New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-06
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
PENNSYLVANIA POLITICS.

| HARRISBURG. Penn, Sept. SIT would naturally
| be expected that at the home OF the Camcrons,
where the influence Of their wealth and of the polit
ical prestige of forty years is strongest Independ
ent sentiment would hardly dare to show itself IL
1T existed. But in spite of this fact and in spite OK
| the presence of probably hundred persons coz
nected with the State Government who take an
| active part in politics. Wolfe received 9jl votes
last year in this county uphin-reay without
any canvass having been made in hi,
| favor, with only ten days work
before the election in distribution of tickets. ano
with some parts OF the county not even supplied
with tickets. The indications are if the statements
Of Independents not too sanguine that this vote
Will at least be doubled this year. Ii would seem
almost strange if it were not so, considering that
this year there is organized party, with ample
time for thorough campaign. In the city of Iiar-
rsburg itself 430 votes given for Wolfe. Ii is
not expected that there will b. any demonstration
IN the city this year. The iuiuence Of tho Cam
il too strong 10 make il comfortable for busi-
men, sOrekcepcrs and the like, TO defy 1t openly.
But il Is stated that the best business are Inde-
pendents, and while they will probably remain
silent during the campaign, for personal reasons.
they are certain to cast Independent ballots.
Perhaps the stronghold of Independent sentiment
in this county is the village called Steelton lying
just outside of Harrisburg. The character Of the
place is sufficiently indicated by its name. IL Is
mill village made up OF operatives III the steel
works and their families with few storekeepors
etc. 1t has a population of about 5000, but there
are also hundreds of workmen the mills who live
in Harrisburg. These men. If any, might be sup
posed 10 have jealous fear least the tariif should
ever come to any harm, but many OF them have
| nevertheless. gone into the Independent movement,
and only laugh when they asked what they
of he he tarl 90
pieces when the CamerOns do. Steelton has two
Independent clubs of about 300 mcmb RS II II
said, and another of about seventy five WOlfes
vote in the borough was exactly ii. The figures
of membership In clubs are not always safe IN.
dications, as politicians know. OF the
vote that will be cast election day,
because men in clubs easily and often pulled
away before the campaign ends But 1t is also fan
| to presume that the Independents will make con
verts the campaign goes on, as well as the stat
warts and the contrast between the figures just
given Is too striking not TO be significant. Seeltos
has also an independent paper, the only paper IL
Dauphin County which flies the ticke, at the head
of its columns; and considering that the whole llf'
and being of StecltOn wrapped up in the steel
industry: and considering also that steel wouQ
probably drop $40 ton if the name OF the Senator
from Pennsylvania should be something else
than Cameron; and considering also that
all the rolling mills would doubtless shut
down the moment they learned that the
new Governor Of Pennsylvania would not spell his
name with big, big Demonstrating all these
things SteeltOn is behaving very rcckcssly indeed.
The man who seems to be recognized az the loader of
the Steelton Independents is Charles H. Babb, who
was not one Of Wofcs supporters simply for lack OF
information about the movement Mr.. Babb is
Justice Of IL. Peace and is Of the active citt-
of tla MI He has
foreman of the roll-turnng department OF the Penn.
sylvania Steel COmpany's works and smiles with
amusement at the idea that the Independent move
ment is endangenng the tariff. He says that this
talk makes no impression upon the men, who un-
dcrstand perfectly well that 1t IS a mere political
trick
There are other towns In the cOnnty-Millersburg,
Lykens and Hummel-town-where there is consid-
erable Independent sentiment |, Is strong In sew
era OF the counties surrounding Dluphn, especially
in Northumberland and Lancaster North
unberland gave Wolfe 2,Osi votes aud only 2,9is
to the Regular candidate. 1t is confidently pre-
dcted that Stewart Will have "A majority OF the R@
publican vote in that county. Lebanon County,
which hes directly to the east Of Dauphin, and OF
which Lebanon is the principal town. Is said to
have a large Independent element. The whole
county gave Wolfe only 22 votes Cumberland
County which ave him only 100 votes, adloins
Franklin County IN which Senator Stewart has hls
home and il is expected that the latters great per-
sonal popularity will bring hIm "A large vote In
Cumberland as well as IN Adams, which lies south
of Cumberland and east of Franklin
There are indications of trouble over the Congr's-
sional election in the Harrisburg district Samuel
T. Barr the present member who seems to be booked
for denomination by the Camerons is very unpopu-
lar, at least with the Independents. They say that
~ l,-r for hiS helu ep ctrlt ID
was thai he was Simon Cameron's private secretary,
that he does not know the people of the district
nor do they know bim that he is neither a useful
nor a creditable representative. Independents te-
nounce him with a feeling which seems entirely dis
connected with the present party strife. There has
been talk among some of them of nominating Mr.,
McCleary an Independent OF Milton, Northumber-
land County, who is a prominent lawyer.
president of bank. etc 1t IS not
known yet whether this will b. done. II It
is DONE il will be contrary to the rule which the In
dependents everywhere seem TO be In favor
of-to submit even to obnoxious Stalwart nomina'
tions for Congress rather than to give any color to
Chairman Cooper's talk about cndapgering the next
House. If no Independent candidate is nominated
some of the Independents say frankly they viii
vote for the Democratic candidate, who Is likely 10
be Henry {. Mccormick. brothcr-ln-law OF Sem
ator Don Cameron. Barr's plurality IN 1850 was
2540.
One of the Independents was asked whether tho
tariff issue would affect their action. lie said;
Whoever goes to Congress from Pennsylvania,
whether Republican or Democrat, viii look aftt
the tariff. We can stand putting Democrats IL
Office for a little while. If We can break THIS ma
chino That il what we have started out TO do, and
We must do it at any temporary cost"
Wanting to hear all sides, THE TRIBUNE corre-
spondent paid a visit TO ex-senator Simon Cameron.
and found him on the low piazza OF a big, comfort
able stone house overlooking the broad shadows OF