The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-12-26
Toss Rule In Politics.

Two independent KepuDllcan OTgahlIa
tons are in the field in Pennsylvania, both
opposed to the Boss rule Of the Camerons
and their followers, but differing somewhat
in the methods by which they propose tc
defeat the machine this coming year. The
moro extreme element propose to bolt the
Boss nomination, after the style Of Wolfe
last year, who polled over 10000 votes as
tho independent candidate for State Treas
urer against BaiIy, the nominee Of the
Bosses. Tho nominationef Baily was nc
complished by deception and trickery, and
Justly created n good deal Of indignation
among the Republican masses. His nomi.
nation was undesired and unexpected, and
was accomplished at tho eleventh hour by
personal coup d'etal Of tho Camerons.
Therefore the Wolfe wing Of the indepen-
dents propose to repeat in 1882, for the
Office Of Governor, their detection in 1881
for the Office Of Treasurer.
The other wingof independents do not
take this extreme ground. They, too, are
opposed to the Cameron bosses, but they
propose To make their appeal tq the people
at the primaries, and 10 defeat the noml-
nee Of the Bosses II he really be an objec.
tionable man. They arc not going to OPP
pose a man simply because the Bosses may
iayor him, They say that the Bosses may
put forth man whom the masses Of the
party would naturally prefer TO select, and
in that case all they propose to do is to see
that the nominee is really the preference
Of tho people. And even II it should so
happen That the people prefer man whom
the independents may consider objection
able, they do not on that account intend
to antagonize his election II fairly nomina.
ted. All they demand is that he shall be
fairly and squarely nominated by the peo.
pie, instead Of being foisted on them by the
manipulation Of the Bosses They have
put forth declaration in the shape OF a
published address to this effect.
II seems tousthat this isthe safe and prop
crcourso pursue. Themedium for redress
against tho evils Of boss rule Is through the
primaries. Pennsylvania Republicans are
now pretty well stirred up and informed on
this important subject They have it In
their power to compel the nomination Of a
candidate who is the choice Of the party
for Governor. II they feel general inter.
esl In securing the nomination OF the man
OF their choice all they have to do Is toturn
outat the primaries and make their choice
felt and respected. ltthey do not feel this
sort Of an interest, and are willing to let
the machine men scoop the nominations,
they ought to be willingto abide the result.
The machine is always Of course more
active and energetic than the masses at
large, because those who ruin with 1t arc,
as rule, trained professional politicians,
to whom politics is u personal matter,
matter Of dollars and cents; very often
matter Of political plumber. But even the
machine, great as 1t Is, Is powerlsss against
the weight Of numbers, and when the peo.
pie, being duly notified, as they are now
in Pennsylvania, choose to stand back and
lot It assert itself against their preference,
they should 10 willing TO abide the conse-
quences Of their own supineness.
II Is understood at Washington that
General Beaver Is tho choice OF Cameron
iot Governor Of Pennsylvania. This fact
should not Of itself operate 10 kill of the
General as a candidate before the public.
He has caused il to be understood that he
does not seek the nomination against the
popular will. It may easily enough hap
pen in this instance that the preference Of
Cameron does not collide with tho prefer.
ence Of the party. We hope that such Ia
the case, for General Beaver has grand
record asa soldier, and ardent third terner
though he was at Chicago, and as he may be
yet, he deserves well VI the people. We
have never seen anything laid to his
chafge,except his subserviency to Cameron,
that should detract from hiscandldacy. He
has a right TO be third termer, and as
long as third term" Is not the issue to be
decided by his nomination and election
we should be glad to see him chosen as the
standard bearer on his merits
as a soldier and citizen.