The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-24
A Queer Kind of "Fair Play"

A Queer Kind of "Fair Play"
Our good friend Colonel Watres, an
rounces. unless he is m!squoted. that
he Is going to Harrisburg on Monday to
see that fair play" prevails in the pre-
paraticn Of the roll of delegates to
Wednesdays state convention. Fol-
lowing that assertion he adds, with ref
erence to the Wyoming county con-
test: ''In that case Delegate Northrop
insists upon going contrary to the ex-
pressed wishes of the Republicans OF
that county. If his case was simply a
contention on the part of the bosses,
II the people had not spoken. 1t would
present a different character, but in
his case there is no question:: he avows
that he will do violence to the senti-
ments of the Republicans of the
county, and in the face of that fact
how can Gilkeson be indelicate enough
to want to decide? As far as am con-
cerned Mr.. Northrop will not be
allowed to misrepresent Wyoming
county,
We sincerely trust that this Is not a
specimen of the fair play" that Coz
onel Watres is in favor Of. What are
the real facts In the Wyoming conten-
tion? 1t Is, for instance. a plain fact
that the only expression" of the
wishes" Of the Republican voters Of
the county which Delegate Northrop
has declined to heed is the manufac-
tured one lately manipulated by the
Quay leaders, it is said at the instiga-
ton of a man whom Quay was years
ago instrumental In getting a place in
one Of the departments at Harrisburg.
This man and his friends rounded up
the Quay followers at a bogus pri-
mary which the supporters of the ad-
ministration very properly Stunned be-
cause the county,s delegate had al
ready been regularly elected: but 1t is
the sheerest kind of buncombe to claim
that this fake expression has any legi-
tlmacy under the customary rules of
party procedure.
The Tunkhannock Republican of
this date fortunately sheds valuable
light upon this episode; and we request
our good friend, the ex-lieutenant gov-
ernor. to read carefully this extract
from Its columns, and then revise his
assertions about fair pay:"
The convention to elect Quay dele
gate to the state convention was held
here on Monday last. All but three dis
tricts were represented, and as there were
no Hastings men In the convention as
delegates. the meeting was a most con-
genial and Harmonious affair. The con-
venton elected H. w. Bardwell, Of Tunk-
hammock. delegate, and he will have seat
IN the state convention providing he can
Oust X. r. Northrop. The convention was
called regardless Of the effect such action
might have upon our county politics, and
we firmly believe that it was a mistake
which all will regret later on. That the
convention represented the sentiments Of
the Republicans Of this county cannot be
trnthfully said, FOR THEVOTE POLLED
AT THE PRIMARIES WAS NOT OVER
ONE-SIXTH OF THE REPUBLICAN
VOTERS IN THIS COUNTY. In one
district only six votes were polled. while
in Tunkhannock out of a total Of about
160 there were only 32 votes polled.
The question Is, shall one-sixth of the
party, in Wyoming county, being for
Quay. assume to speak for the whole
party, which has already regularly and
by due method elected its delegate?
There are contests in the state which
may have some merit in them; but the
spurious Wyoming revolt is not one
of them. We sincerely regret to see so
fair-minded Republican as Colonel
Watres go on record as favoring a line
of action with reference to this particu-
lar case which would. II applied promis-
cuously, unsettle every Republican
county organization in the state and
swiftly lead to party chaos. No dele
gate at Harrisburg next week will have
a better claim to his seat than r. p.
Northrop: and If the rule or ruin Quay
ringsters who are behind such men a9
Colonel Watres in this one instance.
hoping that their respectability will
render possible the deliberately planned
theft Of the convention. attempt to
challenge Mr.. 'Northrop's. prima facie
claim to a voice and vote in repre-
sentation Of Wyoming county. we pre-
dict right now that there will be trou-
BILE. The friends Of the Hastings ad-
mtnistration propose to stand up fairly
and fatty for their rlghts--a fact Of
which the desperate opposition is re-
quested to take due notice.
To a Harrisburg reporter Senator
Quay said on Thursday night: II ex-
pected to spend three or four weeks
on my farm in Lancaster county, but
I have had to forego that pleasure.
think would have made more money
by going to the farm" Yes. senator,
and you certainly would have made
more friends.
The Facts IN the Case.
The Pktsb,rg Chronicle-Te1egraph,
an independent paper. gets down to bed
rock when 1t says: "Since Senator
Quay announced Ills. candidacy for the