The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-21
QUAY AS A REFORMER.
Pittsburg Dispatch in Chicago Record


United States Senator NJ. 9. Quay IL a
reformer in Pennsylvania, and Is in dead
earnest, no matter how he may stand
IN the presidential nomination contest.
Notwithstanding his former political ca
reer,. Quay, since last summer. has been
absolutely sincere In regard to the pro-
posed reform legislation in this state. 1t
is the purpose OF this telegram to prove
to pClitcal students outside Of Pennsylva-
MIA why he Is sincere. In the first place. he
must rigidly adhere to his reform profess
sion or his political career will end ig
ANONYMOUSLY and forever at home, and with
this goes glimmering all his chances In
national way. Residents Of other states
have naturally looked upon Mr.. Quay as a
prince of political tricksters. So he was
until year ago. but outsiders have not
had a clear idea of his great change of
programme. Quays canvass for the pres
idential nomination has. among those who
do not know him well, helped along
the general. although erroneous. idea OF
his life's programme. The opposition to
the "favorite-son" idea has injured him.
The facts. until now unpublished in a
clear and emphatic form, are that Quay
really wants the nomination and that he
proposes to stay in the race until there
Is no longer any chance for him. The
whole idea originated not with Quay, but
with enthusiastic friends, and 1t was some
time later before Quay became imbued
with the idea himself. He has since had
the fever bad, but he is not conducting
the campaign as have McKinley's mana
gers.
--:l:-
Quay expects to get votes outside of
Pennsylvania, but his hunt for them has
been a still one. His friends bank consid-
erably on the ordinarily mistaken course
of inaugurating a campaign too early, as
they think McKinley's lieutenants have
done. They have taken into consideration
the fact that there will be quite long in
terim for work between the conclusion of
the last state convention and the actual
opening of the battle at st. Louis. The
Quay people propose to do their work dur
ing this interim and in st. Louis They
can do 1t In more systematic manner
than by running the rounds Of the state
conventions. when the latter are con-
cluded there win be the better opportunity
for discovering the real strength Of the
various camps, and also their weak spots.
At st. Louis there will be still better OPP
portunities and Mr.. Quay has no superior
as an organizer. His management of the
Harrison campaign in 1888 revealed that.
Eleventh-hour conversions of delegates
are likely to be permanent ones; 50 1t is
not safe for political prophets in making
up ante-conventiOn ballots to put Quay
down for simply sixty-four notes.-the to-
tai strength of Pennsylvania. Quay is not
sure of these siXty-four; but he is certain
of fifty-fve. no matter what happens. And
he will very likely get sixty-two.
Ill
Until the summer Of 1895, Mr.. Quay was
regarded by all but his intimate personal
admirers as nothing more than shrewd
politician-no better and no worse than
other members of his class Now there
burg, headed by Dave" Martin and
Charley" Porter in the. former and
Chris Magee and BILLY" Finn in the
latter city, what has since been known as
tical dictator of Philadelphia and Porter
got all the fat contracts. Magee was the
great II am of Pittsburg and Finn got
the contracts. These conditions still exist
and will continue unless Quay succeeds in
stopping them by means Of the proposed
reform legislation. Porter and Finn sat
in the senate, Chris Magee ran his Pitts
burg Morning Times and all four were in
the WtduTer- traction syndicate
which controls the street car system Of
Philadelphia and Pittsburg, the two big
centers of the population Of Pennsylvania.
At the last session of the legislature, IN
the winter of 1S94-5, these men secured so
much legislation affecting their grip on the
two cities and their street railway sys-
tens that they earned the title Of the
"hog combine" Consequently for year
past all newspaper cartoons unfriendly
to the combine invariably include hog,
whether prominent or in the background
The question of whether or not Quay had
like these men, all his former associates,
feathered his financial nest through mis-
political power does not enter into the
never have interfered with the combines
plans or became a reformerif Its members
had not tried to dump him. But now that
ne has promised to purify the municipal
atmosphere the independent press Of the
state and the. honest business men and
taxpayers all through Pennsylvania,
whether Republican, Democrats. Prohibi-
tionists or POpuiists, are with him. but
they will desert him as quick as lightning
II he goes back on his promises.
ILL
Quay Is old now and he is shrewd enuugn
to see that 1t Is better to end his days as
the savior Of the taxpayer than 1t is to con-
tinue in his old course and run the risks
which the average politician Is sure to en-
counter For these reasons the great ma
jority. Of the people of Pennsylvania re-
gard him as genuinely IN favor of state
tions are concerned they are divided. not
on personal grounds. but as matter Of
expediency. Your correspondent, how
ever, finds no one who disputes the ability
OF Mr.. Quay to make good president, II
he should ever land IN the white house.
---:ll:-
Now as to this reform legislation. The
state convention OF last summer which
made Quay state chairman by his dictation
declared for municipal reform and COM
mittee was appointed to frame the neces.
sary Legislation. This committee consists
James Russell Young, Of the Philadelphia
Star: Silas w. Petit, the Philadelphia
lawyer, and two well-known attorneys Of
Pittsburgh. d. Bruce and W. b. Rod
gers. These men have prepared reform
legislation which m J. to b. be submitted to the
April 20 and on the following day to the
state convention. Quay will control both
bodies and there Ia no doubt that their
approval will be emphatic. It will re-