Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1898-08-26

Facts Arc ONerWnelmlnRly AEdinSt
Him, and SO Indulges In General
ities which DO Not Even Glitter, Let
Alone Hurt-His Speech Analysed.
Especial Corespondence)
Philadelphia, Aug %. - Candidate
George A. jerks speech at Bedford,
accepting the Democratic nomination
for governor. has decidedly fallen In
distinctly fiat
As a keynote of an aggressive cam
paign, it is a note that has already gone
to protest. OF course everybody
knows that Republican defeat in Penn
sylvania cannot be accomplished by
Democratic votes. None but Republi-
cans can defeat Republican candidates
in this state and a Democratic candi-
date at the beginning Of hopeful can
didacy, must somehow appeal to GER
tain element of the dominant party.
This Pattison was cunning enough to
do in 1882 and in 1890, and this Mr..
jerks, with ali his skill and experience
in pleading before jury, has con-
spicuously failed to do in 1898
The dissatisfied element among Re
publicans here, so far as 1t exists,
which represents the disappointed am
bitions of men to whom the very name
of any successful Republican leader Is
as red rag to a bull, hailed the speech
with instant resentment, because IL
was simply a reiteration in general
terms of old charges which had been
threshed over and forgotten, and said
nothing specific, and nothing PERSONAL
ly offensive, against Senator quay.
While they were sore and disappointed,
straight backed Republicans were
pleased that even so skillful an advo-
cate could make no better case against
| them. A prominent public man from
| the northwestern part OF the state put
| the feeling very pointedly in the fol-
| lowing words:
Il have read Mr.. jerks speech Of ac-
| ceptance with much interest naturally.
Even If it had no relation to the cam
| paign, / should have been interested,
| because his reputation as an adroit and
sl1illful lawyer, cunning before jury
in making the best possible plea in the
face of adverse evidence, is celebrated
| wherever he is known. His Bedford
speech is worthy of his reputation.
1t skillfully avoids specific statements.
The word Democratic does not ap-
pear i'm 1t at all, and the word Repub-
lican' only once, and to one who reads
It without thinking the impression
might be conveyed that both these par
ties had in some miraculous manner
been swept beyond the borders of the
state.
"The fatal weakness of his speech is
not in the pleader, but in the case. He
probably put it as shrewdly as any
body could. But when even the most
cunning master of language is forced
to appear as the hopeless spokesman
of a party which has no record in pub
lie affairs to point to, and record in
national affairs which it is compelled
to point away from, he is at a great
disadvantage.
"The gist of Mr. Jenks' speech is tbs
special plea that it is quite consistent
for anybody to vote for him and his as
sociate Democratic candidates upon tht
state ticket and at the same time tC
vote for Republicans for congress. II
this were so it would include, of course
in the list of candidates eligible fol
Democratic votes the two Republican
candidates for congressman at large
and the Republican state senators ant
members of the Legislature, who will
elect a United States senator.
1T would be absurd to vote one way
for members of the one branch of con.
gress and vote the opposite way fol
members of the other, especially wher
the United States senate is as cl Sc a,
it is now.
This theory, that the record and
purposes of the Republican and Demo
cratic parties can be conveniently
hung up behind the door. the mean
ing of the vote this year forgotten, anC
the campaign narrowed down to
promiscuous guerrilla conflict, will not
think, commend itself to the Demo
cratic party any more than to the Re
publicans. 1t would mean disaster I,
any organization. One cannot follow
one flag on one wing of the battle ant
carry hostile banner on the other
any more than he can serve in tn,
American army and the Spanish nav,
at the same time. The line must b.
kept consistent and intact. The maj
who attempts to ride two horses go
ing in opposite directions will go no
; where but to fall, and he who triel
to belong to two churches of differen
creeds win probably lose his stand
ing in both It is before all things tn
party creeds which are at issue in thi
campaign. Aside from their persona
! - AANAAaof NAN 6ANeNNNA pa VI AhC RGOBl
of Pennsylvania do not much car
which of them. Mr.. Jenks or Colone
Stone, is elected governor, so far a
either Of them is individually concern
ed. But the people of Pennsylvania ar
deeply interested and determined, 1
we can judge the present by the past
to see to It that the principles and pur
poses of the Republican party shall no
, be repudated and set aside to Civ
place 10 those which Mr. jerks can
didacy undeniably represents before tn
state and the country, however Gun
D ningly he may seek to disguise tn
fact. Like a good lawyer. he has mad
, the best of a bad case, but the Jury /
this trial has time to think before tn
verdict. and I have no notion that
viii be misled."
3 There are few men in Pennsylvani
I better known than Jerome B. Niles, {
, TiOga, ex-auditor general of the stat
l He is recognized as one of the strong
3 est men In the northern tier, and hi
9 long and distinguished connection wit
public affairs makes his utterances a
D ways timely and valuable. While nC
!. referring directly to the speech of III
Democratic candidate, what he sal
yesterday was evidently inspired by /
Q Mr.. Niles said:
Our Democratic friends cannot shir
the national issues in which our pre-
ent and futJgs welfare are so vital
2 concerned. The voters of this most IN
e telligent state win not, by them, be dc
D eeived. In 1896 they went before III
country eontending for the free an
unlimited coinage Of silver and pleaG
I ing for a tariff for revenue only. The