A NATIONAL REFORM STATE.
By W. N. G.
PENNSYLVANIA is the citadel of the National Reformers. Their staunchest supporters are in that State, and their organ has been printed within its confines for many years. Moreover, Pennsylvania has a strong Sunday law, and its people cling tenaciously to that particular statute. As the fundamental doctrines of the association are morality by civil law, and a union of religion and politics, one would naturally look to that State for the highest form of morality. Indeed, the reformers are wont to cite the zealous acts of their partisans, and their success in the matter of enforced Sunday observance in their larger cities. But after all, Pennsylvania is the veritable bed of the labor strike with all its horrors. There is not a State that equals it in that respect. And as to politics, well we will let the Christian Statesman, the National Reform organ, tell the story itself. It does so in a few words, as follows:— The Pennsylvania Legislature assembled early in January last and adjourned on June 28. It is probable that no legislature in the history of the United States has been so obedient to the dictation of a party “boss,” so daring in the abuse of legislative power, or so open to the charge that corrupt motives have inspired its action. One of the first acts of this body of lawmakers was to elect Matthew Stanley Quay United States Senator from Pennsylvania. Mr. Quay is a professional politician of consummate ability as an organizer of the party machine which he unblushingly controls in the interest of himself and his friends. This organization extends into every county of the State, and every voting precinct of every county. It includes the governor of the State and the other senator from Pennsylvania; for both were elected by Mr. Quay’s influence, and are entirely subservient to his will. The same is true of the mayor of Philadelphia and the majority in both branches of the city councils. Controlling thus all the patronage of the State and of the principal city of the State, and all the appointments of the general government to offices in Pennsylvania, and holding for disbursal the millions of dollars in the State, city, and county treasuries, it is easy to see how vast a body of office-holders and expectants can be subjected to the control of a single shrewd intellect and masterful will. This is the State in which the National Reform movement has maintained headquarters for nearly forty years, and this is the report of political conditions as given in the association’s own organ. A worse record, if even one so bad, could hardly be found in the whole federation of States. Another striking fact in this connection is that Senator Quay was the special champion in the United States Senate of the resolution to compel the closing on Sunday of the Columbian Exposition in 1893. History has emphasized the fact that compulsory religion (the9real doctrine of the so-called National Reformers) is the bane of civil government. It is always safe to assume that when a politician begins to champion any kind of civil law religion, he has a political ax to grind, and wishes to appear as an advocate of morality.