Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-27
MIR. DALEELL'S REPLY.
HeDeclfnes Senator RObinson's Proposition
Regrets That the Letter of the Latter
Was Made Public Before Reaching Him
Wants n Fair Fight.

He Declines Senator RObinson's Proposition
Regrets That the Letter of the Latter
Was Made Public Before Reaching Him
Wants Fair Fight.
Hon. John Dalzell's letter to Senator
Robinson was made public yesterday. 1t
was written Tuesday, but the writer ex-
planned that he did not feel justified in al
lowing the letter to become public until
after it had been received by Mr.. Robinson.
The following is the letter:
PIrrsBURG, August %, 1891.
Hon. Jno. B. Robinson. Media:
DEAR STR-A copy of a letter addressed to
me by YOU appeared in the Pittsburg papers
this morning. A copy of the same letter
reached me later in the day through tho
postoflice l join with you in the regret
that you must feel that a private letter,
written In the interest of harmony, should
thus have been purloined and made public
property before reaching the party to whom
it was written, and L will cheerfully lend
you any aid in my power in bringing to
Justice those who were guilty of such an un-
seemly act.
No more signal proof of the truth of this
proposition could be found than is furnished
by the history OF the pending contest for the
Presidency of the State League. Under its
impulse clubs have been organized in
numerous places where up till this time
apathy has prevailed. Tho State League
VIII meet ut scranton stronger IN nulnnerS,
more thorough in organization, more enthu-
siaStic in zeal and better equipped to enter
upon a battle for Republican victory than it
has ever been before.
Your Endorsement of the candidates named
by the late Republican convention at Harris
burg meets my hearty approval, and so do
Your sentiments with respect to harmony in
the party and success for the State ticket.
'The suggestion made by implication in
your letter that two Republicans cannot con-
test within their party for a place of honor
in its gift without endangering party har-
monV strikes me as very novel, and fails TO
appeal to my Judgment. All experience
proves that honorably conducted contests
within party lines are the most effective
methods of strengthening the party organ
iZation.
Nothing can mar the harmony of the
Scranton convention short of the success of
the attempt recently made at a meeting of
the Executive Committee in Philadelphia to
introduce gag law and to exclude from
rightful participation in the League conVen-
tion the clubs from 25 counties of the Com
monwealth.
pending is not as to the choice of one candi-
date over another. 1t is higher, broader
and more far reaching issue. 1t involves
the integrity OF the League itself, wrapped
up, as it is, in the discrimination OF the ques-
tion whether the representatives of min
ority of the clubs of the Commonwealth can
gag the majority.
Neither Your retirement from the field,
nor mine, nor the retirement of both, can
eliminate from the contest this vital issue l
propose to remain in the tight until this
question is determined. If discord results
from the Scranton convention they will be
responsible 1or it and they only who have
attempted to control its actions by unfair
methods.
But even if my intentions were different,
could not give my assent to the eNtraordi-
nary suggestions OF your letter, that you
and and a third party should choose
President for the State League. place too
high an estimate on the manhood of the
Republican club men of the State TO believe
that they would tamely submit to dictation
from anyone.
To gag the clubs of 25 counties would be
bad enough; to undertake to do the voting
for the remainder would be even worse.
Let us have an open, manly contest, hon.
est methods and fair convention and party
harmony WILL not be endanged.
am, sir, truly yours,
JOHN DALzELL.