The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-10-26
WHO AND WHAT
IS v. H. BERRY,
CITATIONS FROM THE CANDI-
DATES PUBLIC ACTS AND UT
TERANCES THAT FORCE THE
ALARMING QUESTION: Is HE
"SAFE AND SANE FOR FU-
TURE OFFICIAL TRUSTS ???

Chester, Pa, Oct. 12, 1910.
President Lincoln once remarked
that the people may be fooled part
of the time, and Snowman Barnum
observed that most people like to
be humbuggedl Upon this hypoth-
esis, or these presumptions, it would
seem. the familiar and picturesque
William II. Berry has trusted his
political fortunes.
In Chester, the home of Mr.. Ber-
ry, where best known, he is regard
ed from two points of view: AS
private citizen, highly esteemed; as
politician and self-assumed re
former" not taken seriously, but
charitably and considerably passed
as unfortunately absorbed with a
chronic craze for public laudation
and public office.
Lust for Public Life That Lured to
Political Failure.
In his earlier career William H.
Berry was successful as a mechanic,
and as subsequent patentee or con-
troller of patents, he was fairly
prosperous. But the tragedy of Mr.
Berrys life began when he became
imbued with the notion that he was
fitted for politics and official func-
tions. Nature had endowed the
gentleman with a prepossessing face
and figure, of which gifts he was
conscious, and his penchant follow
ed to court the admiration of audi
ences by studied attitudes and pos
ings, and flights of oratory.
But through all the efforts of Mr..
Berry to attain celebrity, his dema-
gogic fiauntings in the name of "re-
! form left an underlying impress
upon the public. He lacks mental
equipoise; he exercises a too-egotis-
! tical opinion of self. and undue evil
regard for his fellowmen; he looks
| at life through a clouded vision, and
! develops only in brainstorms and
! fanaticisms.
In quest of political honors, Mr..
Berry has for years been an ever
| ready candidate for office. 1t is
alleged that whilst a Democrat, un-
der the influence of his employer, he
first ran for Burgess of Eddystone,
on a Republican ticket, to help de-
feat his own party's nominee. Then,
in turn, Mr. Berry carried the ban
ners of Greenbackism, Bimetalism,
Prohibtionism, then the Demo-
cracy. After his recent desertiOn
of the last-named party, he nego-
tiated by letter with the proposed
new American Party of Pittsburg to
be its candidate for governor, and
when that scheme failed, Mr.. Berry
cried aloud to become the standard
bearer of the new Keystone party,
which was created by a drummed-
iUp representation in convention, not
all of the counties taking part. In
other words, and old, or new, or
] NJ
acceptable to Mr.. Berry for the ex-
plotting of his pyrotechnic reforms"
and the seriodical. candidates. of
himself.
Chester's Sorry Experiences With
Berry as Mayor.
After long and vain efforts for
election to public office, it was
lucky chance and circumstances that
finally made William II. Berry
Mayor of Chester in the spring of
1905. The city had been Overruled
by an INSCRIPTIONS political ring,
and Independent Republicans united
with the Democrats in a Citizens
party for municipal betterment. The
nomination for Mayor was rendered
several popular citizens of integrity,
and singularly all declined. Then
| 3
ed by his compeers, and Berry, at
last, won the nomination and cleo
tion by 400 majority.
: 1t is due to accord that Mayor
, Berry accomplished one reform
whilst executive-he stopped. under
public demand, policy playing in the
, city. But in other projects of re-
form he proved but as sounding
brass and tinkling cymbals. He
made noise and. display, and trivial
arrests that served only to indicate
administrative action. 1t this city
/ of 10000 population, for instance
: Mr.. Berry ordered all hotels to be
/. closed at IL o'clock midnight, dis
| tressing travellers who arrived on
late trains and, in part, he fenced
in" the town.
But there developed in other i'm.
: pressive ways that the citizens oi
Chester had taken Mr.. Berry toe
literally in his anti-election declara
tions. They learned the meaning
of political whited sepulchres Of
modern times. Mr.. Berry had giveI
o assurances that he would serve al
!, Chester's Mayor, If elected, ye
three months after his induction into
u office (unlike Mayor Gaynor, of New
q York, who declined to desert his oh
u legation for a gubernatorial nomina
/ tom Mr.. Berry jumped at Stat,
{ Treasurership candidacy. At one,
I he started "stumping" tour of fou
: months, his Mayoralty responsible
o ties placed in storage. but meantim,
II with punctual regularity drawing hi
n salary for hayoralty services mo-
s rendered.
II Another anti-election pledge of Mr.
/ Berry, if honored with office, was I,
: devote his salary as Mayor to tn
II good of the city. Repeated demand
E, were subsequently made in the 10
d cal prints that the Mayor shoul,