Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-14
The President to Interfere in Penn
sylvania Politics.
TIE FACTIONS TO Be HARMONIZED
A Significant Letter Sent Out by
Mr.. James Kerr.
IN SOUND MONEYS INTEREST

in a movement that is to have important
Bearing upon national politics and The at
titude of the eastern democrats upon the
silver question. The letter was written by
ex-Representative Kerr of Pennsylvania,
the present clerk of the House of Repre-
sentatives. 1t was addressed to the chair
man of every democratic county committee
in the state of Pennsylvania, and was as
follows:
''WASHINGTON, DC, March 49, 1895.
my Dear Sir: The demoralized condition
of the democratic party in Pennsylvania
has been the subject of anxiety to the
friends of the present administration. 1t
goes without saying that the believers in
the principles of democracy regret the
utter failure on the part of those in con-
troll of the organization for the past two
or three years to maintain at least the
original strength of the party. They have
mad every assistance the administration
could afford them; favored as no other set
OF local leaders in any state of the Union
have been favored the results have been
one disaster after another until the party
appears to have been dissolved into frag-
ments,. and the republican majority has
reached the enormous hSuIe of 2i3, 600
Ihere seems literally to be 10 hope of
maintaining the party with any semblance
of strength in the state of PENNSYLVANIA
without i change of methods.
Nothing should be undertaken by any
one or by any set of men which would con-
tinue the late factional tights or present
new ones. That a general reorganiza ton
Is necessary embracing all factions and
prescribing rome. is the opinion entertain
ed by the friends of the adminiStratio
here and by others within the common
wealth OF Pennsylvania who have the best
interests of the dem party at heart
The present chairman, Mr. Stranahan,
mas sgn1hed his intention not to stand for
reelection, and it is quite important that
the state committee. i'll selecting his sue
cessor at their next meeting. act with dis
cretion and deliDeration, and proceed to the
selection OF chairman possessing not only
the quantities necessary for the delicate and
difficult task under these unfortunate cir
cumstanceS. but one in whom the admin
istration has the utmost confidence and
who will be the choice. of the best judg-
ment of the democratic state committee
and not the selection Of any one man. No
person the creature of the political boss
can effectively serve the democratic party
In Its present extremity.
IN view OF this fact you, 4 member
OF the state central committee, or as one
of influence in your section, should prevail
on those directly interested to refrain from
committing themselves to the support of
any candidate for executive officer for the
coming year until the democracy, through
their committee, come together in April
next
If the democratic sta te central commit
tee of Pennsylvania do their duty in this
matter, one which they owe to their party
and TO themselves, they will select as chair
man one who, in his unselfish and able
management of the party's affairs, repre-
senting at all times the masses of the dem
ocratic voters, will recover the ground that
has been lost during the past three years.
Let ME hear from you upon this subject al
an early date. Very respectfully yours,
JAMES KERR
A Fnr-Reac!,in:s Purpose.
While this letter would seem upon the
surface to deal with Pennsylvania state
politics it is said to have a deeper meaning
and mcle far-reachirg purpose than is
at first sight apparent. The frequent refer
ences in the letter to the administration
and its feelings and wishes is only a slight
indication of this fact.
1t is stated that President Cleveland has
determined to take a hand in the present
condition of democratic politics in Penn
syivauia with a view to bringing about
harmony in the democratic ranks and snap
il:g affairs to certain end which he has IN
view. His ultimate aim, it is stated, is to
control the Pennsylvania delegation at the
next democratic national convention in the
interests of sound mcLey plank in the
national platform and III behalf OF the
presidential candidate whom he shall Sc
lcct. in the event OF his not being a can
didate himself. The main object, however,
is believed to be his anxiety that the Penn
sylvana delegation shall present solid
front for sound money, condition which
is not promised at tins time by the dis
sensicnS in the party and the influence of
Sibley and his sympathiZers.
To Crash MIR. Harrity.
AS the first step in this move it is said
that the President proposes to heal the dis
sensions in the party by crushing the grow
ing power of the man whom he now believes
has caused the trouble, and to counteract
his influence. The man is Mr.. Harr;ty
chairman OF the democratic national CON-
mittee.
This statement may sound somewhat odd
in view OF the fact that Mr.. Harrity las
been recognized by the President as the
boss oil PennsylN ania politics, and has
been given five out of six of the principal
federal appointments of that state. This
is where the trouble has arisen. however
1t is stated that the President is dissatis-
fled with Mr.. Harritys stewardship, or
rather his boss-ship. 1t is said that the
President is inclined 10 blame Mr.. Harrity
for the dissensons existing amons, Penn
sylvania democrats, laying it to the abuse
of the power which he had given MFR. Har-
rity. The President is said to believe that
Mr.. Harrity has caused trouble by refus-
ing to bring the factions together and by
naming the appointees from among his
own Immediate henchmen and followers
ignoring too much other factions in the
party.
The Presidents Feeling.
1t is stated that the President has had
l:nder consideration for some time the i'd "a
OF reuniting the Pennsylvania democrats.
His feeling of resentment toward Mr. Har-
rlIy Tor some time past mas been Shown in
administration circles and an echo of it has
been found in Mr.. Harrity's waning in
1uence in matters of patronage, which has
been observable to all familiar with the
matter. II is known that Mr.. Kerr has
been consulted frequently of late by the
President upon Pennsylvania matters and
the promuiga ton of the letter over his sig
nature is therefore no surprise. 1t is not
believed that Mr.. Kerr is ambitious to sue
ceed Mr.. Harrity; on the contrary, he has
kept in the background, and is very close
mouthed about politics in his native state.
These familiar with the situation think
that it is the Presidents idea not to die
tate in Pennsylvania politics at this partic-
ular time, but to break down Harrity's hold
and leave the democrats apparently free 10
get together, keeping in view all the time,
however, his ultimate object.
1t is said that the recent developments
In the plans of the new silver party, and
the efforts of Sibley and his line of demo-
Gratis to get foothold iE Pennsylvania, de-
termined the President to commence at an
early date the work of getting the democ-
racy Of that state into line for presenting
a solid front for Cleveland plans and prin-
ciples at the next democratic convention,
standing shoulder to shoulder with other
sound money democratic delegations from
the east.