against 1t. The resolu-
ten was as follows:
THE KAUFMAN RESOLUTION.
Resolved, That, if the house con-
cur, the sepecial committee appointed
| TO investigate the state treasurer and
| auditor general be and is hereby in
| structed to ask the president and cash
| ier of every bank with which state
| funds are deposited the following
| questions: Have you within the past
| i2 months been asked to make a con-
| tribution in consideration of your bank
| having state funds deposited therein =?
| II so, did you make cash contribution
| What per cent on said deposit was de-
| manded and what per cent was paid?
1.-THE committee held its few sittings
| In Harrisburg, and brought in vol
| luminous report bearing upon every
| thing but the vital points. For the ser
vices Of this committee the state was
| charged $3,234.S1. 1t gave the auditor
| general and state treasurer certificates
| OF character, and complimented their
| business administration. declared that
| every cent OF the states money was
| accounted for and no traces of irreg-
| ularities were to be found in the state
| treasurer's office. Yet later develop
! ments disclosed the fact that money
| had been advanced on padded payrolls
and in another instance $4,000 had
| been advanced, contrary To law, upon
the bill of Quay politician, as l am
| informed"
ETONE'S BROKEN PLEDGES.
Mr. Wanamaker at one of his meet
| ings early in the campaign stated that
| William A. Stone was not a safe mar
| to elect governor because he had vio-
lated a solemn pledge to vote, as a del
| egate 20 the last national convention
| for the candidate wing was the choice
| of the people. His constituents In AL
| legheny City overwhelmingly instruct
ed him to vote for William Mckinley
| He ignored their desires, broke hi!
| pledge and voted for Quay for presl
dent,
w. A Stone at subsequent meet
| ing denied this, and Mr.. WaEamake