The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-09-01
iJENKS WAS '.:.s'. :....
'. TOO GENERAL
His Bedford Speech Of Acceptancs
Was a Chilling disappointment.
NOT ONE WORD ABOUT QUAY.

GENERALLY Received ss the Over Cum
ming Utterance OF Shrewd Jury
Lawyer. who Realizes That the
Facts Are Overwhelmingly Against
Him, and So Indulges In General
tiles Which DO Not Even Glitter,Let
Alone Hurt--His Speech Analysed.
Especial Correspondence.)
Philadelphia, Aug. %. - Candidate
George A. jerks speech at Bedford.
accepting the Democratic nomination
for governor, has decidedly fallen in
distinctly fiat.
AS a keynote OF an aggressive cam
paign, 1t Il a note that has already gone
to protest. or course everybody
knows that Republican defeat in Penn
sylvania cannot be accomplished by
Democratic votes. None but Republi-
cans can defeat Republican candidates
In this state, and Democratic candi-
date. at the beginning OF a hopeful can
didacy. must somehow appeal to Ger
tain element of the dominant party.
This Pattison was cunning enough to
do In 1882 and in 1890. and this MIR.
jerks, with all his skill and experience
in pleading before a jury. has con-
spicuously failed to do in 1898.
The dissatisfied element among Re-
publicans here. so far as 1t exists,
which represents the disappointed am
billions of men to whom the very name
Of any successful Republican leader Is
as red rag to a bull. hailed the speech
with instant resentment. because 1t
| was simply reiteration in general
terms OF old charges which had been
threshed over and forgotten, and said
nothing specific. and nothing person l.
ly offensive, against Senator quay.
While they were sore and disappointed,
straight backed Republicans were
pleased that even so skillful an advo-
cate could make no better case against
them. A prominent public man from
the northwestern part Of the state put
the feeling very pointedly In the fol-
lowing words:
| Il have read Mr.. jerks speech of ac-
ceptance with much interest naturally.
Even II II had no relation to the cam
paign, l should have been interested,
because his reputation as an adroit and
| skillful lawyer, cunning before a jury
In making the best possible plea In the
face of adverse evidence. Is celebrated
wherever he is known. His Bedford
speech is worthy of his reputation.
It skillfully avoids specific statements.
| The word Democratic does not ap-
pear In II at all, and the word 'Repub-
lean only once. and to one who reads
Il without thinking the impression
might be conveyed that both these par
ties had In some miraculous manner
been swept beyond the borders of the
state.
THE fatal weakness of his speech Is
not in the pleader, but in the case. He
probably put 1t as shrewdly as any
body could. But when even the mos,
cunning master of language is forced
to appear as the hopeless spokesman
Of a party which has no record in pub
lie affairs to point to, and Il record ir
national affairs which it Is compelled
to point away from, he Is at a great
disadvantage.
THE gist of Mr.. jerks speech is tn,
special plea that II is quite consisten,
for anybody to vote for him and his as
lsociate Democratic candidates upon tn,
state ticket and at the same time tC
vote for Republicans for congress. II
this were so II would include. of course
In the list of candidates eligible fol
Democratic votes the two Republican
candidates for congressman at large
and the Republican state senators anc
members of the Legislature, who viii
|
1T would be absurd to vote one way
for members OF the one branch of con.
gress and vote the opposite way fol
members OF the other, especially wher
the United States senate Is as cl Sc a,
II is now.
This theory, that the record ant
purposes of the Republican and Demo
cratic parties can be convenient,
hung up behind the door. the mean.
ing of the vote this year forgotten, ant
the campaign narrowed down to @
promiscuous guerrilla conflict, will not
think, commend itself to the Demo.
cratic party any more than to the Re.
publicans. 1t would mean disaster tc
any organization. One cannot follow
one nag on one wing of the battle ant
IL HOStle tHe OtneT
tany more than he can serve In tn,
kAmerican army and the Spanish nav,
at the same time. The line must be
kept consistent and intact The mar
lwho attempts to ride two horses go.
ing In opposite directions will 60 no.
,where but to fall. and he who tries
to belong to two churches of different
creeds will probably lose his stand
ing in both. II is before all things the
party creeds which are at issue in this
campaign. Aside from their persona
friends, the greater part Of the people
Of Pennsylvania do not much care
which Of them, Mr.. jerks or Colone
Stone, is elected governor, 30 far as
either Of them is individually concern.
led. But the people Of Pennsylvania are
deeply interested and determined, II
we can Judge the present by the past
lto aaa m n that tho pripcipIao md pur