New-York tribune., 1876-08-22
PENNSYLVANIA POLITICS.
NEITHER PARTY YET AT WORK.


,vpou THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRrBuNE.l
Pm, ,nE1PnIA Aug. 21.-Do not look for much
oo,o,.ign news from Pennsylvania until after the
October elections In Ohio and Indiana. The polti-
clans here have now had two years IN wi1ch To ad-
inst themselves 10 the new system OK November
elections and they find il both pleasant and econom-
cal no longer to bear the brunt of each recurring
annual battle but to rest quietly IN the reserve uhtI
the preliminary contests in the West are settled ii
they had any spirit for going into the hsiit carry
they would be restrained 10y the want OF money
Ammunition is going to be dreadiully scarce TINS
Fall. and will have to be used very sparingy by
both parties. The men who pass around the nat
seldom fnG ANYTHING in it but the lining Athousand
aollars were. raised in 1872 with fraction Of the
effort il takes now TO get a hundred. hch
partisans who used to hand IN their checks
with three ciphers and digit IN the corner can
scarcely he eoaxed out of ten dollar bill. and often
button UP their pockets and chill the applicants
ardor by saving that they don't take much interest
in politics this year. while the noble army of Office
holders, feeling the pinch of hard times, try to neg
of by paying only half of their assessments. Without
money the political mare cannot bc forced ont of a
jogtrot. To make a brisk canvass in such times as
these would require even larger expenditure OF
cash than. IN previous years. because few OF the
party workers feel disposed to spend amy money or
even give THEN time gratuitously TO " the cause
The able orator, who ordinarily viii pay hls own
expenses for the sake OF the pleasure OF listening TO
the music of his voice. wants his railway tickets
and hotel bills provided for, and the humble citizen
Il very backward about joining political clubs
unless he is sure that he W II not be taxed TO pay Tor
the hall. the torches, OF the brass band
Under these circumstances it is easy to see that
here in Pennsylvania we shall slide along smoothly
without either party getting excited until we get
the news from OHIO and Indiana Should the Re
pubicans carry both those States the game Will DC
up and there will be no fight al all here. light
vote in November and majority for Hayes OF toin
10000 to 10000 viii be the certain result. The
Democrats outside Of the eastern counties caught
the softmoney lunaCy last year from their brethren
in Ohio, and have not yet recovered rom IT. IheI
hated Gov. 1ilden then, and charged nm Win
being responsible for their defeat Ii the October
States go Republican they viii lay it to his cand-
dacy, and will let the November election almost go
by default voting as Democrats always do, but
speudinQ no money and doing no work. If Indiana
goes Democratic II imagine there can he no question
about the Republicans carrying Ohio, the fury OF
the great battle which wiz rage in New-Iork Will
be felt here The Democrats VIII be greatly en-
couraged; the Republicans viii put their splendid
organization in fighting trim, and we shall have as
vigorous and noisy a canvass Is the hard tunes VIII
permit.
the Democrats succeeding Their organization Is
everywhere defective, and theil leadership shock
incly bad. The old chiefs who used TO make Penn
svlvania Democracy rock upOn which the party
throughout the Union felt il could build with safety
are mostly dead, and the few that are hVng-BIgcI'
yaux, Wright, and one or two Others-aTc constantly
made 10 feel that the Tens have passed into other
hands. "a new school OF smart and uicky pohu-
claus often suspected OF corrupt alliances WITH lie
publican rngs and always looking to their personal
interests rather than to those of the party through
out the State have come to the 'front.' In the couh-
try districts the Democrats, as body, are honest
faithful and persistent and although without much
dash or intelligence, they make very sturdy ana
Trustworthy material for political organIzatlon'
ALWAYS going to the polls and always voting
straight ticket. If Philadelphia were cut of and
annexed TO New-JcTsey, Pennsylvania would be the
most steadily Democratic state III the North win
Philadelphia il goes Republican with greater Tegu
lality than any State outside of New-England, ex-
ccpt Michigan and Iowa. The reason is that the
Democrats of the city are led by lot Of jackals who
sllSist on the bones thrown TO them by the Repub-
Ncan managers. The rank and file regularly
sold ont and are too stupid TO find for themselves
honest leaders. There is scarcely ward where
tIl,re are not "a score more of pretended Demo-
Gratis who are loud and active in primary meetings.
and conventions, but whose real business IN potlcs
is TO get appointed judges of elections, anu cOhhNe
Ior a price, of course, at frauds upon the ballot.
mart of the spols of municipal mislue has for many
wears been gwen to Democrats for services OF ths
and other equally dishOnOrabe kinds until the party
in the city has become corrupt and denorallzed
through and through. Without thorough reoigan-
izat:or and reform, such there is no reason to
hone for it will ney er be anything but burden and
"a disgrace 20 the country Democracy.
, The Republican party, although badly in need of
aviporous wedding out among lis leaders, Is man
aged with good deal of skill, and has an organza-
zion in city and country Of remarkable completeness
and efficiency. To all appearances it is now almost
rs united aud strong it was before the spilt III
1870 True Gov. Curtin has made the Liberal
movement a stepping stone to the Democratic camp
but with oil his personal popularity and great abl-
Ity he seems 20 have no following from among his
old Republican admirers. If he had not gone out TO
Ohio and stunped for Gov. Allen and the rag
baby last Fall Ills present position would be more
logicai A Liberal who has held aoOf from both
the old organizations until now consistently
snonort Gov Tilden # he believes Linn to be more
likely to effect administrative reform than hIs OppO
neyt but Liberal who volunteered in the soft
money crusade of Gov. Allen and Mr.. Cary year
ago must Dc looked upon at this time as a pretty
deeply-dyed Democrat without particle OF claim
f. influence he action Of bis old Liberal associates
Another prominent leader III the Greeley canvass
Col Mcclure, who was Chairman Of the
Liberal Republican State Committee in 1872
appears from his editorials in The Philadelphia
Times 20 10 sitting the fence and kicking out
vigorously at both parties, while throwing occa-
sonal sugar plum Of praise now TO one side and now
TO the other. but mostly TO the Democrats. Col