The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-10-23
QUAY RING TO TAKE
EVERYTHING IN SIGHT
What Would Follow the Election of
Pennypackcr.
A CLEAN SWEEP OF SPOILS
Philadelphia TO Be In the Grip of a
Gigantic Light, Power and
Transit Combination.
MORE LEci5LATloN is NEEDED
Especial Correspondence.)

the allied forces OF public plunderers
could do, but If the people of Pennsyl-
vania think that high water mark was
then touched they will find themselves
mistaken. If they give a new lease of
power to the same grasping and con-
scienccless element. What was ac-
complished indicated what could be
done along the same lines and plans are
being laid for still greater schemes.
Strengthened by it's own audacity
and encouraged by its sweeping tri-
umphs, the machine proposes to take
everything in sight next time. If it
succeeds at the polls in November 1t
will claim that its policy has been vim
dicated and proceed to entrench itself
for the next twenty-five years. This
is not only possible. it is an absolute
certainty, II the projects now on foot
are carried out The whole state will
be helplessly subject to the gigantic
combination of selfish interests now
at work. Elections will be a mock
cry and tribute To the amount of scores
of millions of dollars will be eXacted
from the people. When the climax
is reached it will be the elimination OF
work that has been going on for ten
years past.
How They Raise Campaign Funds.
The financial bulwark of the Quay
machine has been and is the misuse Of
the state funds their control of the
treasury and the secret support of GER
tain interests that keep out of sight.
Barrels of money have been raised
whenever needed and now it is intend
ed to spend more than ever before in
single state campaign, the deliberate
purpose being to debauch the degraded
portion of the electorate and control
election boards by violence and cor
ruption. If the agents of the machine
can give satisfactory assurances. they
can get the money-all that is demand
ed. They always do. No one is al
lowed to become the beneficiary of
ring favor who does not pay the
freight. For several years prominent
citizen of Philadelphia, having large
business interests, backed the local
bosses most literally. He died sud
denly and instead of leaving a million
or more as every one supposed, his
estate was surprisingly small. He had
been almost bled to death-flnancially
A successor was found, who put up the
money, by the bag full. He was given
1eeting public honors, but being thrifty
minded he got in on the ground floor
with the spectators in public fran
chises and came out far ahead. Great
corporations have been compelled to
stand and deliver to these public pi-
rates until some of their master spirits
have at last called halt They are
today praying for the complete over
throw Of the grafters.
Millions More In Sight.
In PhilaG elpnia it is proposed to sup
plement the immensely profitable
schemes of the past few years. The
people have been SO deeply wronged
that 1t is thought they will weakly
submit to any new trespass upon their
rights, to any new burdens that may
be laid upon them. No other city in
the United States is so completely sub
JSSS W ohCiouo lOSdl tldnSlI liOiOpOly
1t will be remembered that when the
street railway franchise bills were
pushed at Harrisburg it was loudly pro-
claimed that the benevolent purpose
OF the projectors was to break monop-
oily and bring about better conditions.
livery statement to the contrary was
furiously denied. To the last hour
of secret combination negotiations, d.
rectors brazenly declared there was
nothing in it," There has been vast
sum of money divided since and nov
this city is doomed to monopoly and
high fares for fifty years The COM
bine controls traffic on the ground,
under the ground and above the
ground.
Another Gigantic Combine Scheme.
Five years ago the gas works were
taken by corporation that had grad
uaily worked its way to the front. The
service had been demoralized in its di-
rect interest. The people had been SO
grieviously wronged they were ready
to surrender on almost any terms.
Facing winter without COAL or at ex-
tortlonate prices, when they demanded
cheaper gas they were pointed to the
hard and fast terms of ope-sided bar
gain for twenty-five years more. Ex-
perts have shown that the company
could make big money at one-half the
rate they secured. This contract, il
1t Is not changed, will cost the people
OF Philadelphia fully thirty millions of
dollars more than ii should. 1t COM
prises the most gigantic grab in the
history Of municipalities in this coun-
try.
"A community of interest prevails
between the gas company and the
electric light trust, which over-taxes
the municipality through its monopoly,
more than one hundred thousand dol.
lars year, while the people are like
wise held up through extortionate
rates, There has been no competition