The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-09-18
SHhMEFULl
What the Party of Lincoln and
Sumner Has Come to.
THE PENNSYLVANIA REPUBLI.
CAN CONVENTION.
Fist.Fights, Drunkenness, Rouehs.
Toughs, Bummers, and
Plug.Uglies.
THE PARTY OF GOD AND
MORALITY IN 1895.

New York Voice, Prohibitionist Organ)
The factional fight against Senator
Quay, ended at the Pennsylvania Re-
publican state convention with a
complete victory for Quay, and his
triumphant election as chairman of
the Republican state committee. He
had opposed to him the patronage of
the present state administration, his
former political henchman, "Dave'
Martin, of Philadelphia, and his old
political antagonist "Chris" MCGEE.
The result, it is claimed, will make
Quay the next chairman of the Re.
publican national committee and the
most influential man in choosing the
next Republican candidate for Presi-
dent. This fight in which Quay has
just triumphed, aside from its purely
personal features, was one for spoils
only. No question of principle was in
volved, although it had occupied for
weeks the minds Of Republican edi-
tors and politicians in Pennsylvania.
The plane on which the fight was con-
Quoted is fairly shown by the follow
ing extracts from The SUN of August
20, describing the Republican state
convention at Harrisburg:
Last night the crush in the hotel
region of the city was unprecedented.
and hundreds OF bowling factiOniSts.
who had marched and cOuntermarch-
ed until they were weary, slept in
Capital Park and wherever they could
lind place to stretch their tired
bodies. When the town went to sleep
last night 1t fully expected to witness
today personal encounter between
the factions in an effort to get con-
troll OF the regular convention hall.
Yesterday afternoon Chairman Gilke-
son placed two hundred picked
bruisers from Pittsburg in the Opera
House, in charge Of Roger O'Mara.
superintendent Of police of that
city. These men were bountifully
supplied with beer and cigars and
enough to eat. They held high carni-
val in the hall during the night,
drinking and gambling and incident
ally discussing the probable outcome
OF the Quay-Hastings contest. Their
orders were to let nobody into the
building except by order Of the Chair
man, Gilkeson, and they faithfully
obeyed instructions. 1t was all done
to prevent the Quay people getting
control Of the hall and packing it with
their friends.
After the caucus the dele
gates of the two factions began to
fight for an entrance to the hall. 1t
| was struggle in which the man Of
Drawn and brass came out far in the
lead. 1t was almost noon when the
delegates were finally kicked and
cuffed and dragged into the hall
and the convention was ready for
business. At the stage
entrance the newspaper reporters
were propelled through double line
| of tOughs as from q catapult. Senator
Quay was thrown through the same
entrance by means Of flying wedge
formed by several muscular gentle
men who accompanied him. Senator
Becker, one Of the contestants from
Philadelphia, was repeatedly thrown
away from the entrance by the plug.
uglles who guarded 1t, but he man
aged to squeeze in between two burly
delegates who happened along"
Thus amidst scenes Of riot and de-
bauchery, with ''toughs'' and
"bruisers" as arbiters, was settled the
ques tion of who is to control the party
machinery in the greatest Repu blican
state with view to exercise in the
next National Republican convention
and the disposition Of patronage in
case Republican President is elect
ed next year. What commentary
on the present spirit and aims Of the
once grand old party of moral
ideas.n