Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-08-17
ARE PLEDGED TO REFORMS
Republicans For Personal Registration
and Other Popular Measures.


The Committee of Twenty-one, lead
ing business men, bankers, lawyers
and other men of affairs of the Quaker
City, all members of the famous Union
League, who seek reform within the
Republican party, are being Compli-
mented by Republicans generally for
their success IN bringing about the
action OF the Republican city commit
tee In appointing a committee 10 seek
to put an entirely new ticket Of emf
nently acceptable Republican candl-
dates in the field in Philadelphia and
the pledging of the party organization
to personal registration for the cities
and for ballot reform and other meas
ures demanded by the people.
Republicans who believe In their
party strongly protest against the ac-
tions of those who strive TO make
political capital against the Republl-
can party in the state out OF conditions
in the Quaker City. On this point the
Philadelphia Inquirer, among other
things, says:
IF there has been crime committed
against the people Of Philadelphia the
people will demand punishment and
punishment will come. No right-mind-
ed citizen Of any party or political
organization would for a moment
shield a criminal or criminal con-
spiracy or n criminal organization, po-
Iitical or otherwise Certainly the
great Republican party OF Philadel-
phia and Pennsylvania-and hundreds
Of thousands Of voters compose It's
not the defender of wrOng-doing.
ITO what extent the newspaper
charges are true-whether the crimes
that have been alleged are largely
imaginative or are based upon fact
we do not know. The courts will de-
eide that-should there be trials. But
even were they blacker than have been
painted, what argument would that be
for smashing the great Republican
party OF PENNSYLVANIA? What have the
hundreds Of thousands of Republican
citizens to do with the acts OF indi-
yiduals?
"a year ago the whole country was
ringing with exposures Of crimes In
the postofflce department at Washing
ton. Republican officials were the
thieves Democratic newspapers and
orators held these crimes up as a
reason why the Republican party
should be defeated Judge Parker led
the assault Turn the Republican
party out and all would be we'll That
was the campaign cry. But the people
refused TO hold the Republican party
responsible for the pilferings OF indi-
viduals.
To-day there are scandals in the
agricultural department. A sweeping
investigation will be made. But are
the Republican people OF the United
States going to hold themselves re-
sponsible for what few persons have
been doing2
why, then, is the Republican party
Of Pennsylvania to be slaughtered be-
cause of an investigation in Philadel-
phia2
That is what the Committee OF
Twenty-one. members OF the Union
League. want to know, and we think
they have the right of IL.
They believe that the Republican
party is quite big enough to do all the
reforming that is necessary. With vot-
ing lists purged of bogus names. with
the promise of a personal registration
law on the statute books. with an cleo
ton in November that will be per
fectly honest, with a Republican city
ticket to be made UP Of names uncon-
nected with politics-in other words.
with reforms instituted by the Repub-
lican party itself-they seee no reason
why the hundreds OF thousands OF
honest, upright Republican voters Of
Philadelphia and Pennsylvania should
cut the throat Of their own party.
"And there is no reason"