The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-04
The Plague of FactionaIism.

or the basis largely of a vindictve
assault on Senator Quay, inspired by
men who have been outgeneraled by
him in past contests in which
differences in pretcnsions covered
no perceptihle difference in meth
ods or Instruments, the move-
ment launched at Philadelphia We'd
ncsday under the auspices Of the
business Mems League may make
lot Of trouble in state politics in the
ensuing ten months, but it viii not in
our judgment hold out much promise
of success, Success can come to such
a movement only along the lines of an
honest effort at party betterment. in
which private grievances and factional
erudges shall be unselhshly subordin-
ated.
That there is Il widespread and pro-
found feeling If dissatisfaction among
the people concerning many features of
the prevalent condition of Republican
politics in Pernsylvania cannot be
gainsaid in view, among other indica-
tons, of the vo,e for Dr. Swallow; but
that this feeling is at the command of
tacular revolt we seriously doubt. Mr..
Wanamaker and his staff of hired help
ers. ii seems to us. did not emerge with
sufficient credit from the recent sena-
tOrial contest to warrant the undis-
counted acceptance of their present
profusa professions OF devotion to po-
litical purity and reform. He and they
may not know it, but their somewhat
brazen appropriation of the meeting
in the Bourse las robbed that gather
ing of most of it's power for party inn
provement and has converted what had
at one time the appearance of an hon.
est protest into dimensions strongly
suggestive of a farce.
We conceive it to be a duty to the
Republican party to speak plainly on
this subject. The temper of the people,
if we have correctly interpreted il, is
decidedly adverse to the kind of poli-
tics served up in behalf of Colonel w.
a. Stone by that irrepressible hCodoo
and party mischief-maker. Hon. Will
liam H. Andrews. But it is equally
disinclined, we think, to be Eumbugged
by cant and hypocrisy used as a screen
to cloak politics quite as vile. As be-
tween a frank sand bagger and an
unctuous political Jekyll-and-H Hyde the
choice is SO slight that if this is TO
be the predicament in Pennsylvania
between this and the next election. a
great majority of the honest voters of
the comm. .onwealth could scarcely be
blamed If they were to shut up house
and take to the woods.
The fact is that the rank and file has
grown heartily sick and tired Of the
reckless no and fruitless factional
squabbling and huliabaloo of the
past few years and is ripe to
he ofcered by Republicans who
have higher conception of the
function Of leadership than is embod-
led in the mere grab for spoils on the
one hand CT the wish to cancel accumu-
lated grudges on the other. There is
feeling permeating the party that it
is high time to desist from fratricidal
strife and get together for effective
battle against the common enemy. The
man to lead such movement is not a
man who Is neck deep in factional gore
but one in whom the whole party and
every honest member in it can have
confidence Let such a man appear
and his welcome, we suspect, will be
warm. This rational party sentiment
may or may not crystalline in the en-
suing four months but if it does not,
heaven help the party next November!