The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-15

page reviewing in part the record of
the recent legislature and exposing the
falsity OF much of the accusation
which has been put before the public
against that session. The facts there
presented speak for themselves and
require no additional comment. They
show that in what the legislature did
for the labor interests of the COM
monwealth it went far beyond the rec
ord of preceding sessions and fairly
earned the gratitude of every working
man within the limits Of its jursdic-
tion.
That the legislature was unfortunate
in many of it's characteristics we do
not assume TO deny. The factional
spirit engendered by the senatorial
contest remained to plague it through
ont the whole subsequent course of its
deliberations; subjects which should
have been approached solely on their
merits were viewed susplciously as IL
containing political dynamite, and as
relief from the strain of watching
every move of the different factional
leaders in the expectation that some
eye was about to be blackened, the leg
islature during the forepart of it's ses-
sion frittered away much valuable
time. These things are not disputed.
They indicate a condition which was
dgplorable, but natural; a condition
which would, however, have prevailed
under any state leadership, and under
any party control. The legislature may
fairly be criticised for it's skittishness,
for its restlessness. for its unrespon-
siveness to wise and prudent counsel
and for it's Righteousness against lead
ership; but when these things are said
of it, justice demands that they shall
not be followed up with miscellan-
eous lot of false accusations put out
for unworthy purposes. It's faults were
not the faults of deliberate unscrupu-
lousness; they were not the faults of
thieves and hoodlers and robbers; they
were the faults Of collectively hon
est and high-minded body OF men who
simply had the misfortune to do busi-
ness under circumstances which in the
main were sadly against them.
We make bold to assert that the
same men if called into session at a
different time, when they should not
be put by circumstances over the craft
er of a volcano of factionalism threat
| eninG at any moment to burst forth
intC eruptions Of scandal, innuendo and
vituperation, would give the state an
average of service such as would
cause their session to be referred to
as a model legislature. This assertion
| is based on the testimony of fair-mind-
| ed observers of all party and factional
| affiliations who say that in point Of
| honesty, cOnscientiousnes and ability
the personnel of the late session stood
far above the average, and would have
| so appeared to the people but for the
reasons which we have pointed out.
We don't know that so far as the
future is concerned it makes much
| difference whether this legislature is
| defended or not. 1t has passed into
| history and its successor will be elect
ed on new issues. But it is well as a
| matter of disinterested fairness that
the public should be put in possession
Of the real truth in the premises, and
we believe that we have stated it above.
| -
Here is bit of solid truth from one
Of General Tracys speeches in New
York that should be studied carefully
by every Republican voter: "Organi-
| zation is just as essential to a political
party as it is to an army. You can no
more fight a political battle with frae-
| men arrayed against each other, with
out organization, without discipline
than you can fight battle; and you
might just as we'll think of appoint
ing a committee Of citizens to COM
mand an army or to run one of the
| great steamships across the ocean as
to appoint a committee to organize
and run political campaign. Discip.
line and association, acquaintance
trust in each other, confidence in each
other, are essential to all great move
ments. You must know and trust your
comrades, and that comes from asso'
citation in political organizations" Thi!
is a time for loyal Republicanism
everywhere to assert itself.
We wonder if DR.. Hugh Pitcairn, nov
holding a consulship in Germany
through appointment by President Nc
Kinley agrees with the Altoona Trib
une, of which paper he is part propri
etor, in its belief that to seek fedora
office except through the channels o
the civil service commission is {
crime, that the office seeker is natural
ly "spoilsman," and therefore no pa
triot.
What a pity 1t was that the New
York Journal didn't think early enough
in the game to lidnap Weyler.
. A POLITICAL POINTER
If you indorse the free trade and free
silver Chicago platform as the Lacka
wanna Democracy does, fully an
: without reserve" then work and vot
|, for Schadt, Horn, et al. If you be
. lleve in Mckinley, protection and pros
!, perity, turn these agents of Brya
, down.
THAT FOOL PETITION.
. From the Wilkes-Barre Record.
Few people will believe that Republ
canism has sunk so low in Lackawann
that more than fOur-fifths of the delegate
I in a county convention yield to briber