Duo iadyan
Terms $2.00 A Year,in Advance
Bellefonte, Pa., October 10, 1890.
P. GRAY MEEK, - - -
STATE DEMOCRATIC TICKET.
For Governor,
ROBERT E. PATTISON,
Of Philadelpbia.
For Lieutenant Governor,
CHAUNCEY F. BLACK,
Of York County.
For Secretary of Internal Affairs,
WM. H. BARCLAY,
Of Pittsburgh.
Ep1tor
‘DEMOCRATIC COUNTY TICKET,
For Congress—GEO.F. KRIBBS, of Clarion.
For SENATOR.
P. GRAY MEEK.
Subject to action of District Conference.
LT,
McCORMICK.
Sheriff —WILLTAM A. ISHLER.
Treasurer.—JAMES J. GRAMLEY.
Register ~JOHN A. RUPP.
Recorder—W. GAYLOR MORRISON.
GEO. L. GOODHART,
T. FRANK ADAMS.
Auditors. JJony B. MITCHELL,
Representatives § Sa
Commissioners.
Governor Pattison and the Soldiers’
Burial Bill.
So far.as their own benefit is con-
cerned the opponents of Governor Pat-
TISON made a mistake in calling atten-
tion to his veto of the Soldiers’ Burial
Bill, It was intended to injure him
with the-soldiers, but an examination
of that action, and of the motives that
prompted it, produces a better compre-
hension cf the honest intent and wise
purpose of the Governor in so acting,
and elevates him in the opinion of in-
telligent citizens and soldiers alike. A
proper examination of the matter
brings the soldier burial charge back
on his assailants with the force of a
boomerang.
Governor Parrison did not veto that
bill because he disapproved of its ob-
ject. . He returned it to the Legisla-
ture for its improvement, stating in his
veto message its objectionable defects.
If the Legislature would have acted
honestly and fairly in the matter, and
made the improvements suggested,
there would be a soldiers’ burial law
to-day whieh would not be a disgrace
to the soldiers and a source of jobbery
to those who execute it. It has the
defect of pauperizing the deceased sol-
dier, requiring a certificate to be
given and a record to be made that he
had died a pauper, thus putting him
on a level with the vagrant who is
buried as a public charge. Instead of
employing State funds for the purpose,
thus giving an appearance of respecta-
bility due a soldier, the money is
drawn from the same fund that sup-
plies a pauper with his last resting
piace. It also gives a chance to dishonest
jobbery and imposes an unnecessary
expense upon the county taxpayers, by |
directing the furnishing of headstones,
notwithstanding the United States
government provides headstones for
all dead soldiers whose relatives or
friends are unable to furnish them.
Thus by dishonest collusion there have
been cases in which the government
stone has been used and the $15 allow-
ed by the burial law for a headstone
has been charged to and paid for by
the county. Cases are numerous
where but part of the amount allowed
has been used by giving the “pauper-
ized” soldier the cheapest kind of in-
terment, the reeidue being divided
among the ghouls who had the inter-
ment in charge. Then there have
been instances of families of means
taking advantage of the law—one no-
table one in Philadelphia where the
funeral expenses were $200, toward
which the $35 allowed by this defec-
tive law was made to contribute, by
collusion among interested relatives
and managers.
Governor Parrisoy pointed out the
defects in the bill on" account of which
he vetoed it. Time and experience
have proved that his objections were
well founded. If the Legislature had
amended it, as he suggested, we would
not now have a soldiers’ burial law
full of crudities, temptation to fraudu-
lent practice, and dishonor to the sol-
diers. But a Republican Legislature
thought they could make political cap-
ital by passing it over his head with
all its defects.
SS —————
Mattern as a Philanthropist.
