The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-03-06
HARRISBURG LETTER
Harris Libel Sult--A Damnlng Record
Aoainst Corrupt Politics.

Against Corrupt Politics.
Harrisburg, Feb 24.-Nothing has
occurred since the adjournment Of the
last corrupt legislature to inspire so
genuine and general feeling of dis
gust for machine politics as the re-
cent suit of Harris VS.. Meek, on the
charge of libel. The case should be
reversed, for it was Harris who was
in reality on trial and proved guilty
substantially.
That rake offs and bribes in various
forms were demanded for getting ap-
prooriations for charitable institu-
ions was known to few on the in
ide and suspected by many, but it
like a peal of thunder from a
ar sky to have placed in evidence in
N court letter from the state
lsurer-elect that he demanded 500
helping to get an appropriation for
ospital, of which four-ifths of the
tents are from Harris own county.
was his sworn duty as a member OF
tie house to aid in getting the appro-
priation, and he violated that oath II
he took anything beyond his salary
for his efforts.
He claimed on the stand that he
spent four or five days hard work on
the floor of the house for the bill. Even
il he did it was part of the duty for
which he swore to take nothing but
his salary. But the truth is he didn't
spend four days, nor four hours, work
f.. l.. ha ,rnupd He Gaih
further that he went to Harrisburg
especially to see the governor to in
duce him to sign the bill. The fact is
he was on his way to Philadelphia,
travelling on a pass and stopped off at
Harrisburg as he would perhaps have
done If there had been no Phillipsburg
hospital in existence
Politicians of the machine stripe are
cursing Harris soundly for his stu
pidity in bringing suit which has
done so much to confirm what the peo-
pie already believed-that the last
legislature was as corrupt as Judas,
and that Harris was selected as the
candidate for state treasurer because
he had been a most subservient tool
for the machine. Harris evidently de-
pended on the favor of the court to win
his case. Any man with particle of
discretion in his makeup would not
have rushed into a trial in which evil
dence of his own wrong doing would
likely be brought to light. He per-
haps thought the court would rule,
like the speaker of the last house, and
shut off everything that would in any
way hurt his own case. He little
dreamed that damning evidence, not
from the lips of a political opponent,
but deliberately penned by his own
hand, would confront him, as Ban
quo's ghost appeared before Macbeth.
Busch's testimony on the stand, in
vhich he declared that he falsified the
ecords of the house under penalty of
osing his position, is but more evil
dence of the damnable proceedings of
the last house. Neither Clerk Garvin,
nor Speaker Marshall, nor anybody
else, has come forward to say that
Busch testified to what was not true.
He but stated what is already known,
that bill after bill was passed last win
ter at Harrisburg by falsifying the
record.
Harris was nominated by conven-
ton which unanimously instructed him
10 vote for Col. Irwin for United States
senator. The delegates to the conven-
ton were themselves unanimously in
structed to require this pledge of their
candidates for the assembly. Harris,
true to his record says that he was
released from this pledge by Col Ir-
win; but the truth is he was not so
released, and evidence can be adduced
in support of the fact as clear as the
evidence that Harris demanded money
from the trustees Of the Phillipsburg
hospital Tor aid in getting their appro-
priation.
Harris is neither better nor worse
than he was at the time of the cleo
tion, but people know him better. The
fact that he ran away behind in his
own county last fall shows that he
runs best where least known. Truly,
the people of Pennsylvania ought to
repent in sack-cloth and ashes for
their consummate folly in electing
such man to take charge of the
money of the state. NORMAN.