Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-03
THE OPPORTUNITY IMPROVED.

By the nomination Of Robert E. Psttison
for Governor yesterday, the Democrats
seized the best opportunity which they have
had for years to profit by the weakness and
errors of their opponents. The strength of
the nomination lies in the vigorous and in
dependent personality ofthe candidate, and,
distressing as it may be to some of the
Bourbon element in the Democracy, to have
q candidate who will attract votes from out
side, that attraction is so great as to nearly
reverse the conditions under which the two
parties generally begin a canvass in Penn
sylvania.
Hardly a stronger measure ofex-Governor
Pattison's popularity, as q vigorous, inde-
pendent and honest public man, can be
given than the fact that he has been three
times a candidate for public Office in Re-
publican strong holds; that he has never yet
been defeated; and that his record in Office
has been always such as to satisfy the inde-
pendent Republicans who contributed to his
successes, with their part in electing him.
His two elections as Controller of Phila-
delphia showed the con nfdence which in that
strongly Republican city was felt in his
fairness and ability; and his work in that
Office was one of the first eIemplifcations Of
the ability of an independent and capable
Controller to check municipal waste and
mismanagement. His election as Governor
was no less a measure of mis- popular
strength, and the result an equal proof of
his executive force and honesty.
n is unop Dot
rs Governor that he is mainly to be judged
as a candidate in the present campaign.
Performance has many times the value OF
profession in judging of the character of an
executive official; and Governor Pattison's
performance in the executive chair is the
enviable one of having furnished this State
the eleanest and most vigorous administra-
tion within the present generation. No sim
cere man will dispute that his record was
exceptionally that of vigilance in guarding
the public interests and Of unqualified inde-
pendence alike of the influence of political
machines or the domination of corporate
interests. Upon his acts with regard to the
regulation of corporate abuses his supporters
can especially afford to take their stand.
his plain and clear statements in his mes
sages of the duty of enforcing the sixteenth
and seventeenth articles of the Constitution
were not less characteristic of his attitude
than the policy, in which his administra-
ton stands alone, OF forcing respect for the
Constitution, as it was violated in the South
Penn wrecking bargain. 1t is a pregnant
fact that where his successor has followed
out the policy be commenced, as in the
matter of the soldiers orphans schools, he
has earned the public approval; where his
policy has been abandoned, as in corporate
matters, it has left him the one Governor of
Pennsylvania, in modern times, who has
steadily and unvaryingly maintained and
enforced the supremacy of public welfare
over corporate interest
The renewal of the ticket of 1882 by the
nomination of Chsuneey T. Black, who was
Governor Pattison's companion in the sue
cessful campaign of that year, is equally
judicious. The ex-Lieutenant Governor was
a faithful and impartial presiding officer of
the Senate, and has since then carried the
Democratic standard as the leader of the
young Democracy. Pittsburg's representa-
tive on the ticket, Mr.. Barclay, the candi-
date for Secretary of Internal Affairs, is
well known and popular here, and will
strengthen BY his local popularity the favor
able tendency toward the ticket on the part
of our people.
With candidates so thoroughly worthy
the votes Of all men who are independent
enough to cast aside party lines in favor of
clean and vigorous State administration
solely for the public interest and with the
dissatisfaction existing in the Republican
ranks, the nomination of Pattison gives the
Democrats better hope of victory than
they have had since the campaign which
they won with the same candidates eight
years ago. 1t must be remembered, how
ever, that campaigns are won by organiza-
tion; and the Republican organization, with
the normal majority behind it, can only be
overcome by systematic work. All who be-
lieYe, as The DISPATCH does, that the
Democrats have selected the candidates
best able to guard popular interests alike
against partisan profigacy and corporate ag-
gression, should bear in mind that only
earnest and organized work will win the
victory for them at the polls.