Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-07-02
WILMINGTON, THURSDAY, JULY .
The Revolt Against QUAY.

eAS fottfs "a tldt ltepuDllCdn StIDuRHOlQ
SGT down upon Quay and his candidate
and elected a tried and trustworthy
Democrat TO the governorship. 1t was
e manifestation of the hopeful fact, SO
often lost sight Of by party leaders and
spoil hunters, that there is limit be-
yond which party fealtv will not drag
controlling percentage of those usually
classed as party adherents. We have
had a recent illustration of this truth in
our own city, but we can study more
dispassionately and perhaps to almost as
much purpose revolt of this character
when 1t happens in another community.
1t is not too much to say that in such
revolts lie the most gratifying assurances
that our system of popular government
is the correct one and that it may be
relied upon to purge itself of abuses and
abusers when they become uncomfortable.
One short year ago the whole nation
might well have seemed, to observant
outsiders, to be rushing down to de-
struction under the domination and
usurpation of Reedism, McKinleyism
and Force bills. But the fall elections
came and the people spoke with an
emphasis that sent these forces Of dan
ger and disintegration to the rear. And
nowhere did they speak more emphati-
--cally than in Pennsylvania, where the
local issue--the rescue of the common
wealth from the grasp of bossism the
most corrupt and unscrupulous-was so
grave as to overshadow even the national
danger.
But Quayism was after all only
scotched, not annihilated, in that mo-
morable contest The repudiated boss
still retained influence with the Har-
rison administration and is still ac-
knowledged by most of the Republicans
of his state as the man who runs the
party machine. He has recently en-
tered into an alliance with President
Harrison, by the terms of which Quay
contracts TO deliver Pennsylvania del
egation for Harrison's denomination in
return for the Federal patronage which
the President can hand over to him. II
Is a case Of, "You tickle me and I'll
tickle you," In which the contracting
parties have apparently banked upon
the assumption that the uprising
Of the better elements of the party
expended its strength last fall; that
the revolt which sent Pattison
to Harrisburg was only a passing spasm
of regeneration which has died out by
this time. If President Harrison and Boss
Quay entertained such an idea--and
1t is not easy to understand upon what
other basis their compact was founded
the protest of Philadelphia Republicans
made public Tuesday morning will open
their eyes. In this protest about 100
eminent and influential business men,
merchants, manufacturers, clergymen
and others say over their own names
names that are known and respected
that they will not submit to Quay or
Quayism. AS Republicans they say''
feel conetrained to address our fellow citi-
zens throughout the state upon the
present political situation--to point ont
what ws believe to be the essential
causes Of the alarming degradation in
putfic affairs from which we now
-, .ffer, and the necessary steps toward
, Improvement" They go on to say:
The Republican machine in this state.
: under the leadership of Senator QUAY and
, those lieutenants whom he has drawn
about him, is corrupt and in strong con-
trast TO the rank and file of the party.
, That leadership is as absolute in its control
as 1t is unscrupulous in its methods and
disastrous in its results. With Senator
Quay's political record the public is SO
familiar that it is unnecessary at this time
to give detailed history Of those more re-
mote public acts through which its
notoriety was acquired, while a brief
reference to It's more recent events is APP
propriate in order TO depict clearly the
present situation,
Mr.. Quay is mainly responsible for the
overwhelming disaster which befell the
Republican pa in this state during the
past autumn rreby an accustomed Re
publican maiol ~ of from 10000 TO 10000
was changed to a Democratic majority Of
:. 1900. The single issue of the campaign,
Has determined by Mr., Quay himself, was
We yindieation of his own personal and
..2litical character. The adoption If the
Republican platform involved declara-
tion OF confidence and respect for the
junior senator, and in the election of the
Republican candidate the acceptance of a
man who was nominated at the dictation
OF Mr.. Quay. The state rejected both the
plank and the candidate and a political
revolution ensued, The Republican party
was defeated in Pennsylvania, its most
conspicuous stronghold.
It might have been supposed that the
leader who had inflicted such wound
upon his party and to whom it had given
so overwhelming an evidence of a lack Of
4 confidence i'll him would have retired from
.spublic prcminel zee, Mr.. Quay, however,
/ eontented himself with an elaborate de-
rs enee of his record before the United States
=. enate. This was both untimely and in
cnnclusve; untimely, since it came after
all possible damage that could result to his
Character had been effected by his silence
under the grave charges repeatedly made
against him from responsible sources
through the long critical period preceding
the election; inconclusive since he failed
an it to adopt the simple and the only
course in relation to the treasury scandal
that could have made clear his innocence
!. Had Mr.. Quay accepted the suggestion
n that he should call upon Mr.. MacVeagh
\, and the other gentlemen who were said to
!, have been present when his alleged dcfal-
cation in connection with the treasury was
covered BY Mr.. Cameron to testify in his
favor, he would have adopted the obvious
means Tor securing vindication. But this
he did not do; and, failing to take such a
course, his defence falls to the ground
and his previous position remains I'M
changed
Notwithstanding these facts, he still re-
tains the party leadership, and his lieuten-
ants, either acting under his direct, though
hidden command, or only in strict accord
with, the principles of his school of poll
tics, by the attitude they assumed toward
the Rallnk Rnfcarnn hill hn..o s.iaIntna ~,