The Washington herald., 1907-03-23

Two amazing scandals are now attract
ing public attention-one growing out of
the construction of Pennsylvania State
capital at Harrisburg, and the other the
fruit OF a long reign of municipal cor
ruption IN San Francisco. With respect
TO the first, the Philadelphia Public
Ledger says that at the very beginning
Of the investigation now in progress 1t
has been discovered that "the building
Of the State capitol was one OF the great
est pieces of theft. fraud, and unblush-
ing rascality of which there is any rec
ord" and that the whole job was
hideous nightmare OF robbery. Legal
proof OF fraud has not been found, but
Il Is hoped that it viii eventually be
forthcoming. But that there was a we'll
organized combination TO loot the treas
ury, and that 1t operated by shutting
out all but favored bidders for the capitol
work and by enveloping the construc-
ton In a cloud OF mystery which none
but those in the ring could dissipate. ap-
pears to admit of no question whatever.
The Public Ledger takes a very pes
Iisisiqf view Of the exposure. regarding
as conspicuously illustrating the ineffi-
sieney and untrustworthiness of the State
4as a business manager. 1T is to be
noted, says the Ledger. that there are
minute and particular laws governing the
expenditure Of public moneys and care
fully drawn statutes regulating the let
ting Of contracts; that concerned in the
capitol enterprise were two governors of
the State; that other well-known men of
pervisoTy powers; that ii was a public
work as we'll guarded as it is possible 10
guard any operation, and that 1t was a
gigantic failure in the handling OF State
moneys and IN the performance of a
trust" OF the S13O00.0O0 expended. possi-
bly, one-third or one-half was stolen or
thrown away Only the chance election
of a State treasurer of the opposition
party revealed the scandal, which might
otherwise nave gone undetected. while
innocent and guileless statesmen like
Pennypaoker praised the new building as
monument 70 the glory Of the Common
wealth
San Francisco's story OF municipal graft
is the familiar one of the sale of fran
chises and the hold-up of corporations and
shady interests by corrupt and greedy
political tools Of a shrewd and unseru-
pulous boss whose operations were of
the most unbiushing character. That the
local government had been chosen by
party dominated by the labor unions
and that Mayor Schmitz came from the
ranks of the plain and honest toilers Is
not the least interesting feature Of the
political saturnaiia which has reigned in
san Francisco since the earthquake. The
mayor is apparently tarred with the
same stick as Boss Ruef. But the be-
trayal of public trust in San Francisco
is In no wise different from that which
characterizes the administration of scores
OF American cities to-day It is on a
larger scale. and with more than usually
picturesque aecompaniments: that's all.
From both these sickening scandals in
American political life We may extract
the lesson that as the powers Of govern
ment widen the temptation to corruption
grows, and that the fundamental prob
lem Of all goyernments-how 10 secure
honesty and efficiency in administration
is also the most difficult OF solution.