The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-04-06
Pennsylvania Congressman Anxious
About Beaver.
lPhllndelphln Press.l

WASHINGTON March 81. The Re-
publican members ofthc Pennsylvania
delegation In Congress are not in
perfectly happy and contented frame
of mind. The reason il that the situa-
tion in the State is altogether unsatis.
factory. Independents and Stalwarts
alike seem agreed that Beaver will be
nominated Governor by the regular
convention but thev cannot tell what
the Wolfe crowd will do about it, and,
worst of all. they are not sure that
Beaver can be elected if he receive the
nomination. ut argues badly" said
one of the Keystone Congressman to-
day, THAT in State where we should
have forty thousand msiority there is
doubt of the election of a Republican
candidate for Governor" The ablest
Cameron men i'm the House express.
in private, their fears that Beaver
cannot be elected If he receives the
nomination.
A Republican Congressman from
Pennsylvania, who has borne the heat
and burden of many battle in the
organization, always on the Stalwart
side, said to day: "Our people were
never placed in such delicate position
stS tIIt,N oCCuDy at L OtIItNt
that Beaver to-day is the choice of q
vast majority of the Republicans of
Pennsylvania for Governor. He weak
ened himself in certain quarters un-
doubtedly by the course he pursued in
1880 when he went back on his district
rs delegate to the Chicago Conven-
ton and voted for Grant. Apart from
this slip, however, | regard him as one
of the strongest men in the State. He
is popular; he has hold on the affec
tions of the people that 10 other Re
publican in the State possesses. At
the same time l should regard his
nomination with the gravest appre-
hension. 1t doesn't need the acumen
of a politician to perceive the condition
of the party in Pennsylvania. 1t is
like an immence prairie covered with
parched dry grass. One spark will
fire the entire plain and no one can tell
where the confiagration will end. The
impression is general that Beaver is
the choice of the bosses, so called. So
he is, but | don't believe for any other
reason then that they regard him rs
the best and most available candidate
in the State. If, however, there is the
slightest evidence that the convention
is fixed and that Beavers nomination
was cut and dried, ] verify believe he
will be defeated. The sentiment of
majority of the people may be in his
favor; a majority of the delegates
honestly representing that sentiment
may give him the nomination, and
yet thevery fact that Cameron is work
ing for him will be used by the Wolfe
boilers to show that the nomination is
set-up joh If Beaver had kept out
of that Grant business he would have
t1,np o1..nt TO-, ga .,t,, 4
AS it is, I'm afraid he may be its dis
truction."
With such confessions from u Stal.
wart ringingin my ears,I met an Indc-
pendent member of the delegation one
who has invariably opposed the ma
chine in the State, and asked his views
on the subject
II believe Beaver is the most popu-
lar candidate the party could select
he said, 1" but am afraid he would be
defeated. He is tainted with Cameron
ism, and the doom of the machine is
sealed as surely as fate. | want to see
man nominated on whom Indepen-
dents and Stalwarts can unite. The
party can't afford to lose the next
election. In ordinary times possibly
a Christening might do us good, but it
will never answer to be beaten now.
If the Democrats should win this fall
they would apportion the State so that
the political prestige of Pennsylvania
in Congress would be lost for several
years to come. The future of the party
depend upon the next convention.
If we can get together, confer frankly
upon the situation, discuss our mutual
grievances and arrive at a harmonious
understanding; have convention in
fact as well as in name and all will be
well. But as sure as there is any dis
position manifested to boss matters, to
present particular candidate without
giving the minority chance to be
heard, so sure will the candidate of the
convention be defeated. The time is
short, and the only question now is
whether we can change our front in
the face of the enemy. If we can't we
are beaten.n