It is ‘claimed in praise of Guyer
Marry that he isa great friend of the
workingmen, he having fed such as
have been hungry and clothed those
that have been naked. “We never
heard of it, before, but the Gazette
says it is so, and, you know, Fiep-
Ler never lies. But whether it 18
true or not, there is one serious
objection which the © working men
must have to Mr. MarTERN,
are greatly in need of legislation
that will shield them against injus
tice and oppression at the hands of ex-
tortionste employers. They want to
be paid their hard-earned wages semi-
monthly. They don’t want to be rob-
bed by pluck-me stores. They don’t
want to be tyranized by .Pinkerton’s
thugs. They are averse to having 4ll
legislation, as between the employer
and employee, entirely in favor of the
former. They want some that will
benefit themselves. With this ob-
ject they have beseiged the last two or
three Legislatures. They had a com-
mittee at Harrisburg all last winter try-
ing’to secure legislative recognition, but
their efforts were in vain.
man of their committee declares over
his signature that the bills designed
for the protection of their rights and
the bettering of their condition were
either defeated or smothered to death
in committee. It wasn’t of the right
party to be a workingman’s Legisla-
ture. It did business exclusively for
rich employers, big syndicates and
powerful corporations. The policy of
the party and the interest of the bosses
required it to do that kind of work.
Now Mr. MatrerN may be a very
benevolent sort of individual. He
may clothe the naked and feed the
hungry, although we have only Fiep-
LER'S word for it ; but if he should hap-
pen to be sent to the Legislature what
else could be expected of him than
that he would do in respect to labor
bills just what Republican legislators
have been accustomed to do? Their
rule of action is to favor the wealthy
interests, and Mr. MATTERN isn’tstrong
enough to t.cak through the rule.
He would be one of the easiest of men
to be led by the nose by the legislative
bosses of his party in the interest of
emxloyers, corporations and monopo-
lies. They would find him more ser-
viceable in a legislative capacity than
the workingmen would, notwi thstand-
ing the streak of benevolence and
love for workingmen which the Gazette
has discovered rnnning through his
nature.
——The Gazette in last week's issue
admits that it mispresented Mr. IsHLER
with its $900 canard, but somehow it
seems to be affected by the idea that
he couldn’t have been nominated by the
free and untrammeled will of the dele-
gates in the convention. Thisis rath-
er a come down from the charge that
he paid $900 for his nomination. Bat
there was nothing whatever to interfere
with the free and untrammeled action
of the delegates. There was no Buss
Quay there to constrain their choice.
It was'nt so singular that a number of
delegates went to Mr. IsaLer in addi-
tion to those that were originally for
him. That is usually the way nomin-
ations are made. If they hadn’t gone
to him he wouldn't have been nomin-
ated, and there is no doubt whatever
that they went to him because they
preferred him.
RL LSS RMETINR.
A Dirty Candidate.
There is a very dirty candidate run-
ning for office over in Huntingdon
county at this time. His name is
JoxNEs, Republican nominee for the
Legislature. He wrote a letter to an
opponent, dated August 18th, ult., and
this letter contains such filthy expres-
sions that it cannot be sent through
the mails without the risk of penalty
on account of its being obscene matter.
Therefore the lithographed copy of it
that has been sent to us had to be sent
by express. The person to whom this
offensive thing was written had it lith-
ographed and quite a number of them
have been printed and circulated by
means of Adams Express Company.
It would make good JouN WaNAMAK-
ER's hair stand on end a good deal
worse than did “Kreutzer Sonala,” if
any one should contaminate the mail-
bags with a copy of this Jones letter.
There can be no question about its
genuineness. The photographer and
lithographer have brought out its filth
in all its dirty perfection. There it
stands in Jones’ handwriting with
Jones’ distinguished signature at-
tached.
The respectable Republicans of
Huntingdon county shouldn't want to
send to the Legislature so dirty a fel-
low as Joxgs has writtén himself down
to be. They shouldn’t want to be re-
presented by any one who writes letters
so filthy that no self-respecting man
would like to be found with one of
them in his pocket—that couldn’t be
left lying around where women and
children might get hold of them—that
can’t be sent through the mails with-
out violating the law against circulat-
ing obscene literature. JoNES is a
good candidate for not only the decent
Republicans, but for respectable mem-
bers of all parties in Huntingdon coun-
ty, to vote against. It wouldn't be
They |
right to soil a seat in the Legislature
with so dirty an occupant.
| The Organs Say Little about County
Management.
