Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-22
JACK ROBINSON BUSY
Preparing for the State League Con-
vention at Williamsport
TO TAKE PLACE SEPTEMBER 2S.
He Talks in q Breezy Way Of State and
National Politics and
INTRICACIEs OF THE NEW BALLOT LAW
ESPECIAL rEuEGRAM TO THE DIsPArcH. !

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATCH1
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 21-"The State
League of Republican clubs will meet in
convention at Williamsport, September 2S,
and am in the city to send out the proper
circulars giving that date along with other
matters" said Congressman John B. Robin
! son, at the Lafayette Hotel, this evening.
'It will be larger convention than last
year, and the various clubs will have big
share in the Presidential campaign"
Congressman Robinson came down from
Highland Lake to-day, and is here for
work He said that the Republican League
Club headquarters at Thirteenth and Chest
nut streets will be open regularly after this
week, and everything is go from to-day
Among those who met him this evening was
General Charles L. Leiper, whose son was
but recently appointed to caietship in the
Annapolis Naval Academy through his in
strumentality.
"Are you a candidate for reelection as
President of the State >League?"
81 am candidate in the sense that there
is no other candidate in the field" was the
Congressman's reply. "I know of no op-
position and have heard of none. Mayor
Stuart has assured me that he is not on the
list, nor has he at any time considered the
subject. This removes the only doubt in
the situation, and leaves the clear course
my friends most desire.
Pros mt Merbershin of the League.
''There were 200 clubs represented last
wear at Scranton, and this year there will
be more. A number of clubs, it will be re-
membered, paid dues more than year ago,
and our Executive Committee, which is
comprised OF member from each OF the 2S
Congressional districts, will unquestionably
allow all clubs admission to the convention
who paid dnes last year. Many of the
clubs have quietly elected delegates and
forwarded the customary notice, but there
is really no contest anywhere in sight.
"The State League will be valuable aux
iliary to Chairman Reeder's work in this
State. The convention at Williamsport
meets in the new Opera House, one of the
best appointed buildings of its kind in the
country. The National Convention meets
September Is, but the Pennsylvania dele
gates to that body we're elected last year.
On the list of Speakers for the Williams
port Convention appears the names of Cen
eral John NJ. Clarkson, Governor McKin-
lev, Whitelaw Reid, ex-Speaker Thomas B.
Reed, Ex-Governor J. B. Foraker and Con-
gressman Charles A. Boutelle.
Troub ibout tn New Ballot Law.
Congressman Robinson referred incident
ally to the new Baker ballot law as ''au in
strument but little understood. Unless the
voters are thoroughly educated up to its
various provisions it will cause a great deal
OF trouble" he added, ''and explanation
cannot begin too soon on that score. hon.
estly believe the vote will not be even with
the vote Of q Presidential year, unless the
public grasp the details better than is now
apparent General Reeder and Secretary
of State Harrity are likely to come together
on some agreement by which the new law
will be better interpreted than it is now,
and in such event the process of education
will be defined along general line, and not
be so awtully mixed up as seems now to be
the case.
'T find very intelligent men very much at
sea respecting what the terms of the Baker
law really mean, and where you come across
such a state of things there is just cause for
alarm touching the voters generally. I was
about six weeks in finding out what the law
meant myself, and 1 helped to pass 1t. AS
it now stands there is plenty of annoyance
and trouble ahead for both sides, and if the
provisions are carried out to the letter the
vote will be below expectations.
R binso, Thinks Harrison VIII Win.
"How do you view President Harrison's
chances?'
THE national campaign has hardly be-
gun, and in fact does not appear to be be-
yond the usual preliminaries, but it may
be a very even thing all through. Both
sides are waiting to play on the mistakes of
the leaders, and the recent Gorman-Vest
venture to bring Dana and the force bill
forward at an issue and Dana's direction to
60 to Senator Hill as the proper person to
appeal to for advice on the subject is quite
funny, to say the least 1t shows that
Chairman Harrity has either a divided
National Committee to deal with or hesi-
tates to take up the Cleveland tariff reform
idea as the direct and sole topic for this
year.
"Again, while West Virginia, North Caro-
lima and Tennessee are wavering in the
Democratic column, the West presents some
interesting features. The Farmers Al
lance is an unknown quantity, and intro
duces doubts and distrust rather confusing
to old-timers. General Harrison has made
a good President His vigorous foreign
policy, along with Republican pledges full
filled in the Mckinley tariff bill, are e1-
cellent playing cards, and his chances are
not of the misty kind. Bedford Springs
has been quite political center this sum-
mer and found sentiment there inclined
largely to the belief that President Harri-
son was sure winner"
Congressman Robinson goes to Media to-
morrow and expects to devote his energies
to Republican hustling right along now.
He is in dandy fighting trim, and as Presi-
dent of the State League has big army of
Young Republicans at his back.