The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-04
NINE YEARS Ago.

Penn in Philadelphia Bulletin.
Nine years ago this summer at Allen
town Samuel J. Randall scored the most
notable and the last victory of his political
life. The Democratic convention which
met there on that occasion had been pre-
ceded by u deep-iaid plan to wrest from
him the control of the party organization
With the advent of Cleveland all the Fed
eral movables in Pennsylvania had been
claimed by Randall and had been allowed
to him with the exception of a small al
lotment for Scott and few bones for Wal
lace. The Federal office holders had been
drilled into a Randall brigade pretty
much all over the state Mr.. Harrity, as his
first lieutenant in Philadelphia, having
been foremost in performing the function
of disciplinarian. The year before RAN
dali had enjoyed the supreme satisfaction
of defeating Wallace as a candidate for
governor-a defeat which virtually dated
the ending of Wallace's career as a Demo-
cratic leader, although the veteran made
one more desperate effort four years later
to retrieve his fallen fortunes. only to
meet with the final disaster at Scranton
that overthrow him for good. But In the
spring and summer of 1887 there began to
be ominous whispers that Randall was not
faithful in his allegiance to the white
house. and that Mr. Cleveland would no
longer permit him to bask in the sunshine
of favor.
-:ll:-
1t was at this time that the late Will
lam L. Scott and William NJ. Singerly got
close to the ear of Cleveland. They insist
ell that Randall was having too much his
own way on the tariff question. Cleveland
had not then announced himself openly as
Il free trader. In the presidential cam
paign of 1884 he had evaded the issue. and
there was no doubt that he had owed thou
sands Of votes In states like New Jersey,
Connecticut and New York to Randalrs
assurances on the stump that Democratic
success would not mean disturbance Of
,;T 1t l.,
to the conclusion. however, that he would
open war on the tariff. he threw out hints
to the Pennsylvania that II was time for
all Democrats to take u new departure.
Randall turned deaf ear to them. warned
the president that he was making mis-
take In taking counsel with the free trad
ers, and frankly informed him that lie
would consent to no tariff revision which
abandoned the protective system. Find
ing that he had as stubborn a man as him.
self to contend with, Cleveland proceeded
to give special attention to Scott and Sin.
serly AS Pennsylvanians after his own
heart.
iii
This was the condition of affairs when
the Allentown convention met: but II was
then only imperfectly understood and, in
fact. hardly more than suspected by out.
side observers. Harrity. the postmaster,
was the earliest man on the Randall side
to see the drift of things and what was
coming. But most of the Office holders
were in the dark. There was no evidence
that CIevland was anxious that Randall
should be shorn of his power, and al
though Scott had placed himself In corre-
spondence with them and had Informed
them that the president wanted a new or
der of things in the state. they would not
believe him.
Scott determined with his new prestige
as one of Cleveland's favorites to 20 10
Allentown and make open war on Randall
Wallace was solicited to go into the move
ment, but he was not any more friendly to
| the Erie millionaire than he was to his
ancient rival in Philadelphia. and declined
to give active cooperation. But Singcry
! TOOK part in 1t with great ardor! He went
| up TO Allentown with Cassidy. Vaux ana
all the anti-Randall men that could be
gathered in from the highways and by
ways and Joined forces with Scott. II was
the first time since the ante-bellum DAYS
when u Pennsylvania convention of any
party had witnessed a deliberate and for
midable attempt to organize a campaign
against protection. 1t required daring To
make the EFFORT, but 1t was strong enough
to alarm Randall who probably under
STOOD better than BODY else the dan
! ger he was in at the white house. ] had
| frequently seen him in conventions, but |
| doubt whether. at least in his later years,
he ever labored so hard as he did during
! the twenty-fOur hours Of the hot August
day and night that preceded the conyen-
| ton He had an easy. familiar and, when
| he was in the right temper. an agreea-,ly
| impressive way OF dealing with delegates,
and he was never so gracious and concil-
| iatory as he was on this OCCASION Scott,
| on the other hand, was cold and brusu,le
| inclined to be harsh and testy in conver-
sation and without a particle of mag
netic quality. singerly, in 1887, had lin
| tied following outside of the city. and a
good many of the countrymen had th.
idea that he was frisky crank on free
trade and dangerous man for the party
to encourage. Late in the night before the
convention 1t was clear that Randall had
| captured majority of the delegates, and
the next morning Scott entered the Opera
House with a confession Of defeat which
he felt deeply. but which he managed to
make with clumsy sort of grace. Ran
dali sitting across the aisle from him. his
fine dark eyes flashing through his specta
| cles looked on with folded arms and hard.
| ly able to conceal his elation But il was
the last time he was to feel the delights of
victory.
| AS soon as the convention was over,
Scott exclaimed. with one or two of his
she tSsl as ne to leave
can't do this second time" Randall had
caused the tariff to be straddled In the
platform. and the performance was quot
ed to Cleveland as proof positive that he
could not expect Randall to obey his wish.
rs. and that there was nothing to do but
| to apply the screws to him. Less than
| three months afterward Cleveland came
| out In his famous message. 1t was said
| that the convention at Allentown had
| more effect than any other one cause in
| inducing him to make up his mind finally
| to write that document which marks d
turning point In Democratic history. Ran.
dali still stubbornly refused to admit that
Cleveland could be right or to make any
concession to him, and 1t wasn't long
afterward when Scott was virtually placed
in possession of Pennsylvania's patron.
age-a sort of business. however, which he
had little taste for but which he managed
effectively enough for short time to con.
| vince every Democrat who had an oftiee
| or wanted an Office that he had better turn
tail on projections and that Randalrs s,,n
was soon to set. The state committee was
wrested from him. the office.iulders from