The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-09-05

Vuay S vengeance against civic Wy
tue. It was the penalty which i'm
morality puts upon morality.
Among the supporters of that afro
cious piece of legislation was the
present Republican candidate for
State Treasurer, Legislative Record,
1908, page 909) When Mr. Cooper
Nlea3cd for obedience to that pro-
Vision of the constitution that re-
cUi,es every bill to be read at
length on three different days" ana
was declared out of order by the
Speaker Sheath voted to sustain the
Chair, though he knew, If he knew
anything, that he was violating his
oath of Office, in so doing. But the
machine required that sinister SER
vice from him, and he threw con-
science to the dogs" His vote put
shame and disgrace upon the State.
1t piloried Pennsylvania as an OBJ
ject of derision to the whole world.
But it secured Sheath n reelection.
Other Work for the Machine.
But that wasn't the only service
which the Republican candidate for
State Treasurer performed for the
machine during the legislative sess-
ion of 1908. The reformers of Phil
adelphla in their uphill fight against
electoral frauds encountered many
difficulties One which was partic-
ularly perplexing was the fact that
in certain election districts they
couldn't get watchers who would be
faithful. To remedy this evil they
appointed watchers from other dis
tricts under the sanction of one Of
the judges. During the session of
1903 a bill was introduced to stop
this source of trouble to the mach
Inc. 1t provided that watchers
must be residents of the districts or
divisions in which they act" The
reformers protested against 1t with
vehemence. But the machine needed
1t and 1t was passed, Mr.. Sheath vot-
ing In the afflrmative.-Legls
Record, 1908, page 1880.
Mr. Sheath was always liberal with
the States money and voted for
every measure during the session Of
1903 which contemplated the multi
plication of Offices. He voted for the
bill to increase the number of Fac
tory Inspectors, Legislative Record.
1908, page 1859; for an additional
Law Judge In Cambria county,
though a vast majority of the people
of that county protested against 1t,
Legislative Record, 1903, page 1882;
appropriaing 81 ,070 for badges for a
legislative junket to Philadelphia,
Legislative Record, 1908, page 26S5.
His bitter partisanship was re-
vealed in his vote for the Infamous
Focht ballot bill. Legislative Record,
1908, page 34SS; for unseating
Representative Blumle which present
Speaker Of the House Frank B. Nc
Claim denounced as partisan out
rage" Legislative Record, 1903 page
3735. He also voted to unseat B. ].
Ferry. Democrat, of Luzerne county,
Legislative Record. page 2940.
The Ubiquitous Water Snakes.
The session of 1903 was known
as the Water Snake" session of the
Legislature. That Is to say during
that session a number Of bills we're
introduced chartering water compan-
les. giving corporations authority to
dam rivers and streams. authorizing
the incorporation of altering COM
panies and seizing water power, wat
er privileges and water sheds In
every direction. These measures be-
came such a menace that Governor
Pennypacker, servile as he was.
couldn't stand for them and mott.
fed the machine managers that they
must not be sent to him for appro-
val.
Harry Kingston of Philadelphia
was the author of probably the worst
of this bunch of iniquities. He was
a shrewd lawyer in Philadelphia. free
from the burden of conscience or
scruples. and had himself sent to
the Legislature for the express pur-
pose Of exploiting legislation. His
water bill was ''cookoo." It gave
the corporation which It created
power to dam any stream In the
State, change the bed of any water
course and do anything else that Gu
pidity and avarice might suggest. II
was among those against which
Pennypacker protested and 1t was
supported at every stage by John o.
Sheatz.-Legislative Record. 1908.
page 2435.
AS a matter OF fact Mr.. Sheatz
didn't even pretend to be a refor-
mer during his hrc. session in the
legislature. He didn't dare TO be
as open in political immoralities as
Stub, Ripp, Publ and others. His
constituents wouldn't stand for that,
The Twentyfourth ward Is a pretty
Independent neighborhood and
though the machine could nominate
anybody It liked, there was no GER
tainty of the election of a motor
iously UNIT man. But 1t can be
confidently said that Sheath went as
far In the service of the machine
during the session of 1904 as ha