Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-15
|E|D[ENAN IN RING,
59|)(0 CHECK N ALL
Wresties strenuousiy With Fee
Episode in Coming Out
for Governor
NE WON'T DO 1T AGAIN

has been flirting with the Goversorshir
for months, proclaimed himself n csndi
date for the Republican nomination this
afternoon.
The famous $1,000 check which he re-
csived from the Stnte Treasury when
Charles A. Snyder was Auditor General
was very much In Mr.. Bcideman'
mind when he made his announcement,
before the Dauphin County Republican
Committee.
The check bulkcd 20 big that the
Lieutenant Governor dedicated most OF
his tax to an explanation why lie. the
second highest officer Of the Common :
wealth, took a fat fee as side line to
his regular State salnfy and expense
account. At the time the check episode
was made pubic, Mr.. Bcidleman was
4 quoted as denying that he had received
the paper.
As Governor, he intimated today. he
would be satisfied with the, $40, 900
salary of the ONCE. and would not take
extra compensation In the form Of fees
for legal services.
II promise YOU here and now he
declared. that II I am nominated and
elected Governor I will retire from the
practice of law during my term VI
Office and devote my full time to the
performance Of my official duties
Cites Accountant Letter
Mr.. Beidleman rend a letter from
Main & Co.. accountants to Auditor
General Lewis, in which. referring to
the $4,000 check, the accounting Arm
stated that IL represented compensa-
tion for services as special tax counsel
in the collection Of the delinquent bonus
from the Westinghouse Electric and
Manufacturing Company"
Mr.. Beidleman contended that there
( Wa nothing In the law that preven ed
lin from acting as attorney for the
Commonwealth while he was serving as
Lieutenant Governor.
He quoted Article VI. Section .. Of
the State Constitution, which provides
that no Senator or Representative
''shall during the time for which he
shall have been elected, be appointed
to any civil Office under this Common
wealth"
Commenting on this section. Mr.. Bel.
dlcman said:
This provision recognizes the right
OF lawyer to serve the Commonwealth
while he is either O Senator or q mem
Der OF the House; and. inasmuch as
the sole duties of the Lieutenant Gov
ernor require him to preside over the
Senate, with the right to vote only In
the event OF tie. and to serve rs a
member of the Board of Pardons. I can.
not see any improperly in my doing
as Lieutenant Governor what the Com
stitution specifically authorizes members
OF the General Assembly to do"
MIR. Beidlenan did not refer to the
act OF 1919. which gives the Attorney
General the sole right to retain counsel
Tor the Commonwealth. He has already
admitted his law firm was engaged by
Mr.. Snyder, then Auditor General. to
collect the bonus due from the West
anShouse concern.
Another Point Neglected
Another point neglected by Mr..
beidlemrn wns that the direct re1uisi-
tion for the $4,000 check stated that it
was for 'the payment Of costs Of ad.
vertising and other expenses in con-
nectton with escheat OF moneys and
property to the Commonwealth
IN the audit Of official vouchers, the
SoOOO payment WAS listed under a cap
ton: Mature of service not shown"
To explain that fact, Mr.. Beidleman
quoted from a letter by Main 4 Co..
under date Of December 80. 1921. which
stated:
I'm view Of the very considerable
publicity given to certain parts Of our
echeduie. showing names OF individuals
or hrms receiving payment for personal
services other than salary, and more
especially the caption. Nature Of Sorv-
Ice Not shown. which phrase was used
planstion In the othcial vouchers cx-
amined BY US.
May we not now state that after
compiling the above data from the Of
hcial records and preparation Of schcd.
ulc referred to above. further examina-
tlon was made by us In the various files
of the department Of the several items
In question, and In the case OF payment
to the Hon. Il. Il. Beid!eman explnna-
tion was at the time furnished by your
corporation bureau, md verified By ref.
erence to the tax ledger, that payment
IN question represented compensation
Tor services as special tax counsel in
the collection OF the delinquent bonus
from the Westinghouse Electric and
Manufacturing Company. Respectfully
submitted.
MAIN & CO."
Nice to the Ladies'
In his announcement toduy Mr., Bel.
dleman said he believes "men every.
where should do everything in their
power to make the exercise OF women's
suffrage convenient ana comfortable for
them, and that the General Assembly
should enact the necessary legislation
to accomplish that enu
Speaking OF his personal oualifica-
tions for the governorship, Mr., Bedlc.
man said that he would soon issue q
statement detailing legislative needs OF
tho Commonwealth and setting forth
his position regarding moral questions
which must be solved during the next
few years. lie continued:
"A person Is always best known BY
the people with whom he has lived his
entire life, and nothing Is more yalu.
able to him than their approval. ] was
born here almost forty mine years ago
and have never lived elsewhere. Dur.
& ing these years have always obeyed
the Inv. and If l have ever been remiss
do not know il.
"Five times l have oeen Il candidate
for public Office. Twice was a
candidate for member of the House 20
represent the city Of Harrisburg; twice
] was candidate for State Senator TO
represent DRuphin County, and once /
was a candidate for Lieutenant Cover
nor. In the submission Of these candi- :
dacies | always invited the fullest in .
vestigatiOn into both my public and
private life. and today I agu,n .nyite
Il In support Of my candidacy for Gov.
efnor.
IT recognize the principle that a pub .
IA .,k4 4 A.