The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-24
Edisorial csrrespondence.

tb90iH uldu hihuAy ~
spected or esteemed than Hon. John
Stewart. president judge Of Franklin
county and leader of the unsuceessful
but educational independent revolt OF
1852. Judge Stewart carries his years
easily: although well beyond fifty, with
grown daughters and the memory of a
brilliant son who, at the time OF his
sudden death. less than year ago.
stood as pre-eminent at the Franklin
bar as his father himself had stood.
prior to his elevation To the bench. the
Judge looks scarcely a day older than
forty. His home Is \ stately structure
In the colonial style. with wide piazzas
looking out upon large and beautiful
lawns: and upon one Of these piaz1as
the Judge delights to sit In the cool Of
the morning and exchange views upon
current questions with his numerous
visitors. many Of whom are OF national
distinction. 1t was upon such a fortu-
nate occasion that l was recently
privileged To secure an audience with
the man who. In the opinion OF very
many eminent Pennsylvantans, pos
sesses the most incisive logic and the
most effective mastery over words, In
critical moments. Of any man today in
public life within the borders OF the
commonwealth. l had called with 4
friend simply to pay our respects; but
as this formality melted away before
the cordially Of the judges greeting
and gave place to a running comment
concerning men and Issues of present
or recent vitality. found the charm
Of his brilliant conversation too strong
10 be lightly put aside. II was 5 O'Clock
in the morning when We called: IL was
near noon when We departed. And the
interval was as pleasan. and withal
as Instructive as any that can recall.
--:iI:--
OF course. We talked politics. But II
was q type OF politics which can with
safety be repeated-the kind that the
country needs more Of. In the place of
the huckstering and dicker!ng kind
that so generally disgraces that re-
spectacle word. Il have no regret for
the part took in the campaign OF
lSSs" said Judge Stewart. II failed
70 be elected. and very likely 7 ought
to be thankful for that; but succeed
ed in opening the eyes of many int'u-
entail persons TO the abuses Of the
jobbing and trading one-man power
which has SO long blighted honorable
ambition and dwarfei the public well
fare in Pennsylvania. Failing OUT
side the breastworks' in such cause
wasn't half as humiliating as one
might think. That Kind OF political
SSlAlIlS sNAIL NOCS w. I
regret TO say: but IL is some consola-
tiOn to us pioneers in the revolt busi-
ness when SO conspicuous a represent
tAtive OF the old school of spoilsmen's 5
politics a. Senator Quay has felt the
need. in the present unpleasantaess of
coming out substantially on the same
platform upon which l stood and fell
in the gubernstorisl campaign Of thir-
teen years ago. After that. We ought
10 regard our platform at least az
pretty well viudicated. Patronage can
never BE- eliminated or wholly neutral.
fzed as a political factor; but We need
not necessarily descend To that low
state OF political degradation when !,
becomes the one controlling influence.
''The great trouble. the Fundamental
weakness in our system Of govern
mant" the judge continued. Consists
Of the fact that with many Of us virtue
Is spasmodIc and uncertain. while vice
is steady and certain. W. procrasti-
nate too much. We don't do our duty
when We See II. Nothing pains me
quite so much as to read in the pa pArs
that such and such a city has been
swept by tidal wave Of reform 7
rejoice in the reform. but OBJ ject with
emphasis to the tidal wave. There
never was tidal wave that didn't sub
side as quickly as II arose. Jerky and
Intermittent attempts TO correct no.
tOrious political evils may not be worse
than no attempts at all. but in their
net benefits they are seldom much bet
ter. II II is the business of some men
to prostitute government and make a
foot bail Of upright citizenship then It
ought TO be the business Of other men
TO lift government, UP out Of the mire
and work for clean men and decent
methods And they oughtn't 10 be
afraid to toll overtime. either; for II
takes twice as much energy and tact
to restore a PROSTATE virtue as II does
t5 DO the prostrat!ng."
-:i':--
Then you don't have much conf
dence in such uprisings as the anti
Tammany movement In New York -
was asked.
II would not care TO answer negative
ly: because I believe that the men en-
gagged in that movement are sincere
and determined. The trouble is. they
cannot, in little groups. hold out against
the momentous indifference Of the tax
paying masses. They won the recent
election because the public pulse was
stirred by great excitement. Can the
tension be maintained long enough to
tematic renovation and reform? In
dividually, have my doubts"
But II movements so energetic az
the one was that resulted in the cleo
2ion OF Mayor Strong cannot be relied
1rpon To purify city government, what
can the public do? II municipal re-.
form only 'glittering abstraction or
epeechT"
''By no means" the Judge heartily re-
sponded. "i}ut before municipal or any
other kind Of political reform can be
permanently achieved In anything like
the full measure Of Intelligent desire,
there will need to be one important
c1range In the method by which men
are elected To Office In this country.
You touch now upon favorte hobby
OF nhne, and ! warn you not to be sur.
prised II I dwell upon 1t at considerable
length.
1T needs no argument to establish
that q great majority-in fact. think
aH--the serious political tlls Of the day
are .traccable In their real origin back
70 that Fundamental function OF party
government, the party primary. This
function 10 the very essence Of our gov
erNment. Accordingly az its work IL
performed well or III % does our gov
erment, become clean or foul And yet.
Of all the various processes OF politics
the party primary is the most neglected.
tlhs most abused. the most deepised one
in the list. Scarcely one decent voter In
five dan be persuaded to attend Il: and
when q decent voter does attend there
are usually such repulsive features con.
nected with IT'S manipulation that he
goes away, dIseusted, and next year re-
rradpg at home. or cOurge. this i,lst
phases big and little bosses who make
their living out Of politics: for It con-
Hlnues In their almost absolute control
the one source oNpower and pelf which.
q wrested from them, would result In
She speedy demolition Of their whole ne
farjous system So long as four or six
or elR61 or dozen WA I'd haeleru on,,