Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-02-05
The People must Decide.

Following the declaration of Rodney A
Mercur that II elected 10 the State Senate
in the Bradford. Wyoming district he VIII
be oppased to the reelection OF Senator
Ouay. came a similar declaration from L.
Mcpherson. who is candidate for the
Senatorial nomination. Mr.. Mcpherson
declared that Pennsylvania should be
more ably than now represented IN the
United States Senate.
In his statement Mr.. MCPHERSON says
that the people should indicate their
choice for Senator in the election OF mem
bers of the Legislature, 50 that the choice
of the Legislature when made shall be the
choice of the people. This is the exact
issue. The man sent to the Senate of the
United States from Pennsylvania should
be a representative of the State and it'
dominating political sentiment, and not
merely the choice of few members OF the
Legislature who may act from q mere
sense of personal obligstion-as was the
case in Senator Csmercn's election-and
not at all with any consideration for the
sentiment of the party.
The Legislature is the machinery only
through which the choice of the people is
expected to be made, just as conventions
are designed to express the party prefer
ence in the nominations made. There
will be no question before the next Legis
lature of more Importance to the people ol
the State and to the Republican party
than the election of United States Sen
ator who will have, for six years, the care
in national legislation of the great inter
ests of one of the foremost States, and
whose character, ability, and breadth ol
statemanship will be accep ted by the
country at large as illu strative OF the
character of our people and the party
which elects him.
The right of the people to participate
freely and early in any movement whicf
at any stage can have an influence upon
the result cannot be denied. Free discus
sion will be discouraged now only by those
who fear discussion and dread an active
interest on the part of the people. IN al
affair which belong wholly to them.
Whatever the choice is to be it should be
the intelligent and untrammelled choiceio
the Republican people, expressing them
selves through those whom they send tc
the Legislature. If it is to be Senator
Quay it should be because the Republicans
want him, and not because they can't help
| it. If il is to be anybody else it should be
| for the same reason. TIE people must
| make the choice themselves by electing to
the Legislature, only such men as will re
I fspectiand carry out their wishes
The issue has been brought to the Re
publicans of Br afford Go. in its straight
est FORM They know what to do now,
whether they are for Senator Quay ol
| against him, and as o matter of fact it l:
perfectly well known tue opposition in
that steady Republican county is over
| whelming. The same discussion and
a..similar canvass should be made in every
| Republican county, so that the Republican
| voters shall have a chance to express them
selves Enthusiastically on this vital question.
| If they do not do it at the primaries and in
| the nomination of candidates for the Leg
islature they will have no opportunity to
| do it at all.-Philadelphi Press.
THE Republican County Committee OF
Allegheny Co., met in City Hall last Sat
| urday aud fixed the date for the primary
in that county for members Of the legisla
ture, State Senator, Congressman ant
President Judge of G. P. No., l, for Satur