Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-11
THE GHOST WALKING.
1t Won't Down, Despite the Protests
of Many Politicians.
INTEREST IN TO.DAY'S MEETING.
Prominent Partisans in Favor of q Nom
Partisan Judiciary.
A PLAN FOR PURIFYING CONVENTIONS

The ghost still walked late yesterday
afternoon and would not down. But
though politicians had their ears pointed,
one way and the other, to catch points,
there was nothing especially new developed
except that a number of gentlemen were
quoted by different authorities, each in its
own fashion, one representing them as
favoring the Gubernatorial appointments
and the other as favoring a convention and
a new deal, while some would like to dis
card at least two cards and draw to the
third. In consequence it is just possible,
according to pretty general expectations,
will be placed in a box nearly similar to
that in which Solomon found himself when
he cut the Gordian knot by proposing to cut
the baby in two, only that the committees
position may be more difficult, as the baby
isn't likely to submit to the dividing arrange
ment. An opinion was expressed that Mr..
Fetterman had trusted too much to promises,
and should, to make the rifle more easily,
have set up delegates as Judge Porter did
previous to the naming of the judges by the
Governor.
In Favor of the Appointments.
Controller Morrow, Councilman McGon-
nigle, Mayor Gourley, Chief j. o. Brown,
Collector Warmcastle, c. E. Speer and
Attorneys John S. Lambie, R. A. Balph,
r. B. Petty and c. G. Dickev think the
committee should satisfy the Governors
appointments, as an Endorsement of the idea
of bipartisan Judiciary. Attorneys L.
P Stone and J. E. McKelvey did not COM
NIT themselves, but hazarded the opinion
that the indications pointed to a possible
snarl that might be hard to unravel
On the other hand, Lawyers John F. Cox
and 7. NJ. Mcfarland, DR.. j. P. McCord
and Assistant Postmaster Edwards ask for
a new deal, with more or less pronounced
ness.
Assistant District Attorney n s. Will
Jams, who is an aspirant, agrees with Judge
Fetterman that rule 19, of the Republican
Committee does not confer on it the power
to ratify; that there is no vacancy to fill,
and all that the committee has power
to do is to call a convention, if wanted.
The ground taken is that any member of the
party has a right to present himself as
candidate for office if he is willing to pay
the fiddler, and the committee must recog-
nize him.
R. B. Parkinson appears to look at the
situation humorously, and says that as there
is no longer any politics il. the county, and
the State Republican chiefs show no pres
ent disposition to disinter the hatchet,
there doesn't appear to be much left for
either Democrat or Republican who loves
action but to join the Farmers Alliance
party.
The Making of an Alliance Man.
Mr. Parkinson cannot see anything JEFF
fersonian enough in the present situation to
draw out a Democrat. 1t being objected
that he had been too long divorced from
agricultural pursuits to be eligible for men,
bership in the Alliance party, Judge Ewing
suggested that he had a potato-hoeing job
on hand, and he would allow Mr. Parkinson
to acquire the necessary qualification by
pulling out the weeds in the patch and kill
ing the Colorado beetle. Mr.. Parkinson
has the offer under advisement
All this brings ex-County Commissioner
George Y. Mckee forward with his plan of
purifying conventions by the abolition of
the delegate system. He suggests modi-
fcation of the Washington county system.
Instead Of, as then, electing delegates and
instructing them as to first, second and
third choice at the primary selections,
and then leaving them to their iudg-
ment, Mr.. Mckee suggests that at
the primaries, voters indicate first second
and third choice, and make the Judge of
election the delegate to the convention,
strictly bound to carry out the wishes of
those who send him, without power to trans
fer his credentials to any one. Mr.. Mckee
argues that it is of little use for the people |
to express preferences so long as delegate
can do, substantially, what he pleases in
the convention.
Remedy for Grievances.
As the primaries are under the laws con-
troll, Mr.. Mckee says that an aggrieved |
party could have remedy by prose-
cutting a judge who might be derelict.
He could also have the judge paid |
for his trouble, say IS, and all the members
of the primary board might be paid for the |
trouble of conducting the election, the |
money therefor to be provided by those who
stand for nomination.
The present delegate system, Mr.. Mckee
thinks in many cases no more than q farce,
and very different from what it was in the |
50's, when a delegate who disoheyed in !
or sold out would have found his |
residence subsequently very uncomfort-
able.