The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-08-11
Especial Correspondence.)

Especial Correspondenceo
Philadelphia, Aug. :.
"That resolution adopted so enthus'-
astically by the Republican state COM
mittee brings to my mind the early
sixties as though the years since then
had been weeks"
II was in the course OF chat WIN
Colonel A. X. Mcclure. most brilliant
of free lance editors, that ne SAID thls'
and we happened to be discussing the
resolution by which the Republican
party. now, as in the sixties, ana In AL
| the intervening years. has been dis
tinctly the party of the soldier. whether
| in maintaining him in his full right OK
suffrage or In standing guard over 'he
legislation out Of which have come
pensions. soldiers homes and soldiers
orphan schools.
| THAT resolution reaffirming as sound
Republican doctrine the declaration
that the right of suffrage keeps step
with the American soldier Wherever ne
follows the flag Of his country, contin-
usd the colonel, "affirms fact In law.
40 far as Pennsylvania is concerned.
and one which the Republican party,
after q determined strNggle. put into
the very constitution of the common
wealth. The subcommittee to be ap-
pointed by State Chairman Elkin TO
take such steps as may be necessary
to see that this right Is insured to every
PENNSYLVANIA soldier who Is now In
the service of his country, wherever he
may be, without regard to zone or hem-
isphere.' will have no heavier duties
than merely to remind the governor, II
any reminder had been necessary as
don't suppose Il was In the present
case. OF his prerogatives under the act
OF 1864, passed In pursuance OF the
amendment to the constitution adopted
In the some year. That Is still the law
OF the state. and while I do not fancy
that the result of the election In Penn
svlvan,a this fall will be 80 close that
we will have to walt in uncertainty
until the official returns from the Ma
Mia hay precinct are received and
counted, there Is no question IN my
mind as to the right OF the Pennsyiva-
MIA soldiers to vote. whether they are
in the Philippines. in Cuba or In Porto
Rico. For this purpose the American
flag makes everything In sight OF It
American territory on election day.
What q rousing majority there is
likely to be in Cavite township for
Aleck Hawkins for state senator from
the Washington Beaver district. by the
way. for he Is the Republican cnndi-
date. and has his Tenth regiment there
with him. And there Is Willis Hulings.
who Is somewhere In Porto Rico with
the Sixteenth, and may be Heaven
knows where on election day II they
don't make peace too fast at Washing
ton the returns from Barcelona or
Cadiz. or even the Madrid districts
may have an interesting bearing on the
next representation at Harrisburg from
one of our oil country districts.
'The question of the right of the SOL
dier in the field to vote was raised In
the congressional election Of 1862" con-
tinued Colonel Mcclure, 'in case
where some soldier votes were the
balance OF power in one Of the Phila-
deiphia districts. On a contest the
question got to the supreme court OF
the state. and the soldier votes were
thrown out In pursuance OF an opinion
written by Woodward. The Republi-
can party Immediately accepted tha
issue The necessary resolution for
submitting constitutional amendment
10 a vote Of the people was pressed
through two successive legislatures, as
required: II went TO a vote OF the peo-
ple in the early summer Of '84 was
carried, and the Legislature convened
in special session to pass the act re-
auired to carry II into effect.
II had some influence in Republican
councils at the time" he added. mod
estly Ohe was chairman Of the Repub-
lican state committee In 1860. had a
latchkey to the White House 80 long
as President Lincoln occupied 1t, and
was the power behind the throne In
both the Curtin administrations). II
did the best could. and SO did Gov
ernor Curtin, to make the bill fair and
lust. 1t was war times then. as now.
The Republicans. of course, had the
people overwhelmingly with them In
Pennsylvania, and while they had not
the relative numerical strength they
have now, the war swept all other ques-
tions out Of the public mind. 1t is as
Shakespeare put II In what might be
the saying of a shrewd and observing
politician OF today-'uncommon things
make common things forgotten The
Republicans could have passed any
sort of an election law they pleased, II
they had seen fit to take unfair ad-
vantage of their strength.
After the law was passed suggest
ed to Curtin that he appoint some rep
rsssntative Democrats among the elec-
tion commissioners provided for. and
among others ne appointed Jerry Nc
Kibben, Of this city. McKibben hesi-
tated about accepting. and said to me:
"If Stanton catches me In Washing
ton he'll put me into the capital prison,
sure. but on my assurance that he
. would be properly supported and pro-
tected. he went. There was an old
feud between the secretary Of war and
the McKibbens, and Stanton was not
only jealous ofiioial. but one Of the
best haters Of a time when animosi-
ties were especially hot Well. got q
telegram q few days later, saying:
"T am In capital prison. Come and