Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-04-26
SENATOR MITCH ELLIS
VIEWS.
He Gives His Opinion On The
Best Method of Regenerat-
ing the Party.

Senator Mitchell's letter, published
in the Press of April I, in which the
necessity Of change in the leadership
of the Republican party of Pennsyl-
yania was set forth, and the stand he
has recently taken in the Senate in
opposition to certain Federal appoint
ments from this State, have excited
lively and widespread interest. Con-
siderable significance, therefore, attach
es to the Senator's visit to this city
and his conference with prominent In
dependent Republicans yesterday.
During the day Senator Mitchell re-
ceived number of friends at the
Girard House, and in the evening
dined at Wharton Barker's, where q
number of gentlemen were invited to
meet him.
THE CONFERENCE AT MR.. BARKER's.
The gathering was OF an informal
character, and was convened for the
purpose of enabling Senator Mitchell
to learn the sentiments of the Inde-
pendent Republicans, and to confer
with them as to the coming campaign.
There was very free and full express
sion of views, most of the gentlemen
indicating their belief that there was
no hope Of redeeming the Republican
party from its present tendencies ex-
cept by making open war on its
management. They were not disposed
to accept any ticket dictated by the
bosses, and the sentiment was in favor
of going on with the proposed lnde.
pendent Convention on the 25th OF
May and nominating an Independent
ticket.
SENATOR MITCHELL's VIEWS
After many Of the gentlemen had
freely declared themselves, Senator
Mitchell was invited to speak, and re-
sponded in speech which was calm,
moderate. judicious, and at the same
time resolute. He said that he was in
. different position from most of the
gentlemen present. He was not simply
q private citizen, but Senator chosen
as q representative Of his party, and he
must be mindful If the obligations and
responsibilities which were thus i'm
posed upon him. With the main OBJ
ject of the gentlemen present, which he
understood to be the regeneration OF
the party and its redemption from OBJ
jectionable political methods, be was in
full sympathy, but in view of his rep
resentative position he nigh. not be
prepared to 20 as far as most of those
before him. He had been chosen by
union of both elements of the party,
and he had entered upon his Office he
had faithfully sought to act in the
spirit of that union. What he had
desired to do was to allay the animosi-
ties between the factions, and to insist
that all should be treated with equal
fairness He had urged from the be-
ginning that the Independent element
Of the party should be fully and un-
mistakabIy recognized as much as the
other element, and had insisted that
some-important appointment should be
made which should put this purpose
beyond all doubt His representations
were heard at first respectfully but
afterward there was change and they
did not receive the Difference which he
thought they ought to have received.
The views be bad recently expressed
in letter, which most of the gentle
men had probably read, were not new
to him, and though their ex-
preston may have been new to the
public they were not new to his col
league and to many other Republicans
to whom he had freely made them
known. He had received letters from
ell over Pennsylvania which indicated
that there was wide feeling of oppo-
sition to the prevailing methods and
and be felt that, unless
could be done to remove
this discomfort, the partv was in great
danger. He had earnestly hoped
that there might be a conference of
from all elements, with
view to a representative or mass con-
vention, either at or before the State
Convention, which should impress
upon that body the real fesling of the
party. and persuade it to take such
course as would lead to the union of
all Republicans. He did not know
it was practicable to do this
or not, but he felt that something of
the kind was important for the main
tenance of Republican ascendlncy in
Pennsylvania. He was very clear in
the conviction that the party must be
upon more liberal principles,
and If anybody supposed that when
be reached his conclusions he would
not be firm in maintaining them, they
did not know him.
He said that it had been conceded
that two places on the ticket should
be given to the Independents, but it
was still claimed that these Independ-
snts, should be named by the Regulars
who assumed to make up the ticket |
This was wrong. The Independents
we're entitled to name their own men,
Ind the movement would not give
uuiSco IuCJ WcIC duiC W w
20. But the question of principle was
more important than the question of
men.
In the old days the maxim was 'Prin-
.iples, not men," The true maxim
would be principles and men," and
n considering the platform upon
which the party should be placed it
eemed to him that two principles
we're important. The first was to in
list that the State Conventions of the
,arty should be held at date sufici-
'ntly late TO permit the election of |
II delegates by the people, and not by /
ounty committees, as is now so large
y the case. The second was that
representation should be based upon
he Republican vote, so that the strong
Republican localities should have the