The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-12-22

believe they will get fair treatment
from him, nothing could induce them ia
vote for Quay's reelection, as in most
cases they were elected upon straight
out anti-Quay platform. The trotting
out of Farr as a so-called harmony
candidate" for speaker, after an agree
ment between Martin and Magee, with
the Quay men acquiescing is recognize
ed as one of those crafty moves at
which Quay is an adept. In the opinion
of many this has practically blocked
the fusion movement for General
koontz, the Somerset county anti-Quay
Republican, for speaker.
Probably, after all, It will inure to
the advantage of the Democracy on the
main point at issue-the senatorship.
Many Democratic members of the
house who are interested in legislation
which they want to put through this
winter have hesitated about commit
ting themselves to vote for Koontz or
any other Independent Republican for
speaker, as there has been from the
outset grave doubts as to whether the
fusion program, as far as it affected the
organization of the house at least, could
be successfully carried out
While the Republican fight on the
United States senatorship is largely a
personal contest between the adherents
of Quay and Wanamaker. and the lat
ter's followers are determined to be re-
Venged upon the Beaver boss, the cor
porations and other large monied in
terests are concerned about the
speakership, which involves the con-
troll of the house, and they are not apt
TO allow an important strategic posi-
tion to be carried off from their con-
troll owing to factional quarrel among
the Republicans. For this, and other
reasons, the older Democratic mem
Ders have little hope of electing a fu-
sion speaker unless he be a Democrat,
While they see great possibilities in the
senatorial battle, with Millionaire Wan
amaker stripped for battle with Quay.
Among those who We're in attendance
at the Fow conference there was a
positive sentiment that it would prob
ably be better to unite upon some we'll
known Democrat and give him the
caucus nomination for speaker and let
the Democrats support him without
getting mixed up in the Republican
squabbles. Captain Skinner, of Fulton,
took what many believe to be the
proper stand, when he said that the
resolution adopted by the conference
fully expressed the Willingness of the
Democrats to unite with the Repub-
licans for the advancement of the in
terests of the commonwealth, but that
1t now remains for the Independent Re-
publicans to come forward and show
their readiness to meet the Democrats
half way. These remarks led others
after the conference to direct attention
to the fact that the Democratic men,
bers have their own interests and the
interests of their constituents to con-
slider. If they should go blindly into a
fusion scheme on the speakership and
fail, as the wiser heads are afraid they
would, those who participated in the
move would become absolutely power
less to secure Legislation or to exert
their influence in other directions, be-
cause the Republican governor and the
RepuDlican senate would be against
them, and their own body, the house
would be organized against them as
we'll The old timers who have served
in previous legislatures are considering
the question whether it is not best
to hold aloof from any such entangling
alliances, as since the detection of
Wanamaker men to Farr the chances
of winning out on the speakership are
becoming more and more remote. In
discussing the general aspect of the
case quite a number of the Democratic
members of the house while here ad-
mitted that they had been urged by
friends at home, both verbally and by
letter, in view of recent occurrences
not to support an Independent Republi-
can for speaker, lest the failure of the
scheme to elect him would cripple the