The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-22
Rally for the Party.

will not work both ways
| Rally for the Party.
The only thing needed to convince any
doubtful Republican of his duty in the
present municipal campaign is to stop,
look and think. Common sense will do
the rest.
This Is the beginning Of presidential
year--a year which will afford the citi-
zens of the United States their first
complete chance to make change back
from the disastrous Democratic
Change Of 1892. Suppose that in every
| Republican city in the country a few of
the leaders of the minority faction at
| the party primaries should, out of per-
| sonal desperation. try to incite the
| party rank and file to bolt the regularly
| chosen party nominees. giving as rea-
sons false statements of fact and gross
| misrepresentations; and suppose fur
ther that a sufficient number of Re
| publican voters should be deluded in
these cities into deserting their party
| candidates thus effecting the election
| Of Democrats eager to turn the
influence of the city govern
| ment over to the purposes OF
the Democratic party-does any re-
flecting man suppose that such a course
would not imperil If not wholly sacri-
flee Republican chances for the presi-
dency in the November elections? Does
any voter familiar with political cam
paigns imagine that party ground lost
in February of presidential year can
be regained before November of that
same year?
Let it be conceded that in each of
these cities, as in our own, there is
members of the party against the
recognized party leadership-a feeling
which, without allowing credit for the
difficulties besetting that leadership in
its efforts to perfect the party organiza-
ton and to weed out long-standing evils
inherited from discarded predecessors;
and without making any judicial in.
qury into the cunning accusations
which inevitable malcontents, smarting
under exposed duplicity, are quick to
make and to circulate. but instead,
swallowing them blindly, Is rather dis
posed to resent leadership In any form
let us ask, is the eve ofso important
a national campaign as the campaign of
1896 promises to be fit time for the
pulling down of successful leadership
without the certainty that there Is an
other suitable one Immediately ready
for the emergency? 1t was Abraham
Lincoln who counseled against swap
ping horses in the middle OF the
stream" and his quaint remark con-
We have yet to hear of any Republic
can in the city of Scranton who could
question the ability, the integ-
rity or the high personal character
of the gentlemen on the present Re-
publican city ticket. 1t is everywhere
conceded that from Colonel Ripple down
the ticket is one Of the best. If not the
best, ever offered by the Republicans
Of the municipality for the public's in
dorsement; and nowhere Is 1t disputed
that this ticket. If elected, would give
to the citizens of Scranton, good, clean.
and progressive government. What,
then, is the vague foundation upon
which any man claiming allegiance to
Republican principles can hesitate to
accord to this ticket his most cordial
support? The only ground yet mem
toned In print is that It stands 1or
"Connellism," or, in other words. that
1t does not offer opportunities for the
beating or throwing down of honest
Republican candidates. or for the stiff
ling Of honest party sentiment, as has
been done ere now. The Republican
party, in short, Is asked to contribute
~ u NiStoiS' WIN us
plcation of future Democratic re-
sources, simply because a few men did
not, after a fair fight, succeed in their
recent Independent" campaign.
A good deal might be said in this con-
nection as to what "Connellism," So
called, has done for the city Of Scran-
ton in the way of diversifying its in"
dustries, cleansing it's politics and de-
veloping it's educational and moral re-
sources; but we deem that a subject
apart from the present purpose. Mr..
Connell is not now candidate for Of
flee, and his faults or his merits should
be kept out of the discussion until he
is Until concerning the gentlemen who
are the Republican candidates at this
time something more serious can be
produced in the way Of public arraign-
ment than the facts that they were
successful at the recent primaries, and
that they are friendly to clean and pro-
gressive Republican local leadership.
the duty of loyal Republicans will be as
clear as the sun at midday. 1t will be
their duty to stand by their party, and
vl.x,