The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-11-02
STATE ISSUES
ARE BOLDLY MET
State Treasurer Beacon Talks
About His Office Right
Among the People. -
EVERY DOLLAR ACCOUNTED FOB
Democrats Demoralissd Over the FranA
Action Of Republicans In Diseus-
sing the State Issues.
Especial Corrsspondence.)

eAok NV SS1sO soooWs
special Corrsspondence.)
Harrisburg, Oct. 24.-The Democratic
leaders and their sympsthisers have
been. amazed and chAgrined at the
bold and defiant manner In which the
Republican candidate and other orators
In this campaign have met every At
tack made upon the administration OF
the state treasury. The Democracy
have been banking upon the thought
that with national issues properly to
the front Of the canvass. owing to the
fact that Bryan and his followers have
been assailing President Mckinley
that Republicans would confine their
speeches solely to topics bearing upon
the war. But there has not been a
single utterance from Democrat
worthy Of replying to that has not met
a prompt and vigorous response from
the Republican camp. A novel feature
of the canvass is the appearance on
the stump of State Treasurer James s.
Beacon, who meets the people face to
face to discuss the condition of the
finances Of the commonwealth with the
taxpayers.
In the platform adopted at the Re-
publican state convention 1t was de-
clared:
We favor an economical admin
istration Of state affairs and de-
mand the prompt settlement and
collection of all claims and taxes
due by individuals, companies and
corporations. We also favor the
prompt payment Of school war;
rants drawn upon the treasurer,
SO that each district shall be paid
as soon as the appropriation is
needed and demand be made for
the payment thereof.
We believe In reducing the ex-
penses Of the judicial. executive
and legislative branches of the
state government to the minimum,
90 that the public expenditure shall
not exceed the annual revenues. 1t
is source Of qualification to re-
call that our state has never lost
dollar by reason OF the negli-
gence, default or dishonesty OF any
OF its accounting officers. and we
especially commend the business
like and efficient administration OF
the retiring state treasurer, James
s. Beacon.
Upon these two planks Of the plat
form the Republicans Of Pennsylva
MIA are making an aggressive canvass
Colonel Barnett. the nominee for STATE
treasurer, stands pledged to carry ou
the policy therein outlined.
BEACON ON THE ISSUES.
State Treasurer Beacon. in com
menting upon the important Issues o
the canvass. had this to say:
During this campaign statement,
have appeared In the Democratic ant
sorehsad newspapers that the Repub
Iicans dare not 90 to the country thi,
year on state issues; that We are afrit
to discuss the management OF tn
treasury department, and are sodeav
oring to throw dust In the eyes Of tn,
people by keeping up . hurrah on ma
tiOnal questions. So far as I am Der
onally concerned I think the YER!
strongest issue Of the Republican partl
In this campaign IL the ranagemen
Of the treasury department for the las
36 years under successive state treas
urers."
Mr.. Beacon then catered into
minute explanation Of how the moneI
Of the people is managed by the treas
ury department; how Il 10 collected
how II Is cared for. and how 1t 10 pai'
out. He showed that every cent o
money paid into the state treasury 1
traced to the hands of the treasurer
not only by the receipt Of the treasurer
eOuntersigned by the auditor general
but also by the detailed annual rspor
Of the state treasurer. and By the books
Of the auditor general 1t would b>
impossible. he held. for state treas
urer to receive the smallest sum ol
money without the public knowing
that he had % received II.
Continuing, he said: There Is some
difference of opinion a. To the bes,
method Of caring for public funds. A
distinguished Psnnsylvanian argued II
. speech made in Philadelphia during
the last campaign that the none,
should be kept In the vaults OF thu
treasury department and paid out ovel
it, own counters. ! do not pose a.
great Hnancier. but believe express
to you the conviction Of the best dnan
ciers Of the world when say that thil
would be most primitive and vicioul
system. ts' / ~.
"Just now, when business 10 flourish
ing and new enterprises are springinl
up all around US. furnishing an un
paralleled demand for money and 10
Dor, the business world IL confronted
with the fact that several hundred
millions OF dollars are absolutely with
drawn from the channels OF busines
and stored up in the vaults Of the Uni
ted States sub-treasury. whence 1t cal
only come for the purpose OF payinl
claims against the government Now
suppose every state treasurer and ev
cry county trsasurer--for II good 10
one It IL good for all-should lock ~
the balances In their own valuts. wha
would be the result? Such an argu
ment, reduced 70 it, last analysis
means that every man ought to carr,
his money in his own pocket. and tha
ths whole banking system y An svi
that ought TO b abolisAsd. which !
to reduce the argument 70 sucA obviou
absurdity that nothing moro need b
aid ah<,sst a IN an SmAa11i1o0t audi