Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1903-02-27
STOP THIEFw

been loyal to his country and re-
fused the command of regiment
rendered him by the British when
they held Michigan; and ne was also
vouched for by Gen. William Henry
Harrison, Postmaster General Meigs
and others of national reputation.
Consequently, when the old soldier
stated that he had no intention of
bribery, but honestly wanted to pay
for extra services which were re-
quested by him, he was mildly repri-
manded by the speaker, and released
from custody.
Charges of corruption in Office
have oftentimes been made in the
public prints, but the records of con-
gress show no other specific charges
to have been investigated. When
ever any great revenue bill is pend
ing, it has become customary for
charges of a general nature to be
banded about, but it is creditable
to our country that an atmosphere
of purity has usually surrounded the
halls of legislation. The presence of
the lynX-eyed newsgatherers may be
given credit for something of this
creditable condition.
One of the most creditable days in
the history of the life of the late
William Mckinley was the day of the
announcement of his business fail
ure. In the company of many other
close and anxious observers of
events, the writer had witnessed the
comings and goings of scores of
wealthy men, and the accredited rep
resentatives of shipping interests
and other great commercial inter-
ests, in and out of the room of the
committee on ways and means, while
the Mckinley tariff bill was being
framed, in 1900. Not few conserva-
tive men listened without rebuke to
the hint that "The Major" was ex-
ceedingly polite to certain represen-
tatives of interests which received
high protection in the bill. The
measure was long pending and sus-
picion was in the air.
1t may be news to the average
readers of this day, but it is fact
that every member of the commit
tee, including Maj. Mckinley, was, at
that time, suspected of being more
or less unduly influenced in the prep
aration of that bill. Consequently.
when, few months later, it became
known to all the world that Maj. Nc
Henley had failed in business, that
announcement tied the tongue of call
umny and strangled the throat of
SANDER.
Four years later statesmen and
ex-statesmen who had to do with the
making of the Wilson bill were
known to have prospered, and until
this day they have been suspected of
having prospered by reason of that
legislation. But, after all, that is
only suspicion, even if brick houses
were builded all too soon thereafter.
During the framing of the two
Dingley bills, and during the appro-
priation of magnanimously liberal
amounts for the expenses of the war
with Spain, there was never n suspi-
cion that a penny was diverted from
it's proper channel. That was large.
ly because of the fact that William
Mckinley personally gave so much
attention to the details of the dis
bursements for that war; and every.
body knew that whatever passed in
review before Mckinley must be hon
est, fair and square to the very last
farthing.
This government of ours is an hon,
est establishment, and for the cry oi
"stop thief" there is and shall be nc
excuse. SMITH D. FRY.
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The difference.