The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-04-20

From the baltimore sun.

from the bdttlulorc sun
Honest and pious John wanamaker,
who is conducting a vigorous campaign
for the republican gubernatorial nomina-
ton in Pennsylvania. on a platform Of
pure righteousness and virtue, guaranteed
all wool and not to shrink in washing, is
not 10 have The role of reformer entirely
TO himself. There is already another
Richmond in the field, and one who
claims to have been an anti-boss man
while Mr.. VTauamaker was stiIl in the
hands Of Quay and in the gall of political
iniquity. This is the Rev. DIR. 5. c.
Swallow, OF Harrisburg. who Thursday
night accepted the independent nominal
ton for Governor rendered him some
time sgo by citizens Of Philadelphia. DIR.
Swallow considers breyity the soul Of
wisdom in a platform rs Of wit in other
things. His platform Is short and sweet.
or short and sour, according 10 the stand
point from which it is viewed-the for
Iner, if considered from that of honest
men-the latter, ifregarded from the bad
eminence of the political rogues' gallery.
It is borrowed from the decalogue and
consists of four words: 'sThou shalt not
steal" Or. Swallow. though one might
not suspect it from ais somewhat thirsty
name, is pnOhibitionist. and last year
was the candidate Of that party for State
treasurer, polling ll6.OOO votes in total
OF 734, i4s. It is thought PROBABLE that the
prohibition State convention, which
meets at Harrisburg in May, wilialso
select him as its candidate for Governor.
During his candidacy in 1887 DIR. Swallow
stumped the State and vigorously de-
nOunced boss government, and he IS bill
cd to make star campaign this year, in
which people who do nos believe in his
platform, as applied to practical politics,
will come in for prOtracted and exceed
ingly warm spell of weather.
The advent of-the Rev. Swallow upon
the political scene does not make the
winter Of Wansmaker's discomfort glori-
Gus summer or add 10 his satisfaction in
any way. While he is on the same 'lay''
as the Philadelphia merchant, he must
be regarded by the latter rather as arrival
that as an ally. Both are in the reform
business, and both are out for the scalp of
the big Pennsylvania chief. but Mr.. Wan
amaker must naturally feel aggrieved at
having to divide with this clerical COM
petitor the popular glory Of leading the
cohorts of reform against the citadel of
Quayism. Mr.. Wanamaker may not get
the republican nomination, but il he does
not he will have the pleasure Of appear
ing before the public as a patriotic and
disinterested citizen bent on striking
blow for popular rights and interests at
the sacrifice of his personal