Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1907-10-03
NAIL CAMPAIGN LIE
Legislators Dispose Of Only Is
sue Democrats Have Raised.
SHEATH SOLDIERS FRIEND
Men Who Served at Harrisburg With
Nominee For State Treasurer Tell
Of His Interest In Veterans Pension
Bill.
Especial Correspondence

lopeciel OOTTcSpOuucHCc.l
Philadelphia, Sept. "a.
Members of the legislature who, serv-
ed with John o. Sheath at Harrisburg
have supplemented -Ue action OF the
war veterans in exposing the trick OF
the Democratic campaign managers
who sought to misrepresent the action
of Mr.. Sheath as a member of the gen.
eral assembly in dealing with the bill
to provide pensions for old soldiers.
The war veterans of this city. by res
olution and through vigorous speeches
of some of their most prominent men,
bers. repudiated the campaign circular
sent out by Democratic politicians Of
Lycoming county, in which Mr.. Sheath
was held responsible for the failure OF
the plans to have the state provide
pensions for veterans Of the civil war
who enlisted from Pennsylvania. and
who are now residents Of this state.
Without regard to party or faetional
affiliations, men who sat in committee
with Mr. Sheath. when the old SOL
siers' pension bill was under consider
alton, have united in public declara-
tions which show the falsity OF the
charges of the Democratic tricksters.
One of the most active of the young
er members of the general assembly,
Representative Joseph S. Thomas, of
Bucks county, has come out boldly in
defense of Mr. Sheath in statement
which leaves no room to doubt that he
is speaking with absolute sincerity and
candor.
Democratic Lies Nailed.
Mr.. Thomas, who is editor of the
Bristol Gazette, reproduces the allega-
tions made by the Lycoming Demo
cratic outfit in their document sent out
to influence old soldiers against the
Republican nominee for state treasu-
rcr. He tsskes up each Of the sxssstase-
ments OF fact and sives the truth as
he knows 1t.
There Is not a single line that does
not contain statements which ! know
to be absolutely untrue" declares Rep
ressntative Thomas. John o. Sheath,
in thoroughly conscientious and bus
inesslike manner did everything In his
power to pass the real pension bill
He did not add single item nor
add one dollar to the figures that was
not absolutely necessary to carry the
bill into effect He did not ut along
side the governor and even suggest the
veto Of the bill. He did not put . sin
gle straw in the way to cause the bill's
defeat. FL
The alleged pension bill was intro
srta ha hxx
The bill as introduced by Senator
Cochran was a ridiculous farce, and IL
passed in that shape and approved by
the governor II never could have been
put into operation. One million dol
lars appropriation was called for, but
no provision was made whatever for
the machinery to put the law into mo-
ton.
Sheatz's Conscientious Work.
"The bill passed the senate, went to
the house and was referred to the ap-
preparations committee, OF which l was
a member. Mr.. Sheath, the chairman
of the committee, realized that the SEN
ate was engaged in game of buncOme
set to work and for three weeks labor
ed to whip the bill into shape. He
called to his aid the auditor general
and General Mulholland, Of Philadel-
phia, the pension expert. Thorough
calculations were made as to the
amount of money that would be neces-
sary to pay the pensions, and plans
for a. state pension bureau, under the
charge of the auditor general were de-
veloped, with the necessary corps of
clerks
Through General Mulholland, from
the best obtainable figures, it was
learned that about $4,000 were likely
to apply for pensions and that the
average to each would amount to
$3.50 That made 1t necessary to ap-
propriate $5.574,O00 to cover the Is
months until the new legislative ap.
preparation becomes available.
Let Truth BE Known.
"The amounts fixed by the house ap-
preparation committee. were carefully
figured. and Mr.. Sheath worked
earnestly and faithfully to make
sane and correct measure out of the
farce passed by the senate. Governor
Stuart. in my hearing, declared that
he surely would have vetoed the bill as
1t came from the senate, and that the
house had made thorough bill Of 1t
and that he intended to approve 1t II
| there was revenue enough
"The house Of representatives also
passed a number of revenue bills which
would have produced sufhcient funds
to pay the pensions to old soldiers, but
Senator Cochran's colleagues In the
senate killed every one Of them, and
| that was the reason the governof vs-
] toed the pension bill.