Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-26
rENNyrACKER AuroBIoGR>ruy-No 80

EENNtFNthtN VI ~
Copyright 1918. by Public ledger CompouDJ
FTNHE Democrats and Independents nomi.
l. mated Lewis II. Emery. rich oil man and
wavering dilettante politician and inde.
pendent Republican from the western end
of the State. Then the floods were let
loose and tho Capitol was used as the
weapon in "A desperate political struggle.
The Republicans had intended to use 1t as
a campaign argument, pointing to its
wonderful success, the promptness with
which ii was completed and its compare
tive ineXpensiveness. The other side, how
ever. secured the claque. with outcries
over the moneys expended and. as usual,
they had the support of the newspapers.
with great ingenuity they added the cost
OF the furniture, metallic cases and gen.
cral equipment to tho cost of the building.
Tho game would have been intensely in.
tcrestnS as "A spectacle had it not been
fraught with tragedy to mon who had
given the best intelligence to the construc-
ton of the building and who deserved well
of their fellows and had it not been for the
injury done TO the repute of pennsylvania,
for which the players cared not Whlt.
Still the assailants of tho Capitol did not
play their game effectively. They made ono
great and fatal tactical blunder Had they
withheld the assault until within two or
three weeks OF the election stuart would
have been beaten and Penrosc undohc.
by making it in September they gave time
for correction and for the popular impress
sion TO become to some extent, stale. The
true policy of the Republican leaders would
have been to have come manfully to the
support of the Capitol, but they were
cowed by the camor and they dritted in IL
ruddcrless boat Stuart promised an in.
vestigation, and thus tacitly and fecbly
gave himself into the hands of his OPP
ponents.
Pennypacker's Statement
Seeing that IL was a situation which
demanded that somo one go out to the
firing line and that the politicians were
without resources, together with snyder
the Auditor General, | put out a state
ment showing in detail every cent OK
pended in any way in connection with the
Capitol This gave the people the exact
and whole truth. We then invited Charles
Emory Smith editor OF the Press; George
W. Ochs. editor of the Ledger, ana
Charles IT. IIeustis. editor of the Inquirer,
to come to Harrisburg and examine the
building and the books. This was going
into the camp of the enemy and showed
courage and selfconiidencc. They declined,
which displayed weakness and made an
impression favorable to US. Then ! made
arrangements with the railroads for un-
usually low excursion rates over the state
and invited the people to come and see
for themselves. The newspapers tried rid
iculc, calling them "pcnny.a'milers,' but
without result. Sixty thousand OF the
people came. on ono Saturday | shook
hands with three thousand persons, which
left my arm very sore The next Satur-
day shook hands with ten thousand and,
strange to say, that did not affect me.
They went home filed with enthusiasm
and told their neighbors. There must
have been a hundred neD who said to
me: Il don't care a d-n what it cost;
it is worth tho money and many of them
were themselves mechanics who knew the
difference between good and inferior work.
Stuart was elected by q small majority,
and | have always believed it was our
efforts which saved him. II gave me pro
found satisfaction to know that the main
purpose of the scandal was thwartcd.
There are two substantial answers to ths
charges made. which can never be over
come-the one material and the other
financial.
/. The Capitol. with it's equipment,
standing on the banks of the Susque-
hanna, where II may be seen Of all men,
expert and ineXpert.
@ The reports OF the State Treas
urer, and Smull, which show that the
moneys in the treasury during my Ad-
minstration were greater than ever
before or since, and that while under
my successor the investigation and trials
were being pushed to an inconsequential
conclusion, these moneys were being de-
pleted at the rate of million dollars
year.
And now 7 bid farewell, ] hope. forever,
TO that malorodOus scandal, which followed
so closely upon the completion of mar
velous and commendable achievement and
whose purveyors may be likened to those
vile fish that swim in the wake of a
good ship. her PROV buffeting the seas and
her flag flying proudly in the brcczes of
heaven, but seek only to feast their appe-
tites upon the offal which is cast over.
board.
The Dedication
The Capitol was dedicated on the
4th of October. II was cold, dismal
rainy day. Penrose, Knox, Congressman
the State officials. the National Guard and
the State Constabulary all participated
The streets of Harrisburg and the Capitol
grounds were crowded with people. l had
been much concerned about the safety OF
the platform. We called for bids and one
was so much lower than all the rest
that it aroused suspicion, Upon investiga-
ton it was found that this contractor