Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-07-17

is reported to have said that the tariff
issue would be made the prominent fea-
ture of the campaign in behalf of his
candidate for Governor. At the same
time Senator Cameron is quoted in re-
gard to free silver coinage, which, in his
view. would be very important issue
of the Pennsylvania campaign.
1t is agreed on all hands that the tariff
and free silver coinage are questions of
much moment not only to the people of
Pennsylvania but to the whole country
There is hardly doubt that consider
able majority of the voters of this State
are in favor of the tariff policy as en-
bodied in the Mckinley bill. 1t is pos
sible that in the present condition Of
public opinion they might be persuaded
to support a more drastic and illiberal
measure for obstructing commerce with
the world As for free silver coinage,
the sentiments of the people of Pennsyl-
yania have never been expressed on
that question. In their platforms both
parties prudently straddled the question
because of the uncertainty of the leaders
concerning the real drift of public opin-
ion in the State.
But in the election for members of
Congress the voters of Pennsylvania will
have an opportunity in November to de-
fine their views at the ballot-box in re-
gard to both the tariff and silver coinage.
If they agree with Senator Cameron that
all the products of the worlds silver
mines should be brought to the mints
and coined into standard dollars to be
legal tenders for all debts, public and
private, they may also have an oppor-
tunity to so declare in the choice of
members of the Legislature who will
elect a successor to Senator Cameron
next January. The friends of Tariff
Reform will cheerfuliy meet the issue
raised by the Mckinley bill in every
Congress district; but every man of COM
mon sense knows that the election of a
Governor of Pennsylvania has practically
nothing to do with this issue. If Della
mater should be elected Governor, Pro-
lection would not be advanced in the
least degree. If Mr.. Pattison should be
elected, the cause of Tariff Reform would
gain nothing by the result, for the sim
pie reason that questions of this sort are
settled in Congress, and not in the execu-
tive chamber at Harrisburg.
While the friends of Tariff Reform
will cheerfully meet the issue in every
Congressional district, its intrusion into
campaign for Governor of Pennsyl.
vania is not merely an impertinence but
a gross attempt to practice upon partisan
! ignorance and prejudice. But for the
holding of the election for Governor and
other State officials on the same day
with the elections for Congress the alb
surdity of mingling and confusing State
and national issues would be apparent
Yet, since a majority of the people OF
Pennsylvania are supposed to favor 9
high tariff, it is to be used as decoy t
entice unwary voters into the support o
whose election or defeat could not hav
the slightest possible influence on tn
question.
The real and the only issue involved
in this State contest is whether the On
Man power, in its most odious and cor
rupting form, shall dictate the choice O
Governor of Pennsylvania. In thi
issue the honor and pride of the com
monwealth are deeply involved. Benin,
this lies the question whether the tru
interests of the people of Pennsylvania
would be safer in the hands of q maj
who owes his nomination to the arrogan
power of party Boss or in the hands o.
one whose public record is utterly free
from any sinister influence. Citizens
differ honestly in regard to tariffs, rev.
enue, coinage and other matters of pub
lie policy; but there ought to be no diff
Guilty in making choice of candidates in
this State contest for the office of Cover
nor. Behind Delamater stands Chair
man Quay, with his machine and his
machine methods for controlling cleo
tions to promote personal ends. Behind
Mr.. Pattison stand the people, with their
hopes and aspirations for orderly, decent
and righteous government.-Phila
plia Record
]