The county Republican organs make
but a feeble defence of the financial
management of county affairs that has
prevailed since the commissioners’
office has been under Republican con-
trol. In fact their columns for the
last few weeks have been almost en-
tirely silent on the subject. The
ridiculous attempt to explain the
disappearance of the surplus left by
the Democrats, by parading the thous-
ands of dollars spent on murder trials
and in rebuilding bridges carried away
by the flood, has met with the de-
UY | rision of every intelligent voter who
The chair- |
knows that those extra expenses, what-
ever their amount may be, have yet to
be accounted for. The Democratic
surplus was wiped out before those
additional costs were incurred. They
are yet to appear in the Auditor's Re-
port, to swell the county indebtedness
which is accumulating under the mis-
management of incompetent Republi-
can officials.
The lame attempt to represent that
Hexpersox and Decker paid a debt
of $6,000 left by their Democratic pre-
decessors no longer hobbles through
the columns of the organs. The
crutches were knocked from under it,
It was too absurd to continue to pre-
gent it in the face of the fact that the
Democratic commissioners left the
county not only entirely out of debt,
but with an available balance in the
county's favor of at least $30,000.
There is no telling what balderdash
the organs may resort to before the
election to bolster the management of
their commissioners, but as the case
now stands they are not making much
noise about it. They seem to have a
preference for the policy of silence.
It is evidently their best policy.
The Outrage on Tuesday Evening.
The Republican, in attempting to
exp.ain the disgraceful conduct of those
who hissed Governor Parrisox in the
opera house last Tuesday evening,
makes the following untruthful and
pitiful excuse:
In making a comparison of the annual ex-
penditures of his administration and that of
the present incumbent, General Beaver, Mr.
Pattison made an insinuating remark about
the charity funds of Johnstown having been
misappropriated, when he was at once given
a storm of hisses.
We can’t see how any paper having
the least regard for its reputation for
veracity will deliberately print a state-
ment of which a thousand people—
the number in the opera house—can
testify to its being false. The Govern-
or did not say directly or indirectly,
inferentially or insinuatingly, or in any
way whatever, that the charity fund
of Johnstown had been misappropriat-
ed. In comparing the expenses of his
administration with those of the ad-
ministration of the present incumbent,
he spoke sarcastically ot the attempt
to include the Johnstown appropria-
tion in the latter's bill of costs when it
has not yet appeared in the State ac-
counts. This wastlie only allusion he
made to Johnstown, when the ‘storm
of hisses” mentioned by the Republican
broke out. Werethe fellows who did
the hissing sensitive on the subject of
Johnstown? Did any of them belong
to the band of “sufferers” which Belle-
fonte contributed to the devastated re-
gion after the flood? Were they
afraid that the Governor was going to
say something about a misappropria-
tion of the charity fand and wanted to
head him off with hisses? Was that
the motive for this outrage upon such
a man as Governor PartrisoN—one of
the purest and cleanest men that ever
belonged to the State ?
But let us tell those fellows that
Roser E. Parison, when Governor
before, had occasion to overhaul the
Squeers syndicate that was misusing
the charity intended for the soldiers’
orphans, and as he is going to be re-
elected as sure as the day of election
comes, he may have occasion in his
executive capacity to direct an investi-
gation to discover whether there has
been any Squeers management of the
Johnstown charity.
The Congressional Nominee.
The Democratic nominee for con-
gress in thisdistrict, the 28th, chosen by
the conference on the 24th of Septem-
ber, is GroraE F. Krinss, esq., a prom-
inent Democrat and citizen, and able
lawyer, of Clarion county. Although
comparatively unknown to the people
in this part of the d'strict, he is highly
spoken of by those of his own county
as a reputable citizen, a competent
member of his profession, and a Demo-
crat who believes in and practices the
principles, and will conform his official
action to the policy, of his party. He
is entitled to the support of the Demo-
cracy of the District.
——The Democratic Sentorial! con-
ference of this district reconvened at
Tyrone on Thursday morning,and up to
time of our going to press at 6 p. m., no
nomination had been made.
PATTISON WAS HERE!
