The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1901-09-19
HARRISBURG LETTER.
General Gobin's Charges Against the
Machine Legislature.


OF course the tragic death of the
President has been the topic upper
most in the minds of men in official
and political lite of the state capital
since that sad event last Friday
night and it may be added that no
less important an affair would have
served the purpose of diverting pop
ular attention from the recent as
sertion of Lieutenant Governor ].
P. S. Goblin that the legislature
which adjourned less than two
months ago was the most corrupt
i'll the history of the state. Com
ing from such a man under such
circumstances the statement not
only shook the state from centre to
circumference, but left capitol hill
in a tremble for considerable time.
General Goblin has especial op-
portunity to be familiar with the
subject to which he refers. As pre-
siding officer Of one of the ranches
of the legislature he was necessar-
lily in touch with affairs and an OBJ
server, though probably unwilling,
of the methods and processes of leg
islation. In denouncing in emphat-
ic language the venality. which
came within his knowledge during
the session it cannot be said that he
was influenced by political preju-
dices. General Goblin is a republi-
can of the most stalwart type. For
many years he has been in the fore
front of political contention and it
may be added, something Of a fa-
vorite among the leaders of his
party. For fourteen years he filled
the Office of senator in the legisla-
ture and always occupied place
among the leaders of the body. He
has been an officer in the National
Guard for many years and stands
high in the G. A. R. and other fra
ternal societies. In fact he is the
last man in the state who would be
likely to make careless accusations
against his party associates and fell
low public officials.
But as a matter of fact General
Goblin has made accusations that
cannot go unnoticed. He declares
that venality permeated every
branch of the legislature during the
session recently ended. Senators
and representatives, he added, were
on the auction block and bribery
became so common that there was
no pretence at concealment finally.
Every measure of legislation in
which the machine was concerned
was obtained through bribery and
corruption. The "ripper" bills both
for first and second class cities were
passed by purchased votes. The
franchise grab bill passed through
saturnalia of bribery. The at
tempt to steal valuable coal depos-
its under the streams of the COM
monwealth was attended by open
and undisguised venality and was
defeated only because the corrup-
tion became too obvious, if General
Goblin is to be believed, and though
nearly week was elapsed since he
made. the charge it is still unchal-
lenged. No member of the legisla-
ture and no leader of the party re-
sponsible for the legislature has I'M
dertaken to deny the charges,
Yet the republican party in state
convention assembled put the seal
of its appreciation on the Legislature
and the work it performed. The
platform OF that party adopted by
that convention is said to have been
written by the attorney general OF
the state, Hon. John P. Elkin. 1t
is also said and with good reason
that Mr.. Elkin was not only famil-
lar with the methods of legislation,
but that he was part of the ma
chine that pro6ted by the measures
the character of which Is thus chal.
lenged. Moreover he is con6den-
tly believed to be the choice of the
machine for the republican nomi-
nation for governor next year. Un-
der the circumstances the endorse
ment of the legislature is an appro-
val of corruption. 1t is, unless the
charges OF General Goblin are dis
proved, notice to the public that
venality is virtue in a legislator
and bribery merit among men.