The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1901-03-06
GREAT TRIUMPH
FOR REFORM.
Finn Ring Beaten in the State
Legislature,
COL. QUAY LED THE FIGHT,
Citizens of pittsburE Who Have Sc
cured Their Desired New Charter
Regular Republican Leadership.

age or the reform charter hill BY the
legislature last week.
There is reason to believe that the
ring which has been dominating the Of
fetal life Of Pittsburg, under the lead
ership Of lnsurgent Chief William
Finn, is about to he broken and that
the demand for a reform administra-
tion of public affairs in that munich
pality will be complied with through
the efforts of the leaders of the Re
publican organization of the state.
After a most remarkable battle, a
struggle lasting several weeks, the Finn
contingent and their DemocSatic allies
and a few recruits from the ranks Of
those who started out as stalwarts in
the senatorial campaign, were finally
beaten in the house on Thursday morn
ing last. when the so-called ripper" +"
or charter reform bill, was passed final
ly exactly as it came from the senate,
by vote of 106 to SO, Under the pro-
visions Of the constitution lOS votes
were required to pass this measure, so
that there was but a small margin over
this in the final vote,
INSURGENTS WERE SURPRISED.
Finn and a full hundred of his lieu
tenants from Pittsburg were on hand
lobbying against the bill, and they had
counted upon u majority against 1t
when they on Wednesday night, called
for a vote upon a motion to indefinitely
postpone consideration of the bill
They demanded the yeas and nays. and
were given a terrible shock when they
found that lO2 members voted against
postponement and only % in favor of
sidetracking the measure
From that moment the stalwarts be-
came stronger and the Finn men
weaker and weaker although the
Finn lobby remained at work all
night, many of them not going to bed
at all, and they still hoped when the
vote for final passage was taken that
there would be one or two votes, or
less than the constitutional majority,
for the bill,
RING METHODS INTRODUCED.
In their desperate efforts TO prevent
a vote on the bill the Finn henchmen
resorted to filibustering tactics of the
most drastic character. One of the
Finn supporters, Representative Ho-
sack, in defiance of the rulings Of the
speaker of the house and in violation
of parliamentary law, refused TO take
his seat and continued TO interrupt the
clerk while he was calling the roll
When an assistant sergeant-at-arms
in pursuance of instructions from the
chair, went to HosaCk and requested
him TO be seated. he still refused. and
then he was firmly pressed down into
his place. A small sized riot followed.
with partisans of the disorderly insur-
gents rushing at the assistant sergeant
alarms and roughly handling him.
The speaker finally obtained order.
but the actions of Hosack and those
who attempted to break up the session
has called forth very severe criticism
from every section of the state. This
conduct was in line with the action Of
the insurgents who organized a rump
house during the last session of the
legislature, when they were working
against Col Quay for senator. but it
quite surpassed in the desperate char
acter OF the work anything attempted
two years ago.
Col. Quay, who arrived from Florida
TO PERSONAL direct the forces in favor
Of the reform charter bill, expressed
great satisfaction over the victory of
the regulars
The people of Pittsburg fully appre-
ciate his services.
Copies of resolutions passed at a
large meeting of influential citizens Of
Pittsburg have just been received here.
COL. QUAY PRAISED.
These resolutions, after referring to
the passage of the reform charter bill.
set forth:
That it is the duty of all friends Of
good government, without party dis
tinction, to lend their hearty cO-opera
tion to the work which has been so
splendidly begun.
THAT the earnest thanks of the
whole people of Pennsylvania are due
70 the legislature and to the Republl-
can state organization for the adoption
of the above act for the better admins
tration of second class cities; and par
ticularly should popular congratula-
tions be extended to the Hon. Matthew
Stanley Quay for the aid he gave in
this timely victory of upright civic
principle, the assertion of which at
this juncture and in this manner is, as
he reminds us, merely the redemption
of pledges made by the Republican
party Of this commonwealth; and
Whereas, II is publicly announced
by those whose interest it has been to
antagonize those pledges that the fight
against the fulfllment of the Republi-
can party's obligation to the people
has only been opened, and whereas il
is beyond doubt that they will continue
their opposition with all the means and
all the energy at their command
WILL FIGHT FOR REFORM.
Resolved, That the Republicans OF
this assemblage pledge themselyesto use
| every honorable means to complete the
! political regeneration for which the
act of the legislature has opened the
| door; that we promise to inaugurate
our part of the task by perfecting at
once the organization of our respec-
tive districts and renewing our cam
paign for the bringing of the city and
county government into closer rela-
tion with the interests of the taxpayer
and the private citizens, where we left
of after the unavailing but inspiring
fight of 1896; and that we stand ready
TO join with the leaders of the reform
movement in any and all steps neces-
sary for the cOnsummation of the work
in Pittsburg and Allegheny county
that the legislature at Harrisburg has
begun We accept the implied chal-
lenge Of the champions Of the ring gov.
ernment contained in the declaration
that the battle is only in its prelimi.
nary stages, and we confidently appea
to the people Of our districts to note
well the issues upon which that battle
has been joined and upon which Il will