Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-04-27

reach Of the eagle eye Of the Boss, il
not Of his influence, and while there
was taken with another independent
spasm, in the course Of which he in.
vited a conference with Wolf and
other party reformers, the outcrop Of
which was the appointment Of a com.
mitlee to confer with the boss manage.
ment, and arrange terms Of united
action between the machine and indie
pendent Republicans. This shows
weakening on one side or the other Of
the contending Republican factions
Which ? Time will tell, but on either
hand we have little faith Of any good
resulting to honest political action.
They are all Republicans and slow to
follow any other than their party
methods, in whatever hands the power
to do so is placed. The Harrisburg
Patriot, speaking Of Mitchell as the
mere eats paw" Of Cameron, says
"The truth about Senator Mitchell is
that the independents have misjudged
their man. He is not of the stuff that
makes great leaders. He does not fit
the emergency. lie lacks back. bone.
Occasionally. as witness his recent per.
formancc, he straightens up and SAYS
some very bold things, but almost i'm.
mediately be is stricken with a lateral
curvature Of the spinal column and
unfortunately for such Of his adherents
as have faith in him the curvature in.
yariably tends toward bos-ism. For
the time being he was sincere in the
fash of independence over the western
appointments, but he had no idea Of
being half as independent as the news
papers and the general public took
him 10 be. The fact Of the matter j.
that his course after his election, which
was marked by unquestioning obedi.
ence TO the dictates Of Cameron so sur.
Prised the independents, who had hail
ed him as their champion, that the
slightest show Of opposition was ac.
cePted with a cry Of JOY. 1t Is natural
for the independents to cling to him
desperately, as he is the only man
whom they can claim, who is in n
position TO command patronage, even
though he does not assert his rights
The weak and vacillating Mitchell is
thus magnifed into a leader. What
has he done TO deserve this distinction!
lie has written a letter to Mr.. Whar.
ton Barker, mildly expressing his op.
position TO bossism and has made a
show of opposition to the confrma.
ton Of United States marshal and a
revenue collector who Cameron says
shall be placed in Office. His opposi.
tion will of course be without avail,
and he will fall back again into the
rut from which for brief moment he
has been lifted partly by a spasmodic
effort of his own, but mainly by the
force of public opinion. There are
plenty of men in the ranks Of the Re.
publican party besides Senator Mitchell
who are not afraid to express them
selves as opposed to the despotism Of
boss rule, but when election day comes
around they are always to be found at
the polls voting straight for the ma
chine candidates. Senator Mitchell
has shown but little mere independence
than any one of these and certainly
no more backbone, else he would not
have 80 readily cast his vote for the
confirmation of William +. Chandler
as secretary of the navy. He has
been given undue prominence as an
independent leader, by the anxiety Of
class of Republicans who want such
leader. To Judge from the position
he took at the recent independent con.
venticn in Philadelphia, he is being
used as = cats paw by Cameron to
pull the chestnuis out Of the FIRE. His
first move was to propose q compromise
by which the independents will gain
nothing aud may lose all. To follow
his lead may be to walk into trap.
Compromises between parties of an.
equal strength aIwava raault In ibe