Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-09-22

/ malodious, and I then resolved that
would never again aid such move
ment. Surely no Legislative reform will
come in Pennsylvania through Demo-
| cratic channels. And that is the inner
| ent weakness of the present so-called
| "reform" movement for honest legis-
| tors. For every independent Republi-
can who will be elected as the result of
| the movement six or eight Democrats
| will be chosen. and with a Democratic
| legislature the advocates of legislative
reform had better take to the woods
Had proper effort been made at the
Republican primaries, as / had urged
for months, 1t would have succeeded
The result in Bradford county demon
strates that. There thorough organ
ization was effected. and two honest
legislators were renominated, and the
third member, who had misrepresentei
his constituents, was very properly left
at home There is scarcely county in
the state where this could not have
bee done. with the same expenditure
of energy. Under the circumstances the
pl esent movement to elect a nOn-l,e-
publican legislature is absolutely untus-
justified and without excuse. 1t should
not be encouraged by any true Repu-
lican.
In this connection let me say that L
am satisfied, by observation ANA in
quiry, that this coalition with the De-
mocracy is, on one side at least, the
result of general. thoroughly organ
lied movement throughout the country
to turn both houses of congress over
to Democratic control. Such move
ment has certainly been inaugurated
by the national leaders of the Democ-
r,
dissensions in Pennsylvania, they hope
to gain a senator from this state.
Their candidate is Colonel J. M. Cuff
fey, the free silver member of the DEM
ocratic national committee, and he is
secretly at work, endeavoring to effect
combinations in every county of the
state, hoping to elect a Democratic
legislature. basng his hopes upon the
result in 1882, when Democratic house
was chosen as the result of the
Independent movement of that year In
view of the fact that in the present SEN
ate the Republicans lack three of
majority out of membership of 80,
fail to see how any one claiming to be
a Republican can identify himself with
movement, the only result of which,
if in any degreee successful, would be
the election of a free silver Democrat
to the United States senate and the
probability of turning that body over
to the Democratic -Popuistic combina
tion. At this juncture, with such vast
interests at stake, and such momen-
tous questions to be disposed of, it is
of the highest importance that in the
Fifty-siXth congress President Nc
Kinley and his administration should
be sustained by an emphatic Republi-
,sa.,.; hon
Before closing l want to utter u word
of protest against the methods pursued
by some of your friends in assailing the
characters of those conspicuous in the
opposition ] refer more especially to
Secretary of the Commonwealth David
Martin and ex-Postmaster General
Wanamaker Mr.. Martin is one of the
most manly, straightforward men
have encountered in the realm of prac-
tical politics. Ordinary political criti-
cism he naturally expects, but personal
vilification is not only unjust but 1t is
bad politics. and cannot fail to react
upon those resortng to it. So far as
your influence extends / trust you Will
prevent a continuance of such guerilla
warfare.
Nor can anything be gained by per-
sonal attacks upon Mr.. Wanamaker
All the miserable slanders affecting his
personal character and business meth
DDS were exploited during his first sem
atorial campaign in 1896, and i know
how absolutely devoid of truth they
are. They should not be resorted to in
this campaign. Naturally he cannot
complain of attacks of distinctive po-
litical character, for these are the or
dinary incidents of ones candidature
for office. The primary and ultimate
purpose of this movement for re
form legislature Is Mr.. Wanamaker's
election to the United States senate,
through a combination of dsaffected
Republicans, Prohibitionists and Dem
ocrats in the Legislature. OF course this
purpose is not set forth in very large
type in the fusionists organs. but is
generally understood in all political cir
cles, of whatever party or faction. Mr.
Wanamaker would make splendid
senator. l thought so in 1896, and I
gave my best energies toward securing
his election. If. eight or ten months
ago. before any primaries had been
held, he had concluded to come out
into the open as a Republican candi-
date against you for the United States
senate, / should have supported him
as vigorously as in 1896. But l could
not follow him into Democratic al
lance; first, as matter of conscience.
having had a taste of that sort of thing
in 1882 and, secondly, because l knew
he never could win in such a contest
for his Democratic allies would surely
cheat him in the end. and vote for
member of their own party. But If he
feels differently he has a perfect right
to make the kind of a fight which he
is now engaged in.
While urging that your friends re-
frain from personal abuse. as a method
of campaigning, l do not lose sight of
the fact that the chief weapons Of your
own opponents are slander and vilif-
cation of the most vicious kind. This
cannot hurt you, but must react upon
those engaged in this sort of warfare.
Besides. | should think you would be
used to it by this time. In 1885 you were
denounced and maligned from the Della
ware river to the Ohio line, vet you
were elected state treasurer. and subse-