Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-04
PENROSE AND PRETENSE.

Senator Penrose affects to be very
much concerned just now about civil
service He fears that the enforcement
of it's requirements has not been just
what it should have been, that some
impiOuS hand may have been laid upon
it. Enemy of the spoils system that
he is, the thought that some provision
of the law has been made imperative,
either designedly or otherwise, carries
chagrin to his soul-now when a dem
Ocratic administration is in power,
which he hopes to embarrass.
Time was, unless memory errs, when
the distinguished Pennsylvania was
not so theoretically squeamish about
the niceties Of politics. A decade, two
decades, three of them ago, and Penn
sylvania, republican ridden, was the
most corrupt state in the union.
The seat of its corruption was in
Philadelphia and its ramifcations in
every county and village in the state.
The shame Of it all made the state
a byword in the sisterhood.
1t was the scarlet member of the
big family.
Everything went by sale.
The corporations ran the govern
ment through INSCRIPTIONS agents
Franchises were bought and sold
and the taxpayer was ruthlessly vic
timized in every way known to skill
ed hooters.
Ward heelers controlled elections;
Hobbies made laws; graft knew no
limitations; tax rates were enor-
nous; vice was bold and open as the
day.
One Of the most striking instances
in point was the construction of the
new state capitol at Harrisburg. There
were others, however, by dozens and
scores, just as Ubiquitous and as NAL
odorous.
Office holders were as a rule men
who received such distinction and
power as the rewards Of infamy
Those who pulled the strings, who
directed affairs, who made the awards,
who conferred the Offices, were IN
scrupulous and rapacious.
Out OF such condition was evolved
the senior senator from the keystone
state.
Changes have come in the last few
years. Quarrels over spoils, engender-
ed factlonalism and descriptions and
out of it all honest men have been ben
ehclarles. But. bold and daring, Sen
atOr PenrOse remains today the boss
in chief of what is left OF that old
order OF things Of which the late Matt
Quay was in his day complete master.
Mr.. Quay chose Penrose for the quail
tiles most demanded in a successor 10
hlmself and when the former passed
away the latter stepped immediately
into the breach ard has ever since.
except in one shOrt-liyed instance,
held a. following sufficient TO control
the state with a hand as firm as Ouay's
and methods the same
He has in him the ingredients that
dominate. AS IN Pennsylvania so in
the senate of the United States. he
completely overrides and terrorizes
his own party.
He is an intense materiaIist. The
niceties of politics, the idealism. the
sentimentalism, he leaves to Others.
He goes where there are things to
be had
1t is merely little pleasing pastime
OF the heated season that has made
him seemingly interested in the main
tenance of the civil service laws. He
does not fool anybody, not even him
self; does not really try TO, any more
than when he pretends TO be the ad-
vocate of political purity
He is intensely reactionary. He is
a strong-arm man of big interests. the +
oroad-ax wielder or plutocracy. priv F..
llege and plumber. What he is after
IN this campaign is the return TO pow /
er of the republican party so that he
and his associates may secure com /
plete control of the fiscal affairs OF
the government There is not one Z
progressive who is with him in this
tight but knows that is what his ef- /
forts are for and that should the re-
Dublicans win, II will mean Senator
3oies Penrose at once dominant in
he nation.