Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-10-09


part in the war of the revolution. and
afterwards were always active in the
development of their country's inter-
| estS.
William T. Greasy was educated in
the common schools of his neighbor-
hood and the Catawissa academy, and
graduated from the Bloomsbury State
Normal school in 1875. He also re-
ceived, under private tutor. Ger
man education in connection with his
other studies.
AT the age of 16 he commenced
teaching school, and continued in that
profession for number of years. He
began farming for himself in the
spring of 1876, which occupation he
has followed ever since, devoting much
of his attention to stock raising and
fruit growing
Mr.. Greasy was the originator of the
white Plymouth Rocks" and first
exhibited them at the great poultry
show held at Madison Square Garden,
New York city, in 1886, and besides
getting the first prize, received many
encomiums from the leading poultry
men of the United States and Canada.
His orchards, vineyards and various
small fruit sections of his well kept
farm forcibly reveal the careful atten-
tion given to this work, while his well
filled barns and granares show that
He plows deep while sluggards sleep"
Mr.. Greasy has distnctively agri-
cultural ancestry. who, after fighting
in the revolutionary war, settled in
central Pennsylvania, near spot
which is now known as Greasy Sta
tion," on the Pennsylvania railroad,
bordering the Susquehanna river, near
Bloomsbury.
ACTIVITY IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
Farmer" Greasy, like good citi-
zen, tooi an active interest in the af
fairs of his county and district ana
for four terms served as a school d.
rector of his native township. In 1893
he was asked to accept the ofiice Of
mercantile appraiser. and faithfully
served in that capacity during his term
of office
In 1894 by the urgent request of his
many friends he became a candidate
for the legislature, received the nomi-
nation and was elected. He was re-
nominated in 1896 without opposition,
and again elected.
Although the rule in Columbia coun-
ty Is to give only two terms to its
members, in Farmer Creasy's case 1t
was set aside and he was forced to ac-
cept a third term. and in 1898 was
again unanimously nominated and
elected. Mr.. Creasy's ability and in
tegrity had become well known to the
Democracy of the state. and the Demo-
cratic press with prominent men Of
that party, throughout the common
wealth, urged his constituency to re-
turn him again to the legislature, so
that the party could have a tried and
trusted champion on the floor whom
the minority could depend upon as a
jealous and faithful leader in the
struggles for better government.
ACHIEVEMENTS AS A LEGISLA-
TOR.
His constituency needed no prompt
ing, for they well knew his worth be-
fore this. and he was triumphantly
returned for third time. His party
in the legislature gave him the unani-
nous nomination as their choice for
speaker in recognition of his ability
and fidelity to the principles of reform
In state affairs. which he and his col
leagues on the minority side were
bravely battling for.
III llio dD16 StSSlOu VI 1880 MT.
Greasy first came into prominence in
his fight against the Marshall pipe
line BILL" and in the same session was
the advocate of the farmers when the
Ritter equalization tax bill" was be-
fore the house. He took an active
stand against the banking bill, SUI
perior court bill and the public grounds
bill, all of which were to increase Of
ficials and take from the treasury
many thousands of dollars.
In the session of 1897 his honest and
sincere work in the house won for
him the admiration of many of his
Republican colleagues and no better
compliment could be paid him than
that uttered by most prominent Re-
publican politician. who in speaking
of the work of that session said:
while in the last legislature (1S97)
some of the Democratic senators and
a number of the Democratic members
Of the lower house. led by the incor-
ruptible Greasy, of Columbia county,
were always found on the side of the
people"
CHAMPION OF HONEST LABOR
At all the sessions he was an earnest
advocate of all bills that tended to
alleviate the condition of the work.
ingman, and his fight in committee to
restore to the laboring people the
Orme store order bill will never be
forgotten by them. Farmer Greasy
stood by the Bullitt charter bill in this
session when it was in danger.
The Andrews bank bill would have
taken away all protection to depositors
by allowing stockholders after looting