Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-30
POLITICAL PROSPECT,
The Probable Results of Mr.. Magee's
Victory in Lancaster.
TROUBLE FOR THE QUAY CLANS.
The Prohibition Election is the Cause Of
Some Anxiety.
FOR THE sPEAKERSHIP
IrRoM A STAFF coREEsroNDENr. J


triumph of the Magee forces in Lancaster
county has set political tongues to waggIng,
and has given many Quay men a chill. The
absence of Senator Delamater and Chairman
Andrews when the news came Just as the
legislative excursionists were preparing to
start for New York, disposed some to keer
quiet who could say a great many things
that would make interesting reading. There
is no doubt whstever that q square issue
was made between Quay and Magee, and
that on that issue and that alone the battle
was lost and won.
Quay men freely said it was the Beaver
man against the Pittsburg man, and before
the primary election ballots were cast the
Magee men were making no brags. But
they worked hard, and the result is notice
to the National Chairman and his friends
that Mr.. McDevitt, who ran against him for
State Treasurer, is yet alive: that Tom Coch-
ran has not forgotten his deposition from
the chief clerkship of the Senate, and that
@. L. Magee was not crushed by the ava
lanche :hat was supposed to have fallen on
him when Mr.. Quay's legislative lieuten-
ants declined to receive his acknowledgment
Of defeat.
A GLANCE AHEAD.
The question now is, will this thing be
carried into the State Treasurership cam
paign for the purpose of defeating Mr..
Bower, or is Mr.. Magee merely getting
ready for the succeeding campaign, when
Legislature and a Governor are to be elected.
A great MANY Democrats think and not
few Republicans fear that all will not be
well with the Republican party this fall.
Some say that no matter what the result
may be on prohibition (and there is
strong though quiet belief in its defeat) the
Republican party will suffer.
The defeat of prohibition, it is held, will
carry large number of the extreme tenn
perance Republicans into the prohib bition
party. and some of them are expected to go
so far as to cool their wrath in the Demo-
cratic camp. A result like the latter, it is
anticipated, will also follow the defeat of
the liquor interest. There is every indica-
ton, however, that the liquor interest will
not be defeated If Mr.. Cooper can trump
the trick with his fsvoriJe high license
card.
Then again it is hoped on one hand and
feared on the other that the manner in
which Mr.. Wherry's anti-discrimination
bill and his sinking fund reform have been
treated will cause loss of many votes to
the Republican party. The Republican
party was distinctly pledged to a measure
of the former nature, and Hon. Henry
Hall, of Mercer, has not convinced even all
the Republicans of the House that Mr..
Wherry is not at least partly right on the
latter.
NOT THEIR PLAN.
The Republican leaders do not, however,
feel like taking up reforms forced on them
by the Democrats. In making a choice be-
tween two horns of a dilemma that is not the
one they feel like choosing. With the Re
publican party in this position it is not to
Mr.. Magee's interest to have candidate in
the field this fall. A defeat at that time
would be deathblow to him. He probably
sees it in that light, as an astute politician,
and is merely fighting for position.
Should the party be seriously weakened
feated, the trouble will all be laid at the
door Of Mr.. Quay and his lieutenants, and
Republicans, as a measure of poetic justice,
could do no less than turn to the Pittsburg
leader to be their Joshua against the Dem
ocratic Philistines. Mr.. Magee, of course,
doesn't want to be a Moses, for Moses
did not enter the promised land. Mr.. Ma
gee would undoubtedly regret Republican
defeat next November, but might be able to
reconcile himself to it as blessing in dis
guise.
4u6 quay uOh6f6Ts are uOb
asleep. They see the weak places and they
are preparing 10 strengthen them. The in
crease of the school appropriation to s., ,000,-
600 proposed by Chairman Andrews is
very polite move, as it will be very popu-
lar in the rural districts. The Revenue
commission proposed by Senator Delamater
is designed to cause more pleasure in the
same and other directions. The commission
to select route for canal to connect the
waters of the lakes with the Ohio will not
give the immediate benefits of an anti-dis-
elimination law, but it is a move that in
spires a feeling of hopefulness, and will
cause many to keep in line, while the agita-
ton is kept up, who might otherwise feel
like breaking ranks.
PLENTY OF COMMISSIONS.
Then again there is proposed commits
sion to investigate the ubiquitous anthracite
coal combinations and report to the next
Legislature. These things, with the excep-
tion of the first, are merely promises for the
future-pledges which are not to be and
cannot Se redeemed until after Governor
and a new Legislature are elected. By
means of them it is expected to hold the dis
contented IN line
Should these pledges not be strong enough
to hold them to the Republican candidate
for State Treasurer this fall the succeeding
Republican State Convention will see a
fight for supremacy between Magee and
Quay which will be equally as interesting
as was the famous Montooth fight, and the
struggle at the primaries throughout the
State by the rival chieftains to name their
own men for the Legislature will be strug-
gle worth knowing all about.
Hon. Henry Hall, of Mercer, may be a
strong ally of G. L. Magee in future con-
tests. When the present Legislature as
sembled Mr.. Hall was looked on as "the
next Speaker" His popularity has waned
somewhat, and for the sole reason that he is
not so solid as at the beginning of the session
with ''the powers that be.
THE JUDGES SALARY BILL
His last insubordinate action was his yery
pronounced opposition to the Judges salary
increase bill, when he came very near carry
ing the House with him. Just previous to
that be had strongly advocated an appro-
priation of 5000 Tor the purchase OF the
Smull's handbook copyright from Tom
Cochran. Some people say that Mr..
Cochran paid less than $500 for it. As Hall
stock went down other candidates for the
next Speakership loomed up.
Mr.. Burdick, of Mexican, has been
pushed forward by others, and Is the most
prominent now in the race against Mr..
Hall. Mr.. Billingsley, of Washington,
has q mind to try it If reelected to the
House, and so has Mr.. Brooks, OF Philadel-
phia. The Quay leaders are discouraging
none of these candidates.
There are some who think Mr.. Hall has
sized mn the situation and is not averse to
helping Mr.. Magee at the proper time At
anv rate his actions, though undoubtedly
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