The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-27
REMEM |!
From the Philadelphia Bulletin.


The first nomination of James A. Beav-
er for governor was made in the face or
strong protest against placing on the
ticket a slated candidate, and General
Beaver was defeated by more than 43,OOO
plurality. The nomination of George w.
Delamater Tor governor was forced upon
the Republican party, despite the earnest
and long-continued representations of Re-
publicans that he could not and should
not be elected; and Delamater was de-
feated by 5000 plurality. But the pro-
tests which were entered in advance of
the convention against the nomination or
Beaver and of Delamater were by no
means so numerous, so widespread and so
forcible in either case as those which
have been entered this year against the
nomination of William A. Stone.
o
There has never been in the history of
the Republican party in Pennsylvania an
opposition among the people in the course
of nominating canvass so earnest and
so deep-seated as that which the Repub-
liCan leaders are witnessing today all
over the state against the nomination OF
Colonel Stone. What reason is there for
believing that 1t will not be followed by
consequences still more disastrous to the
Republican party than those which at
| tended the Beaver and the Delamater
! year if Colonel Stone shall be put upon
| the ticket?
| The delegates to the state convention
are all presumably in favor of the main
tenance and success of the Republican
party as their first consideration. and :he
practical question for them to decide is
| whether the nomination of a candidate
who is the object of intense opposition
| in the party, and whose candidacy would
| possibly invite a disruption of the party,
| is wise, eXpedient and timely. Only blind
| or selfish stubbornness or a willingness
| to hazard the chances of party success IN
| order to accomplish simply personal pur-
| poses would persist in a disregard of the
! plainest signs of the times. Are all of Sen
ator Quays followers willing to take these
chances and force the party into doubt
| full and, more likely, a losing compaign,
| when it is easily possible to find any one
| of a score of available candidates who
would command party unity?
| It should be remembered that tho
threatened opposition this year does not
ccme from chronic kickers, but that it
| represents an active discomfort in the
whole rank and file of the party, and that
no very great exertion would be required
to stir 1t up into the proportions of a
revolutionary movement. Senator Quay
and his friends have had ample warn
| ing of what may be expected in the event
of their forcing the nomination of Stone.
| The question is not whether Stone is a
| competent man or whether he deserves
this opposition. 1t is whether he ought 10
| be nominated when he would be the
weakest candidate whom the convention
could name, and when it is obvious, also,
| that he could not be nominated without
the active cooperation of the party or
| ganzation in adopting the pressure of
machine methods upon unwilling dele
| gates.
| Let us have next week not a Stone con-
vention nor a Quay convention, but a Re-
publican convention. Let us have a con-
| Vention which will study how to avoid
| and not to invite disaster. Let the dele
| gates in considering the most pCrilous
| situation which the Republican party in
this state has yet been called upon to
| face act in accord with the dictates of
ordinary prudence and their knowledge
| of the sentiment of the people In that
| event a nomination for governor will be
made which will unite and not disrupt the
Republican party. Remember 1882 and
|