Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1891-01-16
The Caucus Action.

The action of the Republican Senatorial
caucus at Harrisburg yesterday will be
hailed with satisfaction By most Demo
crate and very few Republicans 1t will
cause profound regret and not a little re-
sentiment among the great mass OF think
ing Republicans to which the party owes
its majorities and to whose intense dis
satisfaction with Mr.. Cameron and his
methods The Press for several weeks past
has been giving expression and currency.
From every. quarter were coming pro-
tests against his reelection, and caucus
was forced by Mr. Cameron's managers two
weeks in advance ofthe usual time,i order
to commit Republican members before the
rising tide of opposition should lead them
to reconsider pledges given before the
strength of the discomfort with Cameron
and Cameronism was developed. Almost
the entire Republican State press, outside
of Philadelphia, are either strongly op-
posed to Cameron and frank in their
expression of it, or, if restrained from
motives of interest from taking such
stand, they compromise with the situation
and say nothing. There have been no
Endorsements of Cameron by any organ
ization except the various Legislative
caueuses, but every Republican body which
hiss expressed itself on the Senatorship has
been ontspoken against Cameron. In the
Republican newspaper press he has re-
ceived no support in any respectable or
influential quarter except to limited ex-
tent in this city.
This is not singular, for there is no ade-
quate def ense that can truthiully be made
for him. His incompetence as legisia-
tor is notorious and painfully manifest at
every session. His unreliability as a party
man is shown by his associations, and the
doubts that are always felt as to the stand
he will take on critical party matters. His
inbecility when Pennsylvania tariff in
terests are assailed, his unsoundness on the
money questions, his avowed hostility to
such crucial party measure as the
elections bill, his inability in deliberative
body to utter three consecutive sentences
in extempore debate, his chronic absence
from his post and general qselessness are
each and all unanswerable reasons why he
should be left at home. But, having
secured the Legislature by his own peculiar
methods, he receives the caucus nomination
of his party.
We believe that this, in the language OF
Mr. Cameron's colleague, is "bad politics
as well as misfortune for the State.
While it will keep the latter misrepresent-
ed in the Senate for another six years, 1t
will aggravate and intensity the discomfort
in the Republican party which caused Mr..
Delamater's defeat at the last elections.
The expression of the State Republican
press, and the volume and spirit OF letters
received by The Press since the agitation
number is far in excess OF
our ability to print-show that the dissatis-
faction with the bosses and barnacles
which are weighing the party down has
taken deep root everywhere. 1t is strong
est among those whose Republicanism is
matter of faith scarcely less dear to them
than their religion. Such men are slow
to revolt, but still slower to forget. The
politicians and managers who SO obtru-
sively ignore them will find, too, that they
do not easily forgive.
A caucus nomination is, however, not
always an election. Republican meetings
have been called in several counties to
protest against Cameron's reelection.
Petitions are being circulated and signed
all over the State, and individual remon-
strances are being poured in upon mem
bers, some of whom yesterday had their
pockets full of these while voting for Mr..
Cameron. If the Republicans of the State
who are opposed to Mr.. Cameron will but
assert themselves in their strength in the
next fortnight it is still barely possible to
save the State from the misfortune and
ignominy of another six years of Cameron.
1aJ