The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1899-08-09
Complete VindicatiOn by the
Courts of His VetOes of Con-
stiiutiOnal Amendments.
IN IMMENSE SAVING TO THE STATE.
An Heroic Executive Upheld Despite a
Campaign Of Personal Abuse Backed by
Tammany Promoters of an Expensive
Voting Machine.
Special Correspondence.)

HarrlSDuTS, Aug. S.-GONernOT oIOne
has been sustained by the Dauphin
county court in his vetoes of the pro-
posed amendments to the constitution
passed by the last legislature. This
gratifying outcome of a long and Bit
ter controversy should be hailed with
expressions of delight by the taxpayers
of Pennsylvania. The heroic action
of the governor has saved the COM
nonwealth hundreds of thousands of
dollars. The resolutions providing for
the submission of two amendments
to the constitution were rushed
through both branches of the legisla-
ture with scarcely and discussion. Pub
lie attention was not attracted to them
to any extent The people had little
opportunity to fully appreciate their
far reaching effects. When Governor
Stone, in his careful review of the
work Of the late turbulent session of
the legislature, calmly considered the
purport and sweeping character of
these resolutions he promptly vetoed
them. One provided for personal reg
istration Of voters, and the other was
disguised to allow the introduction of
voting machines in place of the pres
ent system of balloting. There was
no popular demand for either of these
innovations. The first resolution ema-
mated from a few of the professional
reform agitators in Philadelphia who
are constantly taking up some new
fad so that they may appear in the
newspapers as leaders of advanced
ideas in state and municipal govern
ment. They are mostly lawyers with
limited practice and merchants who,
by figuring in these movements, obtain
cheap notoriety, which counts as so
much free advertising.
A MACHINE SNAKE.
The proposition for the introduction
of the voting machines came from a
syndicate of Tammany politicians who
control the patents for the machines
which they had introduced in New
York. They got the resolution for the
proposed amendment to our constitu-
tion passed simply as a business ven
ture. They had a professional lobby
ist here during the session of the leg
islature, who engineered the scheme
to put the resolution through. This
Tammany politician was indignant
when he learned of the action of Gov
ernor Stone in blocking his game. He
swore he would win out, despite the
action of the executive. He at once
inaugurated a Tovement to discredit
the governor and to manufacture senti.
ment in favor of the proposed amend.
ment. The scheme was cleverly work
ed up. The voting machine project
was kept in the background. Soon
however, the professional reformers oil
Philadelphia got to work, with the aid
of the insurgent and Democratic news.
papers, which are always ready to as.
sail Pennsylvania's stalwart Republi.
can governor. They made it appear
that a great wrong had been done;
that the cause of reform had beer
made to suffer. They seemed to be
interested only in the matter of per-
sonal registration of voters. But the
real "nigger in the woodpile," the vot-
ing machine, which was to be benefit
tea by any success that might come
through their agitation, was never
mentioned in these newspapers. Sec
rotary of the Commonwealth Griest de-
cllned their request to advertise the
proposed amendments regardless of the
vetoes of the governor.
ELKIN WAS MAGNANIMOUS.
Next they appealed to Attorney Gen.
oral Elkin to allow the use of the name
or the commonwealth in mandamus
proceedings in the Dauphin county
n hn
commonwealth to advertise as they de.
manded. The organs of the insur-
gents, that had been misrepresentine
Governor Stone and his cabinet from
the outset, at once began to predict
that Attorney General Eikin would de.
ny this request. They were greatly
disappointed however, when Mr.. Ell.
kin, in a lengthy and able opinion. ac.
ceded to their wishes, but at the same
time, in a careful and masterly re.
view of the case and the precedents
pointed out that Governor Stone wa!
entirely justified in his action, tha
resolutions of a similar character haC
for years been submitted to both thC
Republican and Democratic governors
and that the right of the executive Il
pass uron such measures had beel
generally recognized. The profes
sional reform agitators were hardly
prepared for this magnanimous actor
upon the part of the chief law officer o.
the Stone administration, who frankly
said that he was entirely satisfied tha
the name of the commonwealth SHOULD
be used in hearing a judicial determi
nation of the point at issue. The at
torney general evidently had no doub
Of the propriety and regularity of tht
governors action, and did not hesitate
to say so.
SUSTAINED BY THE COURT.
In due time the matter came befor,
Judge Weiss in the .Dauphin county
county court. The alleged reformeri
were represented by counsel and, O
course, there was distinguished anC
expensive legal talent on hand to lool
after the voting machine interests. l
one veto was not sustained of courst
the same decision would cover thu
other. Congressman Olmstead. of thi
district and former Attorney Genera
Hensel, of Lancaster. appeared on be
half Of Secretary of the Commonwealth
HliNots ih'lt was 81 olJil lieu leSdl DdJ
tie. The lawyers seeking the manda
mus on the secretary of the common
wealth, requiring him TO advertise tn,
proposed constitutional amendments
argued that these resolutions did no
Hamilton Clark, of Chauncey, Ga. saw
be suffered with itching piles twent,
years before trying DeWitts Witch Ha
zel Salve. two boxes of which completed,
cured him. Beware of worthless anC
dangerous counterfeits. Heath & Kill
mer.
one Minute Cough Cure quickly cure