The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-05-30
HARRISBURG LETTER.
Special Correspondence.

that's coming to him." in the course
of time. The Speaker defeated sixty
or more Senate bills during the closing
hours of the legislative session out oi
revenge for the defeat in the Senate OF
two or three measures in which ms
friends were vitally interested. In thls
drastic action he expected the support
of the Elkin faction of his party. In
fact he publicly declared that the bills
which were christened his bills Were
really bills of the Elkin faction and
that it was on account of that faction
rather than on his own account that
he resented what he regarded as un-
just treatment.
In his expectation of support OF the
Elkin faction, however, the Speaker
has been disappointed. Mr.. Justice
Elkin declines to tear up his snug ju-
dicial nest and go on the war path to
save McClain with the result that the
Speaker has been compelled to modify
his original statement and apologize to
the machine. But as things stand that
will not get him much. The machine
managers refuse to be mlloiiied and
are preparing to give the Speaker such
a griling rs has rarely been inflicted
on any man. The result is that the
Speaker appears to be between the up
per and neither millstones and stands
to be ground to powder. The machine
will have no mercy and his friends can
afford little help,
OF course the machine cannot injure
the Speaker in his local political es-
tate Boss Greist is not ungrateful and
he can return McClain to the Legisla-
ture as often rs he wants to. But
after having been in turn floor leader
of the majority for u number Of sessions
and finally Speaker there could be lit
tie enticement in seat Oh the floor
without influence or activity. And
that is percisely what will happen if
McClain comes back to the House.
He will be utterly and absolutely
ignored in all the proceedings. Ordl-
narily a man of ability can command
recognition in parliamentary body
under the inneXible rule of the "survi-
val of the fittest,n But that is not nj
ways the case.
McCLAIN's FAULT AND FUTURE.
This fact was cXemplified in the
Senate during the recent session.
Judge Elliot Rogers, of Pittsburg, had
come to the Senate Mt considerable
personal and professional sacrifice, to
cad the Penrose majority through
mooth paths to safety. He was easily
he ablest lawyer on that side and the
most accomplished politician. But
he McNichols and Keysers and other
curry parliamentary sharps set their
aces against his leadership and he be-
anne nonentity. McClain will pro-
1ably have the same experience if he
undertakes to force himself upon an
unwilling faction in control and we can
imagine nothing more unsatisfactory
oar man like McClain than to be snub-
Ied into silence.
OF course the Congressional seat for
hat district is open to him as it is to
my other man favored by Griest.
Cassell is out of the question for the
uture, His participation in the loot
ng of the State in the capitol construc-
ion will probably land him in the
,enitentiary or out of the jurisdiction
f the State and in either event he
would be unavailable as candidate
or Congress. But what pleasure would
McClain find in seat in Congress?
H. would be literally lost in that rabble
md though he might make good
peech now and then, if he could ever
ct the Speakers eye, that would be
neager recompense for the loss of his
dominant place in the Pennsylvania
legislature.
The Speaker is entitled to little SYM
lathy, however, in his dilemma. He
Drought the trouble upon his own
aead. He took advantage of his pow
erful position to force iniquitous legis-
iation on to the statute books and there
is something like poetic justice in the
punishment which appears to be inevi-
table. When the Senate defeated his
bills the members of that body under
stood the risk they ran. They knew
that he was all-powerful in the House
and could defeat any measure good or
Dad, to which he was opposed. But
they preferred the loss of their bill to
the passage of the atrocious McClain
bills or else hoped that the Speaker
would refrain from exercising his DOW
err
SMALL BUT SMELLING GRAFT.
The Legislative Record for the ses-
sion of 1907 will soon have run its
course and the payment for it at the
Yotn of tUelVa dollars a naUn bo oo,,,