New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-04
PENNSYLVANIA POLITICS.

PHILADELPHIA Sept. 1.-Chairman Mckee, of tho
Independent State Committee, showed only quie
amusement when questioned about Senator Coop
er's remarkable claims In THE TRIBUNE correspond
ence the other day. Mr.. Mckee has had some ex
perience in politics, having been connected
with the Wolfe movement of last year
and in personal appearance Is good dea
after the Western type-ta and grave with longisf
black chin beard When asked to give his view OF
the action of the Labor Convention. which Senator
Cooper says will give Armstrong 10000 votes
and Beaver large plurality, Mt
Mckee said Cameron and his people have
been trying to get the Labor men to nominate a
straight ticket with Democratic procliyitles, in
order to draw off votes from PattisOn. The ex-
posure of this scheme by newspapers all over the
State was probably what defeated it. If the Labor
Convention had made Il full ticket, and had taken
candidates from the Democratic party, it would
have drawn many votes Failing In that, the next
thing was to have a full ticket with Armstrong, and
they failed in that"
" But won't the endorsement of Armstrong by
itself help them sOmewhatW
Il don't Think replied Mr.. Mckee, lit will be of
any especial advantage to any party. SO far as 1
can Judge the Labor people will not be influenced
by IT. do not believe it will change 100 votes one
way or the other, Armstrong Is Re
publican and he would naturally draw
votes from the Republican ranks rather
than from the Democratic though don't think he
will take any of ours. because the men who are In
the Independent movement not of a class to be
attracted by his candidacy"
"To what extent do you think the labor organi-
cations throughout the State will be influenced by
the action of the cOnventionW
/ think as have just said, that it will have no
81 bo UOinp To
vote for Pattison will do it. and so will men who
were going to vote for the other candidates"
When asked what he thought of the general sit
uaton in the State, Mr.. Mckee said: Il am sure
we are gaining Our canvasses show 1t. To give a
little example. Wolfe had only thirty votes
in Wyoming County last year. We had
about half dozen names on our
books from that county, but my COM
munications to them brought out response. FL
nally wrote advertisement calling for Garfield
independents" aud sent 1t through an advertising
agency to the Stalwart paper at Tunkhannock.
They refused to take it, and the advertising agent
who is Stalwart told me | was wasting my money
there were 10 Independents in Wyoming County.
This was in the latter part of June. Two or three
weeks ago. l took q lot of names right out OF the
State Directory and wrote the personal letters
asking for names of those who were in favor OF the
Independent movement The result is that we shall
have a large meeting there in a few days. Here Is
an extract from one of the letters receiyed
Our numbers will greatly astOnish the Stalwarts
Indeed am surprised myself 1T the men who are willing
to be recorded as Independents. They comprise the
very best aud influential Of the Republican party In
tins town. aud find is about SO ali over the county
The names incosed in the letter included a
number of prominent professional and business
men,
Mr.. Mckee said he could give many other ex-
ampIes of the same kind In one county Wolfe had
received only twenty votes, and from one town IN
that comfy they had now more than twenty names
including all the clergymen in the place. They were
getting lists of names every day from all quarters
Mr. Mckee declared that the manufactured tarlh
issue would deceive nobody. Everyone knows
said he, THAT these men do not believe themselves
that the tariff is Il danger. Everyone
knows that that is mere fiction,
a pretence got up with hope Of frightening
voters That is so well understood that nobody
will be deceived by it, 1t is absurd to talk about
the Congressman III number of districts being
in danger because of this movement. The Inde
pendents are making no tight over Congressmen-
we are fighting for State Senators and members OF
the LEGISLATURE but not for Congressman. 1t ought
not TO ieopardize the election of a single member
except, perhaps, the Congressman-at-Large. The
question has been formally submitted 10 us from
great many districts whether nominations should
be made and the committee have always refused
to cOuntenance It,"
And with regard to the Congressmau-at-Large
one of the younger INDEPENDENTS standing by, sad
that at the time the Independents nominated their
ticket there was no candidate for COngresSman-at-
Large on the Regular ticket. If Mr. Marshall
had been on the ticket at the time," lie sad-and
Mr.. Mckee approved the statement-"l have
no doubt he would have been approved. If there
is "A split OH COnTessman-at-Large it is the fauJ OF
the Regulars. Why couldn't they have taken Nc
Mchae9 He is "A strong tariff man. In fact don't
know any man among the leaders of the lndepen-
dents who is not tariff man. Wolfe nominated
himself last year, and certainly nobody VIII claim
that any free trader put him up to that"
While insisting that the so-caled tarlt Issue
would amount to nothing Chairman Mckee seemed
disposed to admit that the question of possibly
throwing the state into the hands of the Democrats
was likely to be more troublesome. There Is just
one thing" he said, in the way of our success-the
feeling on the part of great many men who see tho
evils in the Republican organization and want them
remeded but are afraid 10 see the state 90 Dem
ocratic. We could elect our ticket to-day
without any doubt with the organization we
have if it were not for that feeling. These men
have been following the Republican party because
of its achievements and history and they do not
want TO cast a vote that they think might be the
means OF breaking up the party. They want TO
correct these evils. They would like TO break down
Cameronlsm, bossism and the spols system, but
they do not want to run what they think is great
risk"
Is that feeling on the increase ~
NO. don't think il is any stronger than 1t was
at the outset. DO not meet it in people who were
with Wolfe last year. but in people who would not
support Wolfe because they regarded 1t as per-
sonol moyement--one man announcing himself as
a candidate"
When asked what vote ne estimated for Stewart.