The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-10-22

rIlUay 10 Monuay nISn. oeua.or Wenz
started protest signed by thousands
of citizens of the county. but that made
no impression on Snyders mind. He
voted for the bill and it was passed.
There was another curious method
for robbing the people of valuable
property developed during that session
of odious memory. 1t will be remem-
bered that group of political crooks
and machine dependents had discover
ed scheme by which it was possible
to acquire without giving valuable con-
sideration millions of tons of coal un-
der the rivers of the commonwealth.
The process was the same as that by
which unclaimed lands are taken by
patent. This gigantic system OF spoil
iation had been begun in Fayette and
other western counties and warrants
for the property had been issued. Rep
resentative Corey. of Luzerne county,
thereupon introduced a bill to revoke
the warrants and make further issues
of the kind impossible. He showed by
carefully prepared statistics fully au-
thenticated and beyond dispute that
the loss to the state if his bill was not
passed would amount to the enor-
nous sum of $4,000 0000 But that
fact didn't restrain Snyder from vot-
ing against it, In fact it appeared to
have only whetted his desire in the
matter to a keen edge and he promptly
and loudly voted no.
Noted For Everv Pad ALL
There were a number Of other bills
upon which Senator Snyder voted neg
atively and ii has been said, not with
out good reason, that he voted for
every bad bill and against every good
measure during his ten years service in
the. senate. Among those which he
voted against were the so-called Guffey
ballot reform bill. In his speeches dur
ing the previous campign for election
of senator's and representatives in the
legislature Senator Quay had pledged
himself to the support of any fair bal
lot bill which Democratic National
Committee lan Guffey would recon-
mend. Soon after the legislative ses-
sion began number of leading Demo-
Gratis got 1gether and framed a bill
which Colonel Guffey recommended.
1t was introduced in both houses of the
legislature and Senator Quay was in
vited to fulfill his pledge. He went to
Harrisburg and with other leaders of
his party went into conference with an
equal number of leading Democrats,
including Colonel Guffey. After going
over the measure carefully Quay admit
ted its fairness and the justice of the
demand to make his pledge good, but
said he couldn't control his men.
Among those he couldn't control was
Snyder, for he was among the most
vociferous against the bill. But Quay
had no trouble in controlling him SUBJ
sequently for the franchise grabs and
other vicious legislation.
Another bill which Senator Snyder
refused to vote for during that session
was one requiring state officials to
itemize statements of expenses in an
nual reports" There is DO greater
source of fraud in the public service
than the expense accounts of state Of
ficials. That is where the money
comes from to pay salaries on padded
pay rolls and make up deficits on any
old account. Expenses, so much, is
comprehensive and confusing express
sion. But if itemized statements were
required there would be no oppor-
tunity to pad pay rolls or supply de-
ficiency through other irregularities.
For this reason the bill in question
was introduced-and promptly defeat
ed among its most active antagonists
being Senator William p. Snyder.
Mr.. Creasy's amendment to the road
bill of that session. providing for the
taxation of corporations to pay the ex-
penses of road building, maintenance
and improvement, was also opposed
by Senator Snyder with equal energy
and earnestness. He preferred to put
that burden on the farmers.
The Session of 1908.
The legislature of 1903 was less pro-
life in vicious legislation, but it was
not free by any means. AS matter of
fact most of the crooked bills were
killed or rather dropped on the last
day of the session. for the reason, II
was generally surmised, that Governor
Pennypacker would veto them if they
were passed. Among these were an
act to repeal the act to authorize the
governor to incorporate the Susque-
hanna canal. which was approved in
1885. 1t is believed that there were all
kinds of money in that measure for
the gang" Another was an act to
amend the act authorizing county
commissioners to rebuild county
bridges destroyed by flood or fire. This
was likewise juicy job and was said
to be good for a million at least. An
act providing for the incorporation of
companies for the filtration and and
publication of water and supply the
same to the public. This was known
as "the water snake" and was a special
pet of the machine.
Another bill upon which the machine
put much hope for loot was an act to