The state journal., 1884-12-27
The United States senatorsl,lp.

| MechanicsburS Journal.
We are surprised at the futile efforts
being put forth in certain localities 10 de
feat the re. election of Hon. j. D. Cameron
| to the Senate of the United States. The
movement is impolitic, unwise and
| fraught with danger to the commercial
| and industrial interests Of the Common
wealth. Besides, there is not the remotest
chance for this opposition movement to
accomplish anything more than arouse
| bad feeling where acerblties should not
exist.
We believe in fair play, and if it was
really intended to oppose Mr.. Cameron S
return to the Senate the opposition should
have disclosed this purpose at the pri-
mary or delegate election, so that the
people would have been afforded an op-
portunity to express their feelings and
wishes in the premises. 1t is the duty
of the representative to reflect the
sentiments of his constituents, but in
this case the constituents of these
representatives have not been consulted
at all. Mr.. Cameron has enemies
in his own political party, and what
leader has not2 but this enmity is not
the outgrowth of any recreancy to prin-
ciple or neglect of official legislative duty,
Even his bitterest foe is forced to concede
that he has always been true to the State
of his nativity. This hostility originates
through his distribution of patronage-a
subject in which the great mass of our
people have very little concern so long
as the appointees to office discharge their
duties faithfully, which we believe is
nearly always the case.
But we DO not advocate Mr.. Camcron's
reelection on mere political grounds, nor
do we deny to those who differ from him
on political methods" the right to state
the cause of this disagreement, but we
submit that the present is the most mop
perfume moment to drag this subject be-
fore the public. This is an important era
in our country'S history A new admin
istration advocating an entirely different
| line of policy is soon to come into power.
In this emergency it is all-important that
we have in the United States Senate a
statesman of large experience and &C.
| knowledged ability and influence. One
who, while earnestly striving to promote
| the interests of the whole country, guards
with jealous eye the industrial resources
of our own State. 1t is not saying too
much to assert that perhaps no other man
in the Commonwealth possesses a more
accurate knowledge of our wants and re-
| quirements than does Senator Cameron,
and so long as he remains on the
| Senate floor the interests of Pennsyl
vania will not suffer from lack of
attention nor will her growth
be retarded by invidious legis-
lation gotten up in the interests of other
States. Many Senators may surpass him
in mere oratorieal display, but very few
! equal, and none excel him in the influence
he exerts on the actions OF that body. He
is emphatically worker and not a taiker,
and consumes no more time in the eXpen-
sive luxury of speech making than the
interests committed to his care absolutely
| require. But when he does address the
Senate his remarks receive that attention
from his fellow members which the char.
acter of the man and his thorough ac-
quaintance with the varied wants of the
country entitle them to receive. His
speeches are bold, open, manly utterances
in defense Of what he conceives to be
right, are free from ambiguity and pos
sess the rare merit of leaving no doubt in
the hearers mind of the authors mean
ing Mr.. Cameron s views and opinions
on all questions of governmental policy
are entitled to more than ordinary con-
sideration; because, in his case, the logical
deductions of q we'll balanced mind
are corroborated and sustained by
knowledge CLEANED from years Of
large business experience. His intimate
acquaintance with the industrial portion
of the State, aud the relation he sustains
to those who constitute the bulwark of
society, eminently qualify him to deter
mine what policy is best calculated to ad-
vance our interests and develop our vast
natural resources. He is closely identified
with the manufacturing and producing
part of our population, and has devoted
his best energies to secure such legislation
as will increase their prosperity. We
favor his return to the Senate, because
we are satisfied that the business interests
| of this Commonwealth can be committed
to no abler or truer man, nor to the care
of one who more ardently desires her
prosperity.
EWe are not looking at this subject from
political standpoint, in fact we care
nothing about the political aspect of the
case. But as the country is passing
through severe ordeal, with business en-
terprises crippled and our agricultural,
manufacturing and commercial interests