The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-11-02

generally are going to stand by their
party nominees" remarked General
Henry II. Bingham TO a Philadelphia
interviewer 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 majorities. reforms can
only come through Democratic chan
neis''
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. ne having had su-
pervision Of the work Of supplying a
number OF newspapers with informa-
tlon exhibiting the short eomings Of
the members of that body.
"It 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 1t was not one whit
worse than any one OF the dozen legis-
latures which have convened since the
new constitution went into effee-. 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 IL Is a mistake 10 assume
that all the legislators were corrupt.
or that the wrongdOing was confined
10 the Republican party OF to a faction
thereof. There were many conspicuous
members OF the two branches who val
iantiy battled for the people. but il IS
historically incorrect TO assume that all
OF them were from the socalled rs who
supported Mr.. Wanamaker for the
United States senate. Not few Of the
much lauded 80 proved derelict be
fore the session closed. or course.
many of the '76' did heroic work for
the people which should never be
forgotten. but so did other members Of
both houses who had not been Mr..
Wanamaker's supporters for the sena-
torship. In other words. both the
wrongdoing and the Iightdoing. SO TO
speak. were non-faetiomal. and it is :
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 view to the election OF
Democrats to the legislature. While in
the last legislature some of the Demo-
cratic senators and a number OF the
Democratic members Of the lower
house, led by the incOrTuptible Greasy.
OF Columbia county. were always found
upon the side OF the people. others, md
generally the majority. gave their sup
port to the various vicious bills which
II was sought to enact. and which the
recent Democratic state convention so
vigorously assailed-
In a word, it is strikingly unjust to
charge all that was vicious in the last
legislature TO either party, OF 20 either
faction Of the dominant party II was
simply q 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 REVIEW.
on this point. Professor John Hamil-
ton. Of the state department Of agri-
culture. and director Of the Farmer
Institute. OF Pennsylvania. talked inter
estingly the other day. He has made a
careful study of the work Of the last
Legislature.
bad deeds are indefensible." said
Professor Hamilton. whether COM
mitted by an individual. a legislative
body or political party. and 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 a good deal
of talk now about fusion Would not
II have been a fitting time 10 fuse in
the last legislature2 Why did not the
30 and the Democrats fuse then
when they had an opportunity Of doing
valuable service to the people OF tls
state. instead of leaving IL until now
The facts show that neither Mr.. Quay
nor Mr.. Wanamaker nor Mr. anybody
I else controlled the last legislature. II
was a laSf unto itself One or two peo-
pie attempted early in the session tC
{ tell members what they ought to dc
and how they ought so vote. and the
/ reception these gentlemen received pre-
I ,f4 rar.affffnr uf n
similar attemot. The record shows
I that No party or faction Of a party
/ possessed all of the virtues and IL also
/ shows that neither We're wholly Gesti-
/ tute. but that they were all alike in
3 this respect. sometimes doing weH and
sometimes doing III. Mich oftener
I however. we can truthfuily say. vel
\ than i'll. as you viii be convinced II
/ you go over their entire work. The rec
I ortis show that the charges that Re
! publicans alone were III guilt in tbs
passage of objectionable bills is un.
true, for the vote shows that the Dem.
ocfats were equal participants in what
ever harm the passage of the bills in-
tolyed.
RESULTS SPEAK FOR THEM
SELVES.
'-The record Of that period shows that
whatever mistakes OF crimes that leg.
islative body had attempted were
either corrected by themselves OF By
the governor OF the state. and nevei
became laws. Five hundred and thirty
two bills were read in place in the sen.
ate that session. and 1921 were offered
in the house. making 1853 in all. o
these only 4es ever passed both bodies
and OF this number S6 we're eithei
wholly or partially vetoed by the gov
erRor. leaving 400 as the accomplished
and completed work Of that Legislative
term. Sixty-eight per cent Of the bill
presented the legislature killed itself
and when the governor had completed
his revision. 76 per cent had fallen b,
the way. and only "a per cent came int
force as law Does this look like cor