The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-22
Interesting Luzerne Politics.


Interesting Luzerne Politics.
The campaign for the Republican con-
gressional nomination in Luzerne coun-
ty precipitated by Representative
Leisenring's recent announcement that
he would not seek denomination is be-
coming interesting. The convention will
be held in Wilkes-Barre one week from
tomorrow and If the present tension of
feeling shall not in the meantime be re-
leved, that convention will probably be
even more spirited than was the con-
vention of two years ago.
The first candidate to make formal
announcement of his willingness to ac-
cept the nomination was ex-senator
Morgan b. Williams, whose defeat by
Mr.. Leisenring two years ago gave
him considerable claim upon the sue
cession. Mr.. Williams did not make
this announcement of his own volition;
he made 1t in response to repeated calls
therefor from friends and sympathizers.
One of the first to urge him to enter the
field was the Wilkes Barre Record. q
journal which he had often befriended
and which, two years ago, had been his
valiant supporter. The announcement
of Mr. Williams candidacy was fol-
lowed by the announcement Of the cam
didacies of Alvan Markle of HaZleton
and Charles ID. Foster of Wilkes Barre
We see no evidence, however, that Mr.
Markle is figuring largely in the situa-
| tion.
Then, quite dramatically, exAttorney
General Palmer issued his celebrated
proclamation, in which he offered him
self as the candidate of those who do
not believe in the improper use of money
in politics. Immediately the Wilkes
Barre Record, which had been partly
instrumental in bringing ex-senator
Williams candidacy out, deserted to
General Palmer and began to demand,
in emphatic double-leaded editorials,
that Messrs. Williams and Foster retire
so that General Palmer might have
practically free pathway to the nomi-
nation. The natural Interpretation put
upon this action Of the Record by the
| public was that ii deemed Messrs. Will
liams and Foster unfit to represent the
district in congress. The Democratic
press went even further and, doubtless
upon the strength of the Records ac-
tion, printed articles rejecting upon ex-
Senator Williams character, for which
one Democratic journalist is now under
bond to answer n charge of libel.
So far as we are informed, Mr. Pal
mer intended no personal reference in
his anti-corruption proclamation to
either Mr.. Williams or MIR. Foster. At
the time of its appearance we did not
interpret 1t as indicating n re-
Election upon either of these gen.
tlemen, but merely as a means
Of calling public attention to one
of the notorious evils of our time,
namely, the improper use of money
among delegates. With that idea we
gave 1t our approval, an approval
which on impersonal lines 1t thoroughly
deserves. But the fact that the Wilkes
Barre Records course and the course
of one or two other newspapers in Lu-
zerne have made Mr.. Palmer's platform
appear as an indictment of his compe-
titors for the nomination has had the
not unnatural effect to fill with indigna-
tion the many friends of these gentle
men, and they announce that they pro-
pose to stay in the fight, a. conclusion
for which they can hardly be blamed.
When 1t is remembered how energet-
ically the Record fought for ex-senator
Williams two years ago, and how active
1t was only a few weeks ago in urging
Mr.. Williams to run, 1t is not surprising
that the friends Of the latter are dis
pleased at the Records significant de-
sertion. Under these circumstances II
is obvious that MIR. Williams cannot
with propriety withdraw; he must now
face the music to the end of the concert
and refer to the convention itself the
question whether or not he Is fit to rep
resent Luzerne county In the national
congress. Consequently, unless the
situation shall In the meantime be Sim