Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1910-10-21
CHARGES
AGAINST TENER

Last week the Philadelphia North
American in an open letter TO Sena.
tor Penrose charged that it had evi-
denoe duplicating John K Tener the
Republican candidate for Governor,
and offering to submit its facts to the
Senator, and any attorney he might
select, in company with Governor
Stuart, with view to having candi-
dale Tener Withdrawn. A limit OF
As hours was fixed and If within that
time the offer was not accepted the
paper declared it would publish its
accusations. Senator Penrose disre-
garded the letter and the North
American, after the limit expired,
published its article. The allega.
ton is that Mr., Tener lent his name
as President and director TO swindl
ing scheme. for which he was paid
salary of $4,000 year and given a
bonus Of $4,000 of its stock. The
corporation was named the National
Public Utilities Corporation, aud its
issue of $4,000, 900 paid up non as.
sessable stock was based on the as
sests Of three or four other corpora.
tions which were fraudulent and of
no value, among them a proposed
railroad in Oregon of which they did
not own even the franchise, which
they were to buy for $4,000. These
are the naked allegations. In reply
Mr.. Tener does not contradict the
above statements but says that he
went into the company ''in the ordi
nary course of business" which If ii
means anything means that he lent
for a consideration his name, fame
as Congressman and reputation to
an alleged fraudulent concern to ens
able it to sell its worthless stock to a
conhding public. without making in.
vestigation to satisfy himself that it
had any real value and was not first
and last q swindle. We had a few
years ago Governor who conflding.
ly sat in his Office and allowed a
gang to rob the State of millions in
trimming the Capitol, and after tried
to exonerate them Of wrong doing
Some of the perpetrators are dead, all
who were tried were convicted of
conspiracy TO rob, and some are now
serving terms in the penitentiary.
The Governor was not molested with
warrants and he will go down in his.
tory, TO put it broadly and frankly,
as being too much of fool In busi-
ness matters to be held responsible
for not preventing the pillage.
Dodge and explain as republicans
may, the charges against John K. Ten
er are too minute in particulars, too
circumstantial in detail, too damuing
In branding him as being connected
with swindle not to merit a full,
complete and open explanation. IfI
this vindicates him well and good,
the people should be satisfied, if it
does not he should be refused the
suffrages of all honest men, if he per.
sists in remaining on the ticket. The
Republican party processes to be a
party of morality and takes high
ground. 1t processes to be a party of
Lincoln, of Garfield and in this state
of Stuart. Let it live up to its ideals
and certainly If the charges preferred
against Tener are but true in any de.
gree he cannot be the ideal of any
true and loyal Republican. 1t is for
him to clear his name of all imputa.
tion Of being knowingly connected
with a swindling corporation devised
to defraud those he would call his
constituents Nething less than this
should satisfy the upright voters of
Pennsylvania.