The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-10-11
GEO. W. CURTIS ON MATTHEW STAN
LEY QUAY.
THE MAGNIFICENT, HONORABLE AND
MAsTERFuL QUALITIES OF PEsNsYL-
vANIA's POLITICAL BOSS HELD
UP TO PUBLIC RIDIcULE.


MAsrERFuI QUALITIES OF PENNsYI-
vANIA's POLITICAL BOSS HELD
UP TO PUBLIC RIDIoULE.
HARPER's WEEKLY SAYS: The late
Penn sylvania Republican convention
was notable chiefly for its adulation of
Senator Quay, of that State, who was
Chairman Of the Republican National
Committee during the last campaign.
When the President of the convention
referred in his speech "to Chairman
Quay's magnificent leadership there
was "long continued applause Then
followed the reading of the platform,
which rejoiced greatly in the victory
of 1888, "first, because it was fought
and won under Pennsylvania leader
ship and upon a Pennsylvania plat
form :" and again, more distinctly and
amply, il declared that 'the thanks of
the Republicans of the Commonwealth
are due and hereby rendered to Mat
thew s. Quay, for the honorable and
masterful way in which he conducted
the campaign" What was this "mag-
nificient" and honorable and "mas-
terful leadership" Lincoln, Sumner,
Seward and Andrew were Republican
leaders. They were men of the high
est ability, who with noble eloquence
taught the country Republican priu-
ciples, who maintained by resistless ar
gument Republican policy, and by
their personal character won the en-
thusiastic confidence of the whole par
ty and the respect of their opponents.
Mr.. Quay is totally unknown as lead
er in every sense of the word. His re-
putation is wholly that of party boss.
He is a magnificent AMI masterful
leader like ex-senator Dorsey and Mr..
Thomas Platt, or like the elder CAM
eron, whom the Pennsylvania platform
eulogizes with Mr.. Tanner and Mr..
Quay.
Mr.. Dorsey's magnificent and mas
terful leadership carried elections by
"soap.' Mr.. Quay's by marshaling
floaters in blocks of FIVE. Mr.. Quay
was known to the country before the
last campaign solely by the strong de-
nunciation Of Republican journals. A
few years ago, according to the Phila-
delphia Press, in the case of attemp.-
ed bribery of members of the Legisla-
ture of Pennsylvania. Mr.. Quay being
then Secretary of the Commonwealth,
'connived at crime by setting the
criminal free in defiance of the Consti-
tuition and law" When he was tying
to secure nomination as State Treas
urer, the Press asked how this story,
told upon every Democratic stump,
was to be met "Mr. Quay's nomiua-
tion," it said, "would raise questions
and involve risks which would imperil
the result of the canvass" And
again, hinting at his connection with
Irregularities which it charged in the
management of the Treasury, it said {:
What is still more important, such q
campaign would inevitably lift the lid from
the administration of the Treasury itself,
and uncover secrets before which Republi-
cans would stand dumb.
The Ne,o York Tribune, alluding
to these things and the conduct of Mr..
Quay, said:
A more insolent defiance OF public senti-
ment has not been seen since Tweed asked
the taxpayers of New York what they were
going to do about it.
This was Mr.. Quay's "magnifcent'
and honorable" and "masterful" lead
ership in his own state as estimated by
his own journals. What was it last
year in the country7 Did it lie in his
eloquence or his argument Was i
the leadership of intellect or character
O. personal enthusiasm No; it was
j.. of another kind. The Voice ha.
9 shown that Mr.. Clarkson, the presen,
Y First Assistant Postmaster General
j. who was Vice President under Mr.
r Quay of the Republican Nationa
f Committee, bribed two of the clerks O
!, the Voice to furnish its mail lists tc
r the Republican committee. That MI
n Quay was ignorant of the transaction
u will be believed by those who believ
It that Mr.. Dorsey knew nothing of tn
% "soap" sent to Indiana, and Mr.. Dud
o ley nothing of ''foaters in blocks Q
Q five,' or of 'a trusted man with nc
o cessary funds in charge" of them.
VI Mr.. Quay's leadership was illustra'
J. ed also in the enormous sum of none
Is raised by MIR. Wanamaker and devo
n ed to the final expenses of the cal.
i paign. Probably there is not sing
9 person in the country who is comp,
y tent to have an opinion upon the sui
It ject who believes that all this none
was legitimately used by Mr.. Qua.
1t There has never been any accountin
I for its use, and there never will b.
I. Undoubtedly it went to meet M
ia Dorsey's "soap." But however it ms
is have been used, Mr.. Quay's candidai
IN was elected by magnificent" an
a honorable leadership of this kind.
,el This is the leader who is now Il
,e Republican hero of Pennsylvania. Fl
I conduct, which the Philadelphia Pre-
m and the New York Tribune have d
,v scribed as we have seen, is prais,
to with an enthusiasm of acclamation
nf which there seems to have been no di
n sent. 1t is also announced that he
tv to be urged by Pennsylvania as
It candidate for the Presidency. Shou
of the movement succeed, we may expe
Mt Mr.. Dorsey to be associated with hi
h. as Vice President, and in the event
ly their election, probably MIR. Pls
fe would not be again disappointed
re securing the Treasury; nor could N
Dudley's equally magnificent and he
ed orable services be overlooked.