Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-10-24
aamraster fntelligenrfr.
TUESDAY, EVENING, OCT. "a. 1881.
Calling the Roll.

TUESDAY EVENING, OCT. -. lee2.
Calling the Roll.
In one of his recent speeches, Control
Ter Pattison, in words of singular direct
ness and force, referred to subject
which is OF interest at this time, viz:
the decentralization of politics in Penn
sylvania as illustrated in its evil effects
upon young men and those taking prac-
teal interest in public affairs. Attention
Was called TO the startling fact that the
political highway is strewn with
the wrecks of once bright and
promising young men, and it was point
ed out that there must be destructive
influences at work where only pure.
healthful and elevating atmosphere
should prevail. The thoughtful words
of the sober r-minded and patriotic Dem
ocratic candidate are only too true, as is
abundantly evidenced by the record Of
almost every county in the state. 1t is
as though a political pestilence had
swept from the Delaware to Lake Erie,
striking down . multitude of gifted,
ambitious and once worthy young men.
A glance at the Legislative record will
bring out most suggestively the idea
referred to, and show, inferentially, in
vivid colors, the miasmatic condition OF
the moral political atmosphere at the
state capital during the past twenty
years, or since the Republican party
came into power.
Since 1850 over two thousand men
have sat in the Legislature of Pennsyl
vania. Most of these, when they frs!
went to Harrisburg, were young men
Just fairly entering upon the serious
work of life. A large proportion of them
wore we'll fitted .as to mental endowments
and early training, for useful, honorable
and distinguished public service. Nearly
all were ambitious to rise in political life
and it is safe to say that very few wers
simply actuated by scrdid and degrading
motives. Even those who fell the quick
est and the fartherest little dreamed OF
such deplorable fate. Of ccuse, it was
not possible within the circumscribet
area of single state, and considerin!
the sharp competition of public life
that all of these men should become fl.
nous and powerful, but the dispropor
tion between the number reasonab'.
successful in this respect and the mum
ber of the lost, SO to speak, is terribl!
suggestive. Take the list of member
ship of the Senate and House, as it ap
pears in full from 1850 to 1880 in Smull'
hand book, and it reads like roll of TIN
unknown, with here and there, at lonl
intervals, a familiar and honored name
and it is significant fact that neari.
all of these took their start in public lif'
prior to 1861 further, tiiat majorit.
of them have been associated with tn
Democratic party.
In the Senate roll We find the name
of Charles II. Buckalew, afterwar'
United States senator and Democratic
candidate for governor In 1872; a. 6
Brodhead, of Carbon county Andrev
II. Dill, Democratic candidate for gov
erncr in. 1878 Daniel ErmantrOut, nov
member of Congress from Berks; Johl
w. Killinger, congressional representa-
tive from Lebanon for several terms
w. W. Ketchum, afterward an influ
entail member of Congress, and lat
United States judge; Geo. V. Lawrence
elected to Congress from the Beaver
Washington district William McCand
less, elected secretary OF internal affair."
in 1875; Charles 3. PenrOse, nov
Judge OF the orphans court
of Philadelphia; Eli X. Price
the Nestor of the Philadelphia bar
VIM. F. Packer, the last Democratic
governor of Pennsylvania, elected i,
1857 Samuel J. Randall, ex-speaker o.
the national House of Representatives
and Pennsylvania's most distinguished
member in that body during the present
generation Glenni w. Scolield, fo
twelve years an influential member o
Congress and now judge Of tn
court of claims, Washington VIM
A. Wallace, United States senator from
1875 to 1881 /; Hester CIymer, Demo
cratic candidate for governor and lat
member of Congress; and John Stewart
Independent Republican candidate fo
governor.
The names Of those who are found O,
the roll of the House first, later also ol
that of the Senate, and, therefore
already referred to, who have rendered ;
good account of themselves, is ver,
meagre, indeed. j. Simpson Africa, TIN
present Democratic candidate for secre
tary of internal affairs, heads the lis
alphabetically, and following it down W.
discover the names of VIM. II. Arm
strong, late member of Congress from
the Lycoming district, and now a burea,
officer at Washington Charles E. Boyle
Democratic candidate for Congress il
the Westmoreland district Thoma
Cochran, president of a leading financia
institution in Philadelphia, and one Of tn,
wheel.horseso ofthe Centennial exposition
Il. Dawson Coleman, who became con
gresham rom the Lebanon district
Henry u. Foster, Democratic candida.,
for governor in 1860; Isaac G. Gordon
now justice of the supreme court O
Pennsylvania ; Cyrus L. Pershing, Dem
0cratic candidate for governor in 1875
the model judge of Schuylkill county, t,
whom the people of that region are in
dGhfa6 for fha cunprocc;o, of NFoI,:o A.