AND SO WERE
Kerr, and Veal.
Thousands Came to Hear the Able Ex-
ponents of Clean Politics and
Honest Government! !
Black, Barclay,
Two Large Meetings at the Same Time!
Despite the pouring rain, which fell
up almost to the time of the party’s ar-
rival, a large crowd of people assembled
to hear Gov Pattison and his fellow can-
didates speak. The scene at the depot
upon the arrival of the train is almost
indescribale. The streets were jammed
for blocks with cheering humanity
which vied with four brass and one
martial band in making the most noise.
Fire works and magnesium lights were
put off everywhere, and when the party
walked over in front of the Bush House
to take the carriages, in waiting for
them, cheer after cheer went up for the
“next Governor of our state.” Not-
withstanding the mud, crows of enthu-
siasts ran behind the carriages, clear up
to the Opera House where the streets
were almost impassable for the people.
So genuine were the marks of apprecia-
tion shown the distinguished visitors
that we feel certain that had Delamater
postponed his recent visit until Tuesday
he would have concluded with Mr.
Black that “he wasn’tin it this fall” and
would have died from sheer jealousy.
IN THE OPERA HOUSE.
The Opera House was crowded to its
utmost by the time the speakers reached
it. On the stage were seated the dis-
trict chairmen of the county along with
Gov. Curtin, Judge J. H. Orvis, Ham-
mond Sechler Esq., Overseer of the Poor
James Schofield and many other distin-
guished personages. The meeting was
called to order by Mr. C. M. Bower who
presented ex-Gov. Cartin as chairman of
the meeting. The Gov. appeared quite
feeble at first but as the meeting pro-
gressed and the speakers began to en-
thuse, his spirits rose and many times
be lead in the applause and, when Mr.
Pattison closed,he proposed three cheers
which were given with such a vim that
the walls fairly shook. The following
vice chairmen and secretaries were then
chosen :
VICE PRESIDENTS.— Bellefonte Bor-
ough, John Powers, William Howley,
William Harper, Spring #wp., John
Mulfinger, Henry Taylor, Ed. Roan,
Boggs twp., Thos. Murray Wm. Barn-
hart, J. A. Confer, Milesburg Borough.
A. M. Butier, Benner twp., John Mecht-
ly, Patton twp., Daniel Stine, Half
Moon twp., Emory McAfee, Ferguson
twp., Jno. H. Miller, William Tanyer,
College twp., W. C. Patterson, A. J.
Dreese, Harris twp., Philip H. Meyer,
Centre Hall Borough, Jno. T. Lee, Pot-
ter twp., Frank Foreman, Henry Ross-
man, Gregg twp., William Lose, Wil-
liam Pealer, Penn twp., Jacob Kerstet-
ter, Millheim Borough, Reuben Hart-
man, Haines twp., J. G. Meyer, Jno. J.
Orndorf, Miles twp., Noah Corman,
Walker twp, Edward Peck, Marion twp.,
Jos. J. Hoy, Howard Borough, Jacob
Dietz, Howard twp., William Lyon,
Curtin twp., Thos. S. DeLong, Liberty
twp., Richard Runner, Unionville Bor-
ough, Ed. Greist, Union ftwp., Chas.
McGarvey, Huston twp., Dr. P. W.
Swope, Worth twp,, Geo R. Williams,
Taylor twp., Samuel Hoover, Snow
Shoe twp., J. S. Ewing, Edwarb Shan-
non, Burnside twp., Henry Meeker,
Rush twp., Jno. Kennedy, J. B. Long,
Philipsburg Borough, Sol. Schmidt, C.
A. White, W, C. Lingle.
SECRETARIES. — WATCHMAN, John.
Youngman, Centre Democrat Chas. R.
Kurtz, Millheim Journal, R. A. Bu-
miller, Centre Reporter, Fred.
Kurtz, Wage-Earners Journal, R. A.
Kinslow.
The first speaker of the evening was
Maj. Veal. ' His talk was very able and
forcible and his proposition to relieve the
state of a government, which is not in
accord with its constitution was received
with cheers and cries of “you bet we
will,” ete. He spoke at length on Mr.
