Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1899-02-23
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence)
Harrisburg, Feb. 21.-But one bill
passed and the legislature in session
for nearly two months.
This scandalous record OF wanton ex-
travagance has not been equalled in the
history of Pennsylvania. There is
general clamor all over the common
wealth for the legislators to drop fac
tional fighting and get down to the
transaction of public business, for
which they are being paid by the peo-
pie. The enormous figures for salaries
of the members and employees of the
general assembly, cost of heating and
lighting the capitol building, and the
other items that go to make up the gen
eral expense account of the legislature,
are rapidly depicting the state money.
with no substantial results in pros
pectiVe for the taxpayers. The sena-
torial deadlock continues without a
single desertion from the ranks of the
regular Republicans since they met in
party caucus and named Hon. Mat
thew Stanley Quay as the Republican
candidate for United States senator.
The 80 Republican boilers who have set
themselves up as empowered to speak
for the Republican party as against the
113 stalwarts who have been standing
loyalty by the party nominee, have been
resorting to the most daring and reck
less schemes of filibustering, obstruct
ing the progress of legislation and tend
ing to disrupt the Republican organi-
ZatiOn in every section of the common
wealth. They have been working hand
and glove with a wing of the Democ-
racy which has up to date shown COM
plete subserviency to these two bosses.
Dave" Martin, of Philadelphia, and
"Bill" Finn, Of Pittsburg, who have un
dertaken to lead the so-called reform
movement against the candidate of the
Republican party.
They are acting as though absolutely
unmindful of the interests of the people
or of their sworn obligations to pro-
tect and guard the welfare of the state.
The tactics resorted to by these bolt
ers to prevent the passage of the Nc
Carrel jury reform bill have complete
ly cOgged the wheels of Legislation and
prevented the consideration of many
measures requiring immediate atten-
tion. Without taking into consideration
the loss of time or the cost of their
action to the state, these boilers, in
order to gain a temporary advantage.
have been carrying motions to adjourn
from day to day in the house, thus cut
ting off debate on bills of vital impor-
tance and in most cases preventing
their contents from even being brought
to the notice of the members. There is
demand from officials of the treasury
department for the enactment of laws
which will at once divert funds to meet
the requirements of the schools, hos
pitfalls and other institutions which re-
CeiVe financial support from the state
There will be a deficit in the state
treasury if something is not done at
once to raise revenue. Less than q year
ago there were $3,00OOOO at the com
mand of the state treasurer for the
needs of the commonwealth. This sum
aas been reduced to less than 81, ,000. 00Q
and there is a continuous drain upon
these funds for current expenses.
Through the Vaccinations of the Mar
Finn Wanamaker members in the
house, there has been no opportunity
TO seriously consider a single one of the
several propositions to raise revenue to
cover the usual appropriations made by
the stat4. There is a suspicion in GER
tain quarters that some of the big cor
porations, railroads and others, fear
that the plan to increase the taxation
on corporations might be carried out
and that they have their agents Sc
Cretly encouraging certain of the Re
publican boilers to keep up the fight
against Senator Quay, in order that no
bills raising the tax on corporations
may have d chance to pass this legis-
lature.
Something win have to be done soon,
and from the protests that are coming
here daily against the action of the
boilers, public sentiment may yet drive
these freebOOters into line with their
party, stop this awful drain upon the
state funds and maintain the credit
and honor of Pennsylvania.
REAL REFORMERS DISGUSTED.
Sincere reformers like Herbert Welsh
and others, who take an interest in
public affairs for the good of the state,
have no sympathy with the men nor
the methods of the leaders of the fight
against Senator Quay. Though, as an
independent of the most radical type.
Mr.. Welsh naturally says he still hopes
for the defeat of Senator Quay, yet he
holds that if this is to be accomplished
ny bribery ana corruption, ne cannot
see that the cause of good govern
ment will profit much thereby" In his
paper, The City and State, Mr.. Welsh
calls attention to the scandalOus
charges of bribery and corruption made
against the antiQuay leaders in the re-
cent Lebanon county fight. He calls at
tentton to Senator Quay's reward of
$4,000 for the discovery of evidence of
bribery in this contest and intimates
that part of Mr.. Quays money might
be fairly earned. Mr.. Welsh rises to in
quire why John Waramaker does not
exert his moral influence to prevent oc-
casion for such scandals, and why he
permits struggle. Ostensbly for hon
est government, to be conducted by
men Of the type Of the VanVall,en-
bergs.
UNCLE JOE" SIBLEY.
The advent of "UncIe Joe" Siblov. the
untrammeled leader of the Democracy
of the northwest, has created a stir
in the political world. Sibley came
out in long statement to the