The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-15
Pennsylvania neW$.

men who have met here today is at
once a witness to the dissatisfaction
throughout the state. touching the ex-
isting political conditions. II also Is
an evidence of your deep determina-
tion to do something to give to Penn
sylvania a better government. l be-
lieve this gathering at this time when
the air is full of patriotism will stand
as a proof or pledge that the battle
begun nearly two years ago is still
in progress, and going on without linn
1t of time, strength and money until
the foes of good government are COM
PEELED to ground their arms
THE country is not prosperous. Since
the outset of the last presidential cam
paign the party, press and political
leaders, generally fixed the November
election of 1896 as the date of the be-
ginning of good times. A full half of
the year has expired since the will of
the Republican party was declared.
Thus far but one of the important is
sues of the campaign is nearing set
tlement and hardly any noticeable i'm
provement of the wretched times is
manifest. The tide will soon set in
strongly against the Republican party
unless the depression of business is
altered"
Idleness and want breed a bitter dis
content, which will never be overcome
until there are ample employments.
THE foes America has to fear are
not the sullen savage Turks, or the
insurrectionists of Cuba, or the terri
tory grasping British but they are our
own patiendepd heArt tired people,
our own suffering, much promised
people, who betrayed and dishear-
tened, no longer have faith in their
party, and will turn to any leader
ships that offer. promise of better
times, believing that worse times can
never come than those now existing.
1t is terrible thing to observe public
sentiment adript and unexplained.
and the people weeping away their
affection to the old party.
From some points of view it might
seem that there was not much to be
done, except to suffer and wait To
see siXty-seven counties play a state
convention, to make a platform and
nominates candidates for office while
all the time il is one man that con-
stitutes himself the convention, him
self adopts a platform, himself adopts
resolutions, himself nOminates candi-
dates, and himself adjOurns, is a pit
liable and discouraging spectacle; even
If two generations of our people have
become accustomed to this condition
of things. The newspapers with very
few exceptions, and these not in the
metropolitan cities of this state have
accepted the situation and are silent
in the face of the gravest issues that
have ever confronted the people.
The burning question of interest on
state moneys is practically settled.
The assured passage of the interest
bill removes the anticipated issue on
the trsasuryship fight for this var, but
the contest will be vigorously pushed
for control of the county organizations
that will have vital bearing upon the
great battle of '9S when thirty con-
gressmen, a United States senator,
twenty-five state senators, 204 rep
resentatives, a governor, lieutenant
governor and secretary of the inter-
nal affairs are to be elected. There
ought by that time to be an upheavel.
1t will come by organization. Let the
bosses deal and deal, but let our work
be real and real"
Speeches were also made by Robert
j. Moorehead, of Erie county, Prof.
John Meigs. of Pottstown, Senator c.
c. Kaufman, of Lancaster, E. b. Lud-
wig, Erie county, Thomas Hopes,
West Chester, James Pollock, Phla-
delphia, Rudolph BlanRenburg and
others.