The San Francisco call., 1899-04-22
Quay and the latter's appointment by
the Governor as United States Senator:


the Governor as United States Senator:
The acquittal of Senator Quay will be dis
appointment to every lover of justice and every
friend OF good government throughout the
difficulty of convicting potent politicians
charged with public crime. no matter how
clear convincing and overwhelming the evil
dence may be. The story of the corrupt use and
speculation in public money in Pennsylvania is
an old one and has been a matter of notorious
accusation against long line of State Treas
urers and political bosses for many years. Mr..
Quay himself has been again and again accused
OF participation in treasury Jobbtng by the
newspapers of this and other States. Hereto
fore, however, the basis of these accusations
largely consisted of oral testimony and of ale
cations by political opponents. The case which
terminated to-day. unlike previous accusations,
was founded exclusively upon documentary
proof in his own handwriting and that Of his
friends and confederates. The evidence OF the
guilt did not depend upon the Yeracity or any
man or men. but was supported exclusively
by his own letters and by written entries and
statements recorded by his trusted friends and
supporters. From the day the prosecution
against him was instituted until the verdict
recorded he has sought by every device to
delay and -obstruct the efforts of the common
wealths officers to produce the written evil
trial for his offenses The removal OF the case
from the lower court the eve OF the day
extraordinary writ issued by the Supreme
Court which that court subsequently dis
missed, was successful in taking the prosecu-
ton away from the management OF former
District Attorney Graham, whose ability zeal
and effectiveness as a prosecutor had been de-
monstrated by eighteen years of service. The
same affort 70 nrevent a full exposition of his
acts public official and his connection with
the private use of public money marked avery
step in the extraordinary line OF defense which
his skillful attorneys adopted during his trial
in resisting the Jealous and able efforts of
District Attorney Rothermel TO INTRODUCE ICE an an
the inculpating evidence in possession or the
commonwealth. By technical objection he ex-
cluded the evidence offered to show that dur
ing his term State Treasurer he was paid In
tereSt on State deposits and also the receipt
of interest by subsequent Treasurers charged in
the bill of indictments as being. conspirators
with him in crime and finally failed to take
the stand in his own defense Ind submit him-
self TO CROSSE examination upon the charge
friend. Mr.. Hopkins and which set out the
story of treasury corruptions. was overwhelm-
the testimony and admission of his friend.
Mckee and by the signature of his friend and
co-defendant, B. J. Haywood. Notwithstand-
ing all this proof, emanating exclusively from
the lips and pens of himself and his closest
friends, and in the face of his own silence and
failure to testify to his innocence, he was ac-
This is new chapter of shame for Pennsyl-
vania, a record of failure in the admin
istration Of justice that will do much to en-
courage corruDtionists and public plunderers
generally throughout the country. The first
shout OF oenaht eNuttaO0h over ms acquittaI q
has proceeded from the Governor OF the com
monwealth. who has promptly appointed him
United States Senator without authority and
in violation of the law and In defiance of the
will of the people as expressed by the votes of
the Legislature. 1t is fitting in every way
that the capstone should have thus been put
upon the ediffee Of boss rule and machine job
berry by the Quay representative in the Gov
ernor's S chair. We Will thus more clearly.
il is to be hoped, the reckless disregard of right
and decency, of public morality and political
purity that characterizes the Quay machine
now intrenched in office in Pennsylvania.
But friends of good government should not
despair. There other indictments to be dis
posed of stlll hanging over Quay and whatever
may be their fate, even though it should be
technical acquittal, the contest against the
degrading forces, practices and principles
which Quay ard his machine represent will be
carried on until justice and right morality and
honesty, shall triumph. The friends of good
government will enlist in this warfare to-day
and must continue unremittingly and unfiinch-
ingly the strife against all wrongdoing and
wrongdoers in any party and in all parties, re-
gardless of temporary setbacks or defeats,
I'll the treasury jobbers shall be driven from
official power in the commonwealth To-day s
verdict settles nothing but the fate of the
single bill of indictment upon which Quay was
tried.