Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1906-10-18
Mr.. BerrX's CHARGES.


Mr.. Berry has seen fit to make var
ious charges concerning the equipment
of.the State Capitol. He has been re-
ferred by Governor Pennypacker to
Attorney General Carson for an opin.
ion on the legal phases. The Attorney
General, in answering Mr.. Berry's let
ter, winds up his reply asking for in
formation in this manner:
Ifyou are in the possession of any evidence
whatever of fraud, dishonesty, graft, exces.
substitution OF inferior goods for that called
for by the specifications, you will oblige me
by communicating it TO me at once, andI will
take appropriate action.
1t seems to US that this demand of the
Attorney General is the whole crux of
the situation.
Attorney General asks him to make
these charges good, to produce sub
stantial evidence, 80 that an official in
vestigation can be instituted. Until he
does so, the Attorney General has moth
lng whatever TO go upon except sensa-
uonai political speeches, says the Phil
adelphia Inquirer.
A year ago Mr.. Berry was stumping
the state with exaggerated ideas about
the failure of bank in Pittsburg. That
bank was political bank, 80 he de-
ctared. That bank was q receiver of
State money, placed there by a politi-
cal SYSTEM" and the State was going
to lose many hundreds of thousands of
dollars The Berry muck-rake was
hauled over ever county IN the Com
nonwealth. The passions of people
were aroused to their highest pitch.
Passion was appealed to until after
the election, but long ago the people
discovered that there was nothing in
his charge; that the bank was not the
product OF SYSTEM" that politicians
were not involved, and, furthermore,
Mat every dollar was easily collected
Dy the State. because every dollar on
deposit was amply protected by bonds.
year ago Mr.. Berry was appealing
to the baser instinct of every man. Fol.
lowing the mos. highly approved plan
OF campaign of the Muck Raker, he was
telling the citizens of Pennsylvania
that they h@c been robbed; that mil
Hons had boen stolen from the Treas.
uryi That If he we're only permitted to
lift the i'd" he would expose the ras-
Gals to public scorn and punishment.
What happened? He was elected.
lie lifted the lid" aud found-what?
Millions missing? Far from it. He
found every penny intact. Not one
cent had been stolen or misused 1t was
all there-ALL there-and a splendid
surplus besides. The State was out of
debt. 1t had money which can be ap-
proprlated n the public schools and to
the building of good roads.
Vow we have the same Berry in an.
other campaign, continuing the same
methods of exaggeration. This time
The people have been robbed through
nF 40 Il,
Board of Public Grounds and Build
pgs was constituted, headed by the
Governor, to furnish the Capitol. Gov
ernor Pennypacker has given his best
Thought to the work. So for as it ap-
pears on the surface, the law has been
complied with. The plans were open
fF inspection. Proposals were widely
advertised. Contracts were awarded
on fhe bids received.
But Mr. Berry declares that the board
went beyond its lawful limits in what
he terms completing" the building.
That is his first important charge, and
he figures up something like three mil
lion dollars of illegality.
Nlr. Berry is not competent to pass
upon such matter. 1t is not to be
presumed that Governor Pennypacker,
himself lawyer of many years prac-
lCS anu subsequently an nOnOre0 Judge
upon the bench OF the Court of Com
mon Pleas, could be led in doing any
thing illegal. Bot the Muck Raker
must have his day. Perfectly reckless
in his campaign charges of last year.
since proved to be wholly false from
beginning TO end, MIR. Berry's cam
paign opinion of the course of so emf
nent jufist as Governor Pennypacker
unquestionably is cannot be accepted