The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-10-18
WHOLE NO. 1852,
The War upon Beaver,

The Press makes a good point in
replying to a criticism in a Pittsburg
paper, when it saws that General
Beaver was a candidate before the
people for months before the nom-
ination, and that none of the OBJ
jectors to his candidacy brought
forward any candidate against him.
The Press might have gone further,
and explained why no candidate was
brought out against General Beaver.
The reason why was simply that no
Republican dared to take the field
against Beaver. There was nOta man
In Pennsylvania who did not know
that to go to the people in the elec-
ton districts and contest for the
nomination with General Beaver
would result IN defeat. There was
no mystery whatever about the sue
cess which attended the General as
he passed through the State. His
record as a patriot and his high
character as a man preceded him,
and won for him a welcome such as
no other Republican and no Demo
crat in Pennsylvania could have
secured.
Had the candidacy of General
Beaver been sprung upon the Con-
ventlcn by some power behind it,
there would have been some reason
for the revolt against him. But it
was evident enough months before
the Convention met that Beaver
would be nominated in spite of op-
position from any quarter. If ever
a candidate was indicated by the
people he was indicated. He was
satisfactory to the masses every
where. If it be said that he was
satisfactory to the bosses also, we
reply that they were face to face
with Hobson's choice. Had the
bosses dubbed their strength against
him in the Convention. boss rule
would have ended then and there.
Ii the acceptance of a candidate by
any particular individual is to be
held a good enough reason for op-
posing the candidate without refer
ence to any of the facts or circum-
stances, and without reference to
character or deserving, we are un-
able to account for the e9uanimity
with which these obiectors contem-
plate the possible success of Mr..
Pattison. He is acceptable to sew
eral persons whose repute as roosters
and bosses is notorious, and whose
public records exhale a decidedly
corrupt odor
But we do not affect to forget that
it would have made no difference
had General Beaver received his
nomination against the utmost that
Senator Cameron might have done
to defeat him. No objection was
made to the nomination of General
Beaver by either Mr.. Lear or Mr..
Marshall-the only men of any note
in that Convention now opposing
him. Why did they not protest
against the nomination of General
Beaver then ? Has he changed in
anything since they joined in making
his nomination unanimous? Did
they not know as much about him
then as they know now? We are
Bound to assume that they knew no
reason why he should not bear the
party standard at that time. for
otherwise, if honest and honorable
men, they would have entered their
protests of record. That this oppo-
sition to General Beaver was an af-
ter thought, suggested by something
or somebody of which or of whom
we have no knowledge, is as clear TO
most observers as that there is an
opposition in that quarter. We
question no mans right to oppose
General Beaver or any other candi-
date, but only the insincere pretext
made for opposition The opposi-
ton may be sincere, but the reasons
assigned are not the right reasons.
1t might not flatter anybody con-
cerned were the true reasons set
forth.