Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-06-01
0be Eartastcr 1ntelliacufcr.
LANCASTER. JUNE l, 1856.
The Republican Contest.

There Is impending in the Republican
party of this state very curious and
significant political situation. For many
years the state treasury has been the strong
hold of the active political managers of
that organization. Behind it they have
entrenched themselves and from its out
looks they have directed their campaigns.
AfOretime, there is no reasonable doubt,
they used the funds of the state and
profited and enriched themselves from |
loaning its money to persons who would pay |
interest for it, which they put into their |
own pocket. Later, when money became |
more of a drug, and the banks would not
pay much for it, the spectators and polit-
ical gamblers who manipulated the state
treasury, used its assets for their own
speculative enterprise. To this era of state
treasury management Mr.. Quay partcu-
larly belonged, and if he reaped slighter
gains than the Mackey regime, he took
equally as great risks. Democratic admin
! istrations of the departments have not been
free from the reproach attaching to their
Republican successors and predecessors
and were all the secrets of the state trea-
sury uses and abuses laid bare, there
would be good deal of iutterinc
among the winged birds. OF late, and
especially since the enforcement of the
Humes act has reduced the available bal
ances in the state treasury, the favor of its
deposits and the judicious i,sSh of them
have constituted the ;sI1safces of politi-
cal strength to Who could control
them. ~
MrrChris Magee is the new boss of the
.e<Republican party. He has usurped the
place cace held by Quay, on whose shoulders
Mackey let his mantle fall. For some years
Quay has not had the confidence OF the Cam
erons which they once reposed in him. Two
years ago, when the senator went to Europe,
: he left his sealed orders with Magee, and
when they were opened and executed they
signified the nomination and election oi
Livsey for state treasurer, and the defea'
of Ouay's man Passmore. When legisa
ture was to be chosen for Cameron s reelec'
tion, and after it had served that purpose
it was turned over to Magee, who has had
supreme command of it ever since. MIR
Quay for some years has showna decadenc'
Of political influence; and it looked rs 4
the Cameron end of his party had no fur
ther use for him. He himself is well know
to have assented to and encouraged TIN
candidacy of McDevtt, who is backed b.
Magee.
But Quay is man of originality and o
resources. He has come to the conclusion
not to be smothered and is making al
active canvass for the nomination himself
He finds that he has not miscalculate'
upon the readiness of the so-called Inde
pendents to support him in preference T.
McDevitt. They are tumbling in from al
sides. Some of them do it with an ill-iittin
show of reservation, such as the Nep Era
rather disingenuous plea, that the loca
QUAY delegates slated feel themselve
free to support any other unexceptionabl
candidate who may be presented to tn
convention in the interests of union an
harmony; but upon the whole the sell
STYLED Independents are giving Mr.. Qua
right hearty support, and he is making ha
in their sunshine.
While one faction is using Quay's cand
dacy to sdivide and conquer the Stal
warts, another set is rigging up the cand
dacy of Senator Longenecker, to pre-
iect it into the convention as tn
way out of a bitter quarrel be
tween old friends. 1t remains to be see
how long the double play will last, an
whose dummy Longenecker will be in tn
end, or who will be Magee's reserve. .shoul
Quay succeed in beating McDevitt.
The phase of the whole controversy tina
interests the public most and is full Of pc
ltical warning, is that in no respect
there consultation or consideration Of th
wants and interests of the public. Th
state treasury is an Office of large dutie
and serious responsibilities, and ought nc
to be the spoil of Spectators nor the foot
ball of politicians.
The Republicans propose to make tn
canvass for it "A skirmish to their mex
year's battle trial of strength anon
the factions. The Democrats will do wisel
il they get their lines into shape and Civ
their best thoughts to select man VIII
represents business integrity, capacity an
efficiency; such nomination will con
mend itself to the majority Of the con
monwealth's voters and will beat all til
tricks of the tricksters, no matter VIII
wins ut their game.