Delamater’s unfitness and ineligibility
to office owing to his breaking one of the
clauses of our constitution, by using
state funds in his Meadville bank, while
a senator at Harrisburg. The point of
Pattison’s vetoing the veteran's burial
bill was touched upon in such a way
and the Governor's motives in doing it
shown so clearly that there was not an
old soldier present who would not have
grasped Bob Pattison by the hand and
thanked him from the bottom of his
heart for doing what he could to save
the scarred old soldier's from a pauper’s
grave. The Bellefonte band then play-
ed a patriotic air after which Mr. Pat-
tison was introduced.
Upon taking the stage Mr. Pattison
said first that the issues in this campaign
were very simple, being only “Home
rule, self government and clean politics’
pitted in the contest against ‘‘Bossism
and spoilsmen.” He then elaborated up-
on the principle’s of suffrage and repra-
sentative government dealing at length
on the idea of honesty and purity of
elections; with great tact he drifted
from this line over to a discussion of his
own administration, during which he
said that out of 600 bills presented to
him 126 were vetoed and but 8 of the
126 were passed over his head notwith-
standing the fact that the last two years
of his term both Legislature and Senate
were two thirds Republican. For every
bill he vetoed his reasons are filed and
within the reach of everyone, The rela-
tive cost of his administration as com-
pared with the one now governing he
! to offer.
showed to be much less. A number of
items were given, all of which, showed
a large increase of eapense over the cor-
responding items during his erm. In
the aggregate he showed his term to have
cost the state $596,000 less—with the ex-
tra session thrown in—than the present
administration has already cost. He
closed his most excellent speech with an
appeal to the people to send honest and
upright citizens tothe Legistature. Men
known by their principles and integrity
and purity and fidelity. Upon his con-
clusion the great audience rose en-masse
and cheered him until it could cheer no
longer. When order was restored Govj
Curtin could not resist the temptation
to say a few words commendatory of our
state ticket. His remarks were all on
Mr. Pattison’s honesty as a public officer
and he closed with the, question. “Does
anyone here know of asingle spot on this
man’s character ?”’ whereupon, shouts
“no!” “no!” were sent up all over the
house and the old Governor brought
down his fist, with emphasis, upon the
table and said “no! not a d—d one!”
The band started to play again but
the people didn’t want to hear it, they
cried for ‘Black !”” “Black I’ and Black
came and a rattling good little speech he
made too. He tickled the people with
jokes but managed to put first class
morals to them all and the morals were
that if you want honest government and
clean polities vote for the Democratic
ticket this fall. After Mr. Blaek got
through State chairman Kerr announc-
ed that he felt confident of winning this
fall and read a telegram {rom ex-Sena-
tor Wallace, who is said by Republicans
to be not in sympathy with the ticket,
stating that he would speak with Mr.
Pattison, at the academy, in Philadil-
phia, next week. This was received
with rounds of applause.
Hon. Robert E. Wright, of Allen-
town, concluded the list of speakers with
one of the most eloquent and logical
speeches we have had the pleasure of
listening to for some time. Mr. Wright
is a young Democrat but we predict a
great political career for him. As a
speaker he was both pleasing and elo-
quent and as a logician he was scund
and forcible.
IN THE COURT HOUSE.
The Opera House not being large
enough to accommodate the crowd the
Court House had to be opened for an
overflow meeting. J. M. Bower called
it to order also and continued in the
chair for the evening. Hon. Michael
J. Ryan, of Philadelphia, the man who
nominated Mr. Pattison for Governor at
the Scrantan convention, was the first
speaker introduced. Mr. Ryan made a
ringing speech full of sound democracy
and strong principles. He was very fav-
orably received by his audience and his
remarks were appreciated by all who had
the pleasure of hearing him. Hon. Wm.
H. Barclay of Pittsburg followed him
with one of those eloquent persuasive ar-
gumentations which he is ably qualified
His talk was full of points
which will set many of our undecided
voters to thinking,and thinking serious-
ly about the way in which they are go-
ing to exercise their freemen’s rights
this fall.
