The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-10-02
PATTISON'S FIGHT
FOR PUBLIC HONESTY
An Unimpeachable Record of
Official Fidelity.
GUARDED THE TREASURY
AS Controller and Governor He Firmly
Opposed All Forms OF Extrav-
agance and Fraud.
AGAINST BOGUS PAY ROLLS
Determined Efforts to Correct Appro-
priation Bill EviIs-Plain
Talk to Legislators.
AGAINST BOGUS PAY ROLLS
FACTS FoRJuDeE PENNYPAcKER
Special Correspondence.


Harrisburg, Sept. 30.-No citizen of
Pennsylvania who has served the peo-
pie in public capacity has ever been
more vigilant, courageous and faithful
In the discharge of all the duties as
signed him than Robert e. Pattison.
This is the story of the record made
during five years occupancy of the
city controllers Office in Philadel-
phia, and eight years as governor.
Upon one point particularly was this
official most strenuous in demanding
strict compliance with the law, in let
ser and spirit He always stood at
the door of the public treasury guard
ing it to the extent of his power from
illegal and unjust attacks. All the
world knows that it was this fidelity
TO duty in the first Office he held which
impelled the people to call him up
higher. He saved the taxpayers of
Philadelphia large amount OF money
and instituted reforms in the auditing
Of the public accounts which have con-
tinued to this day. Further since
1882, no man has aspred TO that Office
who did not possess the very highest
measure of public respect and con-
ndence.
How He Watched Appropriations
When he came to Harrisburg, in
January. 1883, Governor Pattison said
TO a friend: 81 expect to have about
as hard a time as any man has ever
had for the first year After that it
viii be smoother sailing" In accord
ance with his clear ideas of duty, and
invincible purpose to meet every OBJ
lection, the governor promptly began
the closest scrutiny of every bill sent
him by the Legislature especially those
involving appropriations of the pub
lie money. He disapproved a large
number of measures of this kind. He
returned the general appropriation
bill of the regular session of 1883
with many sections disapproyed, in
whole or in part He called attention
10 the fact that the items referred to
had no proper legal standing and most
vigorously contended for strict COM
pliance with the law. He denounced
the proposed payment of extra COM
pensation to certain officers of the leg
islature, as "a most glaring attempt
TO increase salaries over fifty per cent.
in plain violation of the constitution
and laws" He discussed the matter
in detail, with great clearness and
conclusiveness. He expressed the
earnest hope that he would be relieved
in the future of the unpleasant task
of disappearing of so many items, but
declared that he should rigidly main
tain the provision of the constitution
in question, both because he believed
ii to be his sworn duty and because he
regarded the section quoted "as emf
nently wise and proper
Again, in 1885, the governor met this
issue, quoting in his support the just
protest of Governor Hoyt, who, in 1881,
had pointed out the illegality OF extra
compensation appropriations. lie
showed that the practice objected to
was utterly unjust, was without any
warrant of law and was nothing less
than a species of public robbery The
legislature, to it's discredit be it said,
both houses being Republican, disre-
garded the executive veto but the gov
ernor's record must always commend
him to the highest consideration of his
fellow citizens. The amount he turned
down effectively at the session of 1888,
when the house was Democratic, was
over $35,0OO
Scathng Rebuke to Legislators.
The people have not forgotten Gov
ernor Pattison's consistent and cour-
ageous action in disappearing the half
million dollar appropriation bill passed
at the fruitless extra session of 1888.
This constituencies grab as compensa-
ton for doing nothing and refusing to
pass just apportionment bills, was ex-
posed and denounced in veto message
of remarkable strength, a document
that was read and heartily approved by
all honest citizens regardless of parti-
san views. Here are some timely ex-
tracts from this historic rebuke to
faithless legislators;
After wasting six months in con.
semning the constitution, members now
send me this bill to pay themselves half
million dollars for refusing to do
what they were elected and sworn to
do. Every consideration of law and
the simplest principles of common JUS
tice protest against such an attempt
to take the money of the people with
out consideration. There Is no law
authorizing public officers to pay them
selves for defying the law. No citi-
zen in his private business capacity
would sanction such principle as that
underlying this bill Monstrous as
such claim would be under any cir
camstances, 1t is yet more repugnant