Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-02-21
LAPORYE PMNA, THURSDAY FEBRUARY 2I9OI

ana ieecnes that swarm around the CITY
hall and court house, prey upon the
vitals OF the city. sap its life blood
and gorge themselves out Of it's treas
ury and franchises that beggars nor
travail However lurid the picture of
~ may be. you may rest assured that
u yet wants coloring. and however
pipe dreamy the story of their graft
may seem. you can be sure that. like
the stories King Solomon of old
heard about the income of the queen
OF Sheha, the half has not been told.
such men as Nero. Caligula and 9TH
ers who ran things pretty much their
own way In the old Rome were mild
ana agreeable potentates In compari-
son to the Pittsburg bosses, and fellows
IKE the rich Croesus and others who
iarmed and manipulated the taxes of
.nat ahclent city were simply not on
10 their Jobs. The gang of Pittsburg
manipulators comprising the so called
city ring and pay roll crowd are fear
less. unblushing and relentless, and op-
crate In the open light Of MONDAY as
vel as at midnight. They WELD pow
er as absolute as that of the car OF all
the Russias. They pull the string
on everything from the ward commit
teemen to the mayors pen. They pull
the string wherever dollar is In sight.
They say the dentists have q pull, but
the tooth carpenters are not two-eleyen
beside the bunch that run this town,
levy the taxes. issue the bonds and
disburse the proceeds thereof by due
process OF enactment and resolutions
in councils solemnly assembled, while
the men whose brains and energy have
created the wealth of this city and
made 1t world famous. and the hard
working laboring men, go down in
their pockets. face the city treasurer
once more with worried look, and
pass out saying, Great God. when and
where will it end?'
Every day one who Is accustomed
to observe things can see these polit-
ical gentlemen of the gum shoe tread
and sinister expression walking about
the streets in the neighborhood of the
court house and city hall. some with
their hands out behind them. and 9TH
ers with little lamps protruding out of
their pockets such as we used to call
dark lanterns"
FOCHT LED THE FIGHT.
After reading this letter Senator
Benjamin K, Focht. of Union county,
who led the fight for the bill made
vigorous speech.
"As ! understand this question:" de-
elared Senator Focht, earnestly, 'it is
not proposed to take away the rights
OF any one, but to break through the
lines OF power. usurped and held by
one tyrant boss. l feel that | am vot-
ing today to emancipate a people who
have long been held under thrasildum,
fearing and trembling lest they, be
ground under the pitiless and merci-
less wheels of municipal corruption
and bossism. All liberty costs; from
the death stab Of Julius Caesar to the
basket which received the head of
Marie Antoinette and the moose which |
strangled Nathan Hale. the world has
seen price paid for every blessing. |
Therefore. II we are to break the fet- |
ters which bind and smart the people |
or Pittsburg we must not stop at the |
sentimental pleadings that mayor
Will be put out of Office when 1t is done |
for such a high purpose.
European economists stand amazed |
at the glory Of our great republic, but
they say we know nothing about mu-
nicipal government From what we
have heard and know to be true in re-
gard TO the abuses in Pittsburg, these
charges are correct. and 1t resides with |
us TO remedy this. Our duty is plain
IN matter so grave; personal bias
should not be permitted to actuate any
one. neither should sentiment nor SEN
atorial courtesy. Already shorn of
much power and the sceptre more than
half way descended, u Is time indeed
FOR meekness. for whimpering, but as
the banditti Of Italy frequently knelt
before shrines of favorite saints and
onered up prayers before going out to
rob and to murder. this attitude Is well
understood and our acts of mercy will
De when we vote away this municipal
feudalism, this fatherland of an Amer
lean boss"
When the vote was taken 2S senator's
voted In favor OF the bill and is against
II.
The bill was then sent to the bouse
ana referred To the committee on mu-
nicipal corporations. where. with but
TWO opposing votes. IL was reported ia
INTERESTING TIMES AHEAD.
There Is promise OF an interesting
when the bill comes up on
second reading. probably tomorrow or
next day. Finn and the Guffey Dem
nerats arc hard at work canvassing
against the measure. and all sorts OF
Inducements are heing held out TO
members to help out the Finn ring.
Republicans of the state will look
with suspicion upon all members of
lhe house elected upon reform plat
form who will now vote to block re-
form In Pittsbure and reward with
continued favor men who have sought
To wreck the Republican party.