The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-09-05
Lesson OF the UilkesbaFre COnrea-
fiOl

tiOH.
There are certain party usages III
this country which are very seldom
violated. One of these is the endorse
ment of the report of committee APP
pointed by a political convention to
name permanent officers. If there be
contest it is fought out before the
commAttee meets or during its delib-
erations. With the report of the COM
mittee the fight ends. In the history
of political parties in Pennsylvania
this usage was first broken by the
Democratic Convention which assem-
bled at Wilkesbarre
For some time past there have been
rumors that an attempt would be
made to smother any expression of
opinion by the Convention in refer
ence to the back-pay and the extra
pay of Federal officials. If no Dem
ocrat had been implicated in the pass
age of the bill, the men who were anX-
iOus to secure silence would have been
the very first to call for denunciatory
resolutions. Unfortunately it happen
ed that a decided majority of the
Democratic members of Congress from
Pennsylvania either voted for the
extra pay or took it after having voted
against it. That they should be anx-
ious to prevent any action by the
State Convention which would seri-
ously reflect upon their conduct was
only natural.
When the Convention assembled at
Wilkesbarre it became Immediately
manifest that the passage of a denun-
ciatorv resolution could not be pre-
vented. Then, another device was re-
sorted to, and one which was as shall
low and stupid as it eventually proved
to be unavailing. r. Milton Speer,
Congressman from the Seventeenth
District, was induced to thrust him
self forward as a candidate for perma-
nent President of the Convention.
Mr.. Speer had an extensive acquaint-
ance throughout the State, he was
personally popular, good talker, and
he had voted in the main squarely
against what is vulgarly styled the
salary grab. His only offence was
that he had taken the back pay after
voting against the principle involved
in the bill Those who were Mr..
Speer's most prominent hackers ar
gued very foOlishly that the conven~
ton might be easily induced TO accept
Mr.. Speer as permanent President,
and seemed to imagine that his eleva-
ton to such an honorary position
would cover up their short comings
Never was there a more complete i'm
itation of the foolish ostrich.
When the Convention assembled
delegates were persistently importuned
to vote for Mr.. Speer, and he did not
hesitate to engage in such solicitation
himself The temper of a majority of
the delegates were unmistaka bic
They were earnestly opposed to the
increase of salary, and it soon became
evident, not only that resolutions
would be passed denouncing the bill
and its supporters, but that Mr.. Speer
could not be made permanent Presi~
dent with the consent of a majority of
the delegates.
This being ascertained cunning de-
vices were resorted to. Delegates who
were willing to make Speer perma-
nent President were sought out and
arrangements made by which places
were secured for them in the commit
tee on permanent organization. The
result was that Mr.. Speer was nomi-
mated in the committee by majority
of one.
The men who had been intriguing
g ! 4, I'D
accomplished their ends. They sup
posed the Convention would not ven
ture to break long~established rule.
In that they were sadly mistaken, as
the result showed. The times demand
ed bold and decided action, and the
Convention did not hesitate to take
firm stand. By so doing it has marked
the commencement of a new era in the
Democratic party of Pennsylvania.
From this time forth the precedents
will be on the side OF poI1tlcaI 1nJegrl-
ty. Men who show themselves to be
in any way unworthy of confidence,
selves forward. No man who wit
messed the scenes in the Democratic
Convention at Wilkesbarre, will ever
forget them. No delegate or specta-
tor in that hall will fail to meet a
wholesome restraint upon his actions
if he happens to be an aspirant for
public position.
We do not say that Mr.. Speer's of
fence is an objectionable one. We do
not care to discuss that question.
His career has been perfectly unim-
1l,.,l - l.
ton. 1t was with pain that we saw
him humiliated. He might and he
ought to have avoided the disaster
which overlook him. Had he done
so he would have escaped mortfica-
ton, but the public would have lost a
valuable lesson.
we hope this may prove to be but
the beginning of a new era in the Dem
ocratlc party of Pennsylvania. There
is not man in its ranks-there are