Page:The autobiography of a Pennsylvanian.djvu/478

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AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A PENNSYLVANIAN

an election could not have been held that night, as the vote would have been a tie with the result of a bitter fight in the board. Point out to him, also, the fact that Mr. Shoemaker was bound by every tie of friendship to vote with his old friends of the former board, the men who regarded him as one of them and who felt sure that he would be afraid to vote against them. Point out to the governor his sterling integrity and independence as shown on this occasion, as an evidence of his character.

I believe Shoemaker to be one of the finest men in our board, and I am sure that he would make an upright and capable judge. Outside of the governor, himself, no man wielded the influence that Shoemaker did in your election.

I speak of this matter in this frank way because I have all along felt that your election was the governor's fight, and that this ought to interest him at least, in a man who made, what seemed to be, great sacrifice in voting for you. At the same time, it is only fair to say that Mr. Shoemaker did not regard it as a sacrifice, inasmuch as it was a matter of conscience with him and this could mean no sacrifice.

I am sending this letter to your house because I do not know just where you are at the present time, and I trust that when you receive this that you will see the governor personally if possible.

With kind regards,
Very truly yours,

Geo. H. Cliff.


New York, August 23, 1906.

Hon. Samuel W. Pennypacker,

Pennypacker's Mills, Schwenksville, Pa.

My dear Governor:

I am very grateful to you for your letter of August 19. I am not surprised at your original action, in view of the statement which Mr. Untermyer made that day, and I presume I should have felt like taking similar action but for the fact that he undertook to incur whatever expense he has incurred in full faith that every dollar of it would be returned by the policyholders, and the present indications are that his faith in the policyholders' interest was justified.

With assurances of regard, and with the hope of a still better acquaintance with you in the future, I am,

Very sincerely yours,
Alton B. Parker.
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