The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-05-17
THE NEW PARTY AND ITS CANDIDATES

The possibilities of the party that met in
Convention in Philadelphia last week, were
great By judicious nominations, and well
constructed platform, they might have poed
u very large vote at the fall election But all
The golden opportunities were disregarded,
the platform first adopted was communistic
document ''fit only for mob" True, the
more conservative elements sat up all night
after the adoption of the platform, to con-
struct something else little better calculated
to catch the floating votes here and there, and
on Thursday mornr the Labor resolutions
were repudiated and the Greenback senti.
ments adopted. The platform is too long to
give in full. 1t demands everything while it
promises nothing. 1t is conglomeraton of
so-called principles of the Labor Reformers,
the Nationals and the Greenbackers The
name adopted for the new party in this con-
vention, indicates the character of the plat
FORM, 1t is the National Greenback- Labor
party.
THE CANDIDATES.
Samuel r. Mason, the nominee for Gov
ernor, is a lawyer residing in the town of
Mercer, seat of Mercer county. He is fifty
years of age, having been born of ScotchIrish
parentage on small farm in Washington
township, Lawrence county, but then part
of Mercer. has been practicing at the
Mercer bar for twenty-five years, and in
Western Pennsy yania is known us gentle
man of large experience and marked execu-
tive ability. His practice has been good
from the beginning, and for the past fifteen
years he has been looked upon as well. to do.
He never held any public office or Office of
any kind, except that of elder in the Presby-
terian Church of his town. His vote has been
cast with the Democrats, but he was never
an active partisan. Three years ago he pub
licy took up the Labor cause, and has since
then been identified with the Nationalists in
Mercer. At the Wlliamsport Convention
last year Mr., j. q. White, chairman Of the
United Labor county committee of Mercer,
mentioned Mr. Mason as a candidate for the
Supreme Judgeship, but he withdrew ia la-
vor of Judge Bentley. Mr.. Mason is large
man, well preserved, with fine address. lie
has not hair on the top of his head and
very few whskers, He is good speaker,
smooth, persuasive and always logical. His
family consists of wife and nine children.
The nomination Of Mason was the work OF
the Cameron ring Agents were in Phila-
delphia for the purpose Of preventing the
nomination Of Armstrong, and they were sue
cessful. William ii. Armstrong was the only
man whom Hoyt feared. Had Armstrong
been nominated, it would have made Hoyt's
nomination by the Republicans uncertain ,and
his defeat if nominated almost sure. To pre-
vent all this, the Camerons, who till own the
state, set about Arm'trong's overthrow, anC
accomplished it, by the nomi nation of j Judg,
Bently Of Wiiamsport for Supreme Judge
The trick seemed apparent when Immediately
after the nominee for governor was selected,
dispatch was sent Bentley asking him t.
withdraw in favor of Judge Agnew. He
was put on the track only long enough tc
crowd Armstrong off. We would not guar,
antee that certain delegate not far from
here did not go to Philadelphia to help the
NalhSiVuS SoptuiS thc NOuNeuuOn.
Christopher Shearer, the nominee for Lieu.
tenant Governor has declined to be candi.
date, and the vacancy will be filed by the
State committee.
Judge Benjamin S. Bentley, the candidate
for Supreme Judge, is about sixty years o.
age, aud has been member of the bar oyel
thirty year,.
In 1868 LycomiDg county was made a ju
dicial district, and he was appointed to PIE,
side upon the bench by Governor Geary. Ii
the fall OF the year 1868 he was renominatec
by the Republicans as the opposition to udg,
Gamble, who was the candidate on The Dem.
ocratic ticket for the President Judgesbip
and Mr.. Bently was defeated Upon his re,
iiIement from the bench, the members of tbe