Montgomery County sentinel., 1926-07-02
chairmau OIdfIeId Speaks.

10 a statement following Secretary Mel
Ions pronouncement on farm relief. Chair
man VIM. A. 0ldheld said:
Nothing is more shameless and con-
scienceless than Republican corruption in
the late Pennsylvania primary unless it
be the statement Of Secretary Mellon de-
clarins that the expenditures Of nearly two
millions Of dollars are legitimate and
justifiable. and holding the conuptionists
blameless. He says that the money col
lected and expended in the campaign Of
Senator Pepper and others was as lesiti-
mately spent as if IL had been on behalf
Of church.
1T Is likewise in harmony with the
testimony Of Joseph W. Grundy. president
Of the Manufacturers Association Of Penn
syivania. one Of the chief high tariff lob
byists (since the Dineley BilD and official
angel Of the couuptionists OF the Keystone
State. who collected more than half a
million dollars Of the corruption fund. that
he was interested in the nomination Of
corporations of the State against taxation.
from which they are now exempt except for
Federal Government taxes. Grundy was also
interested. he testified. in keeping the
Pennsylvania machine functioning in line
with the Coolidge Mellon line Of economic
thought
Tine public expects no contribution TO
political morals from the Grundys and
Kennas and Republicans Of that ilk. but
it has right to expect at least that men
Of respectable repute. eminent in the fnan-
cisi world and occupying the highest
public stations. like Andrew W. Mellon
and George Wharton Pepper. will not at
tempt to justify the flaerant exhibition Of
political corruption. including prostitution
,of the elective franchise through the open
purchase Of voters under the alias Of
watchers that this country has ever wit
messed. And any attempted justification
is multiplied in its offensiveness when it is
asserted by Secretary Mellon that money
90 disbursed was spent as lesitimately as if
il had been on behalf Of church
while Senator Pepper was ostensibly
to be chief beneficiary Of the huge cor
ruption fund Of more than million dollars
collected by his hackers and MANAGERS,
the most from the tariff fattened manu-
facturers Of the State. the real beneficiary
was to be Andrew W. Mellon. into whose
highly respectable and moral keeping was
to be given the control Of the old Penrose
political machine. and which was actually
accomplished. despite the nomination Of
Representative Ware. The major conup-
tionists Of the Mellon-Pepper ostensibly
dry forces lost no time in making peace
with the openly wet Ware forces. and Sec
retary Melons nephew was elected as
chief engineer Of the consolidated machine.
from which floats the old motto long used
by Philadelphia Republicans but now
adopted by the Republican party Of the
State: Corrupt and contented
The Mellon forces lost the Senator but
gained Governor and control Of the State
machine. II was for all political intents
and purposes a Mellon victory. Only as
an endorsement and defense Of himself
can Secretary Melons justification Of the
sordid Pennsylvania primaries be logically
accounted for.
The Pennsylvania Republican primary
is plutocracy gone mad. Ii is the neestiOn
Of every conception OF popular govern
ment and political morality. II is about
the limit that great wealth can 60 in pros
tituting the means and methods adopted
by the people for the selection Of thei
public officials. That one Of the highes
Of those public officials should attempt Il
leeitimatize il and hold the conuptionisti
blameless ought to be and doubtless i
almost as great a shock to the mora
sensibilities Of the people as the origina
offense.
1T may seem strange. too. that Presi
dent Coolidge Is silent regarding thos
revelations that show the necessity 70
new penal legislation. But he was silen
at the time Of the Naval Oil revelation
and he was silent at the time Of th
Dausherty revelations. kr. Mellon. how
ever. is the prop and the pillar OF tn
Coolidge administration. In most matter
Of vital Importance he speaks for the aC
ministration. and the fact that he hs
given the Pennsylvania orgy his morI
sanction may seem to preclude the nece'
sity for further administration comment