The state journal. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1883-1885, 1884-01-26
HARRISBURG IN THE COLD.
The Democratic Convention to be Held
AllentoMn-DebateIn the Committee

/
nesday afternoon met at o'clock, and
4 was called to order by Chairman Hensel.
/ About sixty members were present, the
! great majority Of whom were not in ac-
| cord with the administration, judging
| from the manner in which they ran the
| machine The first business was the
| selection Of chairman. 1t had been
supposed all along that the administra-
| ton would put up a candidate against
\ Hensel, but after canvassing the ground
| it was discovered that Hensel, and his
right hand man, VIM F. Harrity, Of
Philadelphia, had the bulge, so to speak,
on the administration, and were prepared
TO knock out its candidate. Shellenbergcr
Of Bucks, moved that Hensel be elected
chairman by reclamation, which was
agreed to, and without dissenting voice
Mr. Hcnsel was once more delegated to
wear the uniform and gaudy free trade
plume OF the field marshal of the De
mocracv
Where to hold the next State Conven-
| ton was the question taken up next, and
but two places were named, Harrisburg
and Allentown While the advocates of
| Harrisburg were resting serenely under
the impression that they had a sure thing
Of it, the Allentowners, led by General
Snowden and Representative Nagel,
we're getting in quiet work, and the first
| ballot resulted, Allentown, SO; Harris
burg, 27 This was terrible disappoint
ment to the Harrisburg Democracy, which
had promised to give the Opera House
free and furnish free music for the occa-
sion. Mr. Nagle made sport of Harris
burg music and said, Come to Allen
town and We will give you good music I"
That settled it, If there is anything a
Democratic convention aches for it is
gooG music to drown the discOrd of the
proceedings, and Allentown was selected.
Tile selection of an executive com
miltee was a task of considerable mag
nitude, ana it was agreed to name the
aspirants and then take a recess before
elccting them The following gentle
men were named r. P. Allen, Lycom-
ing; L. A. Bigler, Clearfeld; F. 8.
Bower, Snyder; w. J. Brennan, Allie
gheny General Richard Coulter. West
moreland; Ecklcy B. Coke, Luzerne; NJ.
+ Elliott, Tioga; Thomas II. Greevey,
Blair W. T. Harrity, Philadelphia; A.
]. Hughes, M'Kean; N. Eisenburg;
Huntingdon; N. l.. Lockwood, Clarion;
b. F. Movers, Dauphin; H. E. Packer,
Carbon; j Irwin Steel, Schuylkill; L. D.
Woodruff, Cambria; r. E. Wright, jr.,
Lehigh
AT the evening session before voting
Tor members Of the committee, Mr.. Har.
Tity announced that he had seen Eckley
b. Coke in the morning, and the latter did
not desire to become a member of the
committee. He suggested that Mr..
CoXes friends vote for Packer The
name Of M. +. Elliot was also withdrawn,
and the first ballot resulted in the cleo
ton Of Allen, Bigler, Brennan, Coulter
Harrity, Meyers and Packer. All of
these We're i'll the old committee but
Bigler He takes the place of Eisenberg,
Of Huntingdon, and it is supposed will
strengthen the Wallace faction.
There was lively skirmish over Sc
Letting the date of holding the State con-
vention. March and 10, April 2, 16and
30, May 7 and IA were named quickly,
and then an opportunity was given the
advocates Of each to express their views.
Crawford, Of Philadelphia, wanted an
early convention so rs to give the Phila
delphia clubs time to prepare for the Ma
tional Convention. Mr.. Harrity favored
April 1G. lie thought that if there was
delay the other States would hold con
ventions and adopt platforms of doubtful
character on free trade. Pennsylvania
Democrats, he said, will reaft1rm their
tariff plank Of 1928, and if they do it
soon, will therefore lead other States and
influence the National Convention.
Kerr, of Cleartield. spoke in favor of
late date, and said the tariff was a local
issue and ough- to go the devil, where it
belonged The Democrats, he said, were
continually lodging the question.
Gilland, Of Franklin, thought the sen
timents Of the people ought to be ascer-
tanned before the convention was held,
and favored late date.
VIM. b. Wilson, of Lancaster, favored
March I, and spoke of the inconvenience
Of late date. The loggers of Clear
field, " SAID Mr.. Wilson, will all be at
work in May"
"Who said lager?' said drowsy com
mitteeman in the corner, as he reused
himself at the expected invitation to step
up and take something.
Stable, Of Gettysburg. was in favor OF
placing the whole matter in the hands OF
the Executive Committee.
Veltman, of Perry wanted an early
convention and was followed by Bren
nan, Of Pittsburg, who thought that II
there was an early convention, and the
Democrats made platform that did not
suit the National Convention, the Key
stone State would be placed in a very
funny position.
Finally vote was taken and April 10
selected by the thirty three votes. Just
then it was discovered that on that date
the April term Of court was held in Allen
town, and General Snowden confessed that
Allentown hotels would be full of jurors
and witnesses to the exclusion of dele
gates. This. declaration that the hotels
Of Allentown could not accommodate the
crowd almost led to a reconsideration OF
the vote to hold the convention in that
town, and one good strong voice for Har-
risburg would have been powerful III
bringing the convention here. 1t dId not
come, however, and April 16 was recon
sidercd which brought on a flow OF
oratory.
Mr.. Gilland said he did not care what
the other States did. Pennsylvania could
lead. A late convention meant that Penn
sylvania would go the National conven-
ton solid for one man, and he had no
doubt that man would be Samuel j. Ran
dali. The mention of Randal1s name
was greeted with applause: The an
nouncement by Chairman Hensel that
the Republicans had fixed on April ID as
the date for holding the next convention
seemed to settle the matter and all the
dates were withdrawn but April and
Nav la, almost the two extremes. The
first ballot resulted in favor of April 8
by forty one votes, and, after agreeing to
meet at the call of the chairman, the com
mittee adjourned.
A TELEGRAPH reporter who met Rep
resentative Green, Of Berks, last night
asked him regarding the rumor that the
Democratic State Committee would pass
resolutions upholding the Democrats in
the Legislature on the stand they took on