Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1891-10-22
The State Contest.

In New York the Republican party
leaders insist that national issues shall
be ignored as irrelevant, and the contest
confined wholly to questions of State and
municipal policy. The sins of Tammany
Hall--past, present and prospective
constitute the main issue of the Republi
can campaign. In Pennsylvania, on the
other hand, the machine organs mani
fest peculiar reluctance to discuss
State questions, while they vehemently
declare that the tariff and free silver are
the chief issues involved in the election
of an Auditor General and State Treas
urer. Yet up to this time none of the
organs has been able to give an intelligi.
BILE Interpretation of the meaning of the
party platform in Pennsylvania on the
silver question.
Last year-when the whole representa-
ton in the Federal House of Representa-
tives was to be chosen, and oDe-thlrd OF
the membership of the United States
Senate renewed through State Legisla-
lures then to be elected-was declared to
be an "off year" in national politics as a
ready way of accounting for overwhelm-
ing defeat. But this years election of
an Auditor General and a State Treas
urer in Pennsylvania, it is pretended, is
fraught with the most momentous issues
in Federal politics and legislation.
These partisan inconsistencies loss moth
ing of their absurdity and puerility by
frequent repetition in the public ear.
What near or remote influence could the
election of one or two State officials in
Pennsylvania have upon the delibera-
tions of the next Congress? What in
tluence could such an election have upon
the choice of President and a Congress
next year?
Relieved temporarily from the warfare
of national politics, why should not the
people of Pennsylvania avail themselves
of the opportunity now afforded them
for removing gross abuses in the manage
ment of their financial affairs? They
have seen their State Treasury pillaged
through the connivance or neglect of its
custodans The official confession has
been made to them that the laws for
investing the money of the Sinking
Fund, and for thus preventing needless
accumulations in the State Treasury,
have been treated with contempt.
Whatever may be their differences of
opinion on the tariff, or reciprocity, or
free silver, why should they not come
together in an earnest effort to rescue
the commonwealth from the spoilsmen? +?
Party organizations are valuable only as
agencies for the promotion of desirable
public ends. When they become per-
verted by machine managers into agen
cies for the maintenance of official abuses
and to secure the spoils they are intoler
able nuisances in the State. Instead O
advancing the public welfare, they are
IF n,,I
preston.
The only solution of the State ISSUE
that has been brought to the door o.
every citizen in Pennsylvania is in max
ing a complete change in the Auditing
and Treasury Departments at Harris
burg. Giving General Gregg and hi!
colleague, Captain Morrison, credit TO
the best intentions in the world, the,
could not, if elected, escape from thei
environment. Should they resolutel,
apply the ak to prevailing abuses an(
iniquities they would be met with tn,
cry of "ingratitude" from the machine
managers and spoils-mongers to whom
they owe their nominations. In maxim
choice of their subordinates, and in tn
general management of the affairs @
their departments, they would be subjec
to the advice of their friends" Blu
by aiding to elect Robert E. Wright an
A. L. Tilden to the offices of Audito
General aud State Treasurer respectiyel,
the Independent Republicans of Penn
sylvania would give another signal proc
of their fidelity to the interests of tn
Commonwealth. They would thus crow
the work which they accomplished S
nobly last year. Let them not be de
tered from this patriotic purpose by tn
idiotic cries of tariff" or free silver,
nor by other insidious appeals that hav
not the least relevancy in this State con
test.-Rec0rd.