New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-12
PENNSYLVANIA REPUBLICANS.

The action of the Harrisburg Convention
Yesterday assures a Republican victory ID
Pennsylvania this fall. OF this fact there Is
happily no doubt. 1t was the first Republican
Convention which has met III the State tor sew
ersl years without a prearranged plan OF action
laid out for it to follow by the bosses. There
was no aslate,n aud no attempt to crack the
boss whip over the delegates. This is the hrst
fruit of the Independent revolt of last year,
and, while it may be too soon TO claim That the
party has been freed entirely from machine
control, it is not too soon to record that hrst
and important step toward freedom has been
taken. 1t is natural for seeptical observers to
saw that the grip of the machine was Iel.xed
this year because the nominations were COM
paTatively unimportaut and tho machine man
ayers could afford TO let the party have its own
way about them. Such Observers may also
declare that while the Outward signs OF ma
chine management were suppressed, the old
power was still in force beneath the surface
and controlled the nominations as surely as
ever.
Admitting that there may be some ground
for criticism of this SORT, it still remains true
that concessions were made which would cot
have been granted but for the defeat OF last
year. Tie new rnles for the election OF dele
gates have been put in force and are now es-
tablshed as the law If the party. They give
ali elements Of the party equal rights IN tue
primaries, and il the independent members
decline to make the most of their rights they
viii! have nobody but themselves to blame.
There were few Independents in yesterday
Convention, chiefly because they did not feel
~ in a
make themselves felt in the primaries. Next
wear. when there will be issues of vastly more
importance to be decided, the interest of ali
elements will be much keener, and the ade-
ouacy of the new rules for meeting the de-
mands upon them in the direction of untram-
melled freedom of party action can then be
tested. 1t is said that the machine managers
will be found then to have as much power AS
ever they had We doubt this; because the
same reasons which will prompt the machine
TO attempt the re-establishment OF its control
will also prompt the Independents to use the
new means which are now placed in their hands
for conpteracting that control
The ticket nominated yesterday is the best
evidence of advance toward permanent bar
mony. The nominee for Treasurer, Mr.. Livsey
is a Cameron Republican who IS well spoken OF
BY the Independents He has had considerable
experience as Cashier OF the State Treasury
hTr. Niles. the nominee for Auditor General,
is an Independent VINO took prominent part in
the revolt against the machine which resulted
in sending Senator Mitchell to the Senate. This
is a recognition of both wings of the party,
and is all the more significant because of the
small number of Independents in the conven-
ton. The two names will command the sup
port of the entire party, and the mere
act OF working together this year will in
crease the certainty of harmonious action
next year. The platform is strong and clear
and adds to the strength Of the ticket. Its
leading feature is, of course, the tariff, and
upon that subject the utterance has the
straightforward, thoroughgoing protection ring
which has always characterized Pennsylvania
Republican platforms