Evening star., 1901-11-22
Sensation in the Situation in Penn
sylvania
PRFsBgRG'S RECORDER REMOVED
Gov. Stones Statement in Re-
gard to His Action.
DIFFICULTY FOR QUAY

The sensation OF the day In pOE11cS IS
| the turn the situation In Pennsylvania has
! taken. Senator Quay. who had just sue
ceeded in routing all his foes. and clinching
his position with a sweeping victory IN
Philadelphia at the last election, finds him.
self confronted with a very lively revolu-
tion that has just broken out In the western
end Of the state.
It is headed by the executive Of the state.
Governor Stone, who apparently has allied
his interests with those Of State Senator
Finn, one Of Senator Quay's most active
opponents in the factional dispute that has
convuisea the republican party OF Peunsyl-
vania far several years.
The latest development is the governors
action in removing the recorder OF Pitts
burg. the executive officer Of that city un-
der the new form of municipal government
put into operation by the last legislature.
This official, Mr. A. M. Brown. was ap-
pointed by the governor last summer, much
to the CONSERVATION OF the Finn faction
and the delight Of Senator Quay's follow
ers.
Recorder Brown promptly began to clean
out the Finn men in the Pittsburg public
offices. He made number of summary
removals and threatened others. All dur
ing the summer and fall Mr.. Finn has
been trying to rearrange the deal In Pitts
burg and apparently has now succeeded.
The new recorder, appointed by the gov
ernor, is Mr.. j. o. Brown. Mr.. Flinns chief
lieutenant. 1t is supposed he win proceed
to rehabilitate the machine his predecessor
had started In to destroy, and Will appoint
anti-Quay men to the offices.
Senator Quay, who is in Washington. last
night wired to Pittsburg that the removal
Of Recorder A. M. Brown was against his
earnest and repeated protest and advice,
and I repudiate all connection with 1t or
responsibility for its consequences, which
may be far-reaching and disastrous"
Gov. stones Statement.
| Governor Stone last night issued a long
statement to the public, giving his reasons
/ for the removal of Mr.. A. M. Brown. The
1 sum and substance of fns explanation was
| that Mr.. A. M. Brown, who was holding
an appeintive Office merely until recorder
/ could be elected had used his Office to build
up a political machine and had discharged
| officials for political reasons.
| The governor evidently realized that he
| would immediately be accused OF attempt
ing to build up machine Of his own and
| that the removal would be put upon politi-
| cal grounds, for he anticipated criticisms
| Of that kind by the following statement:
'I do this without regard to political re-
| suits. All this talk about my securing
promises that l shall succeed Senator
/ Quay is absolutely false. I nave no agree
ment or arrangement with any person to
| support me for United States senator. I
| trust that those who know me will not be-
/ lieYe that / would begin campaign now
| for an office that does not become vacant
| until 1905. ..,.
| III the desire to become United States
| senator Influenced my official acts. prob
| ably would not take this course. But 1 am
/ quite sure that would do as have done if
| l positively knew that / would for this act
| never again receive political recognition Of
| any kind" -
! Governor Stones action was deprecated
| by his attorney general Mr.. Elkin, who is
] credited with gubernational aspirations. Mr.
| Eikin pleaded earnestly and long with the
governor not to stir up the factional trou-
BILE in the western end of the state, but
| without avail.
4 1t has been rumored in Pennsylvania for
some time that Governor Stone was after
/ the seat of United States Senator Penrose,
whose term expires in 1903. To secure this
plum he would of necessity have to deal
/ with Senator Quay, and If the latter de-
| clined to drop Senator Penrose, would have
to openly fight "the old man" as Mr.. Quay
Is called by his followers. Many politicians
| think the governor has decided to go ahead
with efforts to build up political ma
chine which will enable him in the future
either to do business with the senior Sen
ator from Pennsylvania, or, If the worst
| comes to the worst, to try a fall With him.
An Interesting Postscript.
| very interesting feature Of the gov
ernor's statement to the public is post
script, which was added late last night
| 1t follows
"P. S.-Since writing the above letter
| there has been material for a postscript
which think should be added. 1 left
| Philadelphia yesterday for Harrisburg
| at 4:30. l found T. 8. Bigelow, esq.,, or
I the car and We talked in a friendly way
about Pittsburg matters. I told him it
| was my intention to remove Recorder
Brown and gave him my reasons SUBJ
stantfaify above. J. He parted from me
| in apparent good hurEor.
| about 10 o'clock last night friend
called somewhat excited to say that he
had seen Mr. Bigelow, VINO had said to
/ him in substance that If 1 removed Re-
| corder Brown I would be ruined polftf-
cally; that during the last legislature
1 demanded $500, 900 for signing bills, but
/ finally compromised for $150u00, which
sum was paid me; that the papers had
| this story with cartoons all prepared
] to publish the moment I removed Re
corder Brown. This message, being pur-
posely sent me, I receive in the spirit It
| is sent, as a threat 1 am neither to be
influenced by bribes nor intimidated by
| threats. The story is FALSE l have
never received dollar from any person
improperly. l defy this charge and all
| other false charges. am not afraid of
| the papers or their cartoons If they
! could ruin me would have been ruined
| long ago. WILLIAM A. STONE
CHANGE WILL BE SWEEPING.
Complete Shake-Up In Pittsburg,s