On the whole the meeting was one of
the most successful political gatherings
Bellefonte has ever had. At no previous
time have the people of Centre county
had such an opportunity of hearing so
many brilliant men talk and at no meet-
ing ever held in our county have a par-
ty’s candidates made a more favorable
impression or received more enthusiastic
assurances of the confidence reposed in
them than did Robert E. Pattison,
Chauncey Forward Black and Wm. H.
Barclay, at the meeting here on Tues-
day night. Everybody, both Democrat
and Republican, was pleased with Patti-
son and well had they cause to be for
we feel certain that they have never
had an opportunity of hearing a more
honorable and upright man talk, and
one whose every word inspired confi-
dence in his sincerity and integrity.
The party left for the Clearfield coal
regions. on a special, at seven o’clock
Wednesday morning. They were ac-
companied by county candidates Tshler,
Gramley and McCormick, along with
P. Gray Meek and others who went to
attend the meeting in Philipsburg on
Wednesday night. R.
———r——
Democratic Congressional Conference
of the Twenty-eighth District
The Democratic Conferrees of the 28th
Congressional District met at Ridway,
Pa. on Wednesday evening, Sept. 24.
The Conferrees for the several counties
were as follows: Centre Co., T. E.
Clark, William Wolf and John A.
Woodward. Clarion Co., J. H, Wilson,
C. R. Bowman, and John F. Brown.
Clearfield Co., Jos. P Taylor, George
M. Dimeling and J. F. Snyder. Elk
Co., J. K. P. Hall, Grove G. Messenger
and Jos. M. Shaffer. Forest Co., S. H,
Haslet, W. D. Shields and H. H. Mec-
Clellan., An organization was effected
by the election of J. H. Wilson, Chair-
man, and J. K. P. Hall and Geo. M.
Dimeling Secretaries.
The following candidates were put 1n
nomination. Centre County, Col J. A.
Spangler. ' Clarion County, Geo. F.
Kribbs. Clearfield County, James Kerr.
Elk County, Capt. A. A. Clay. Forest
County, J. B. Siggins. After one ballot,
each candidate receiving the vote of his
county, the conferrees adjourned until
Thursday morning, the 25th inst. at 9.
o'clock. At 9 o'clock a. m. the 25th
inst, the conferrees met and after a few
balllots adjourned to meet at 1 o’clock p.
m. At 1o’clock p. m. met and adjourn-
ed until 3 p, m., at which time on the
13th ballot,Geo.F. Kribbs was nominat-
ed, and the vote being Kerr 3. Spangler
3 and Kribbs 9. The nomination was
then made unanimous, and the confer-
: ence adjourned Sine die.
J. W. WiLson,
J.P. K Hany, Chairman.
GEo. M. DIMELING,
Secretaries.
SPOILS FROM THE DEAD SOLDIERS’.
Abuses of the Soldiers’ Burial Bill.
In 1885 Mr. Thomas J. Stewart made
a bid for the soldier vote of the State by
offering a bill in the State Legislature to
provide for the burial of indigent sol-
diers und for headstones to mark their
graves. The bill was loosely drawn. Tt
was full of crudities, and instead of pro-
viding for the burial of the really indi-
geatsoldier it opened the door to all sorts
| of imposition and fraud at the expense
of the taxpayers. Governor Pattison
courageously advised the Legislature to
correct these mistakes, but Mr. Stewart
and his demagogic associates saw in the
Governor's veto an opportunity to make
political capital for themselves, and they
rushed through the bill over the Gover-
nor’s veto.
Five years of trial have vindicated the
accuracy of Governor Pattison’s posi-
tion. Three thousand two hundred and
sixty-seven men purporting to have
been soldiers have been buried in sixty
of the sixty-seven counties under the
provisions of this bill, and 1797 head-
stones have been erected, the cost to the
taxpayers having been as follows:
Yor 32067 interments,........................ $114,045.00
For 1797 headstones................cocoe wenn. 26,365.00
"Potal COSL.............o ce ede LL SB 140V,950.00
Of this large amount $59,575 has been
wasted through the crudities and defects
of the bill. Tn other words, if Governor
Pattison’s advice had been heeded, the
Legislature would have" accomplished
the same patriotic object and the coun-
ties that pay the piper would have saved
$59,575 that has been needlessly paid
out for headstones or wasted in the name
of the dead soldier to provide spoil for
living sharks,
The bill provided that a headstone
costing $15 shall be furnished at the ex-
pense of the county. In Philadelphia
county the Commissioners refused to
obey this provision of the law, because
the United States Government stood
ready to furnish headstones to indigent
soldiers free of cost, freight prepaid. In
fifty counties of Pennsylvania the Coun-
ty Commissioners have needlessly paid
out $26,905 for 1797 headstones in igno-
rance of the provision made by the Fed-
eral Government.
In all the sixty-seven counties of the
State the taxpayers have been forced to
| pay $35 to undertakers who have offered
!'to furnish the same service to individ-
uals for a Jesser amount. R:putable
undertakers in Philadelphia, Chester and
Montgomery counties have offered to
perform the same service for the Record
for $25. And in the list of 25 under-
takers selected at random who charged
Philadelphia $35 for a burial 21 offered
to do the same service from the same
house and carry the body to the same
cemetery at a smaller charge. The
looseness of the Soldiers’ Burial act in
this respect has put $32,670 of extortion-
ate profits into the pockets of undertak-
ers at the expense of the taxpayers.
The only voucher that is furnished to
the county recites that the deceased died
leaving insufficient means for his burial.
It does not vouch for the correctness of
the charges, nor is it necessary to furnish
evidence that the deceased ever served
his country ; therefore an'expenditure of
more than $140,045 has been made with-
out proper audit.
Within five months after the passage
of the Soldiers’ Burial bill over the Gov-
ernor’s veto it was developed in Dauph-
in county that $35 was taken from the
County Treasurer to pay for the burial
of Martin V. Wade, whereas the under-
taker received only $15 for the coffin
and hearse hire, as has appeaedr by affi-
davit.
Undertakers in Philadelphia county
have charged $10, notably, David H.
Schuyler and Samuel S. Armstrong, for
opening graves in Mount Peace and Odd
- Fellow’s Cemeteries, whereas only $5.
was paid to the cemetery companies for
such service.
For opening the grave of Frank An-
derson in Lebanon Cemetery the connty
was charged $6 by Mr. H. S. Duterte,
but $2 was actually paid for that service.
At the national Cemetery in Branch-
town the Government opens the graves
free of cost, but the undertakers, notably
John A. Franks, of Sixth and Noble
streets, have charged Philadelphia $5
for each grave opening.
In many cases walnut coffins have
been charged for where only imitation
walnut coffins were furnished.
The use of hearses has been charged
for at rates greater than those charged
for private funerals.
The bill was intended to apply only
to the burial of those soldiers who died
leaving insufficient means to provide for
their burial, but its provisions are so
crude that its author, Mr. Thomas J.
Stewart, of Montgomery county, has
protested to the Commissioners of Phila-
delphia against the abuse of the law
For instance, a bill would be sent to the
County Commissioners for $35 for the
burial of a soldier whose funeral expens-
es hed amounted to $200, all of which
had been paid after the lapse of a con-
siderable period. The family heard that
$35 would be paid under the Soldiers’
Burial bill for funeral expenses, and a
demand was made upon the County
Commissioners for the money, and the
bill was paid.
A soldier in Lancaster who left $5000
insurance was buried as an indigent.
David H. Schuyler, a prominent un-
dertaker, says: ‘No matter whether
the burial costs $20 or $50, the price re-
ceived ie always $35.” This seems to
have been the principle upon which
nearly all the undertakers have acted.
Out of twenty-five bills for burial se-
lected at random in the County Com-
missioners’ office grave discrepancies
have been discovered in more than ten,
All these possibilities and defects were
pointed out by Governor Pattison in his
veto message, but the politicians who
were coddling the soldier vote were seek-
ing to make places and patronage for
themselves over the bones of the dead
' soldier rather than to protect the county
treasuries from wast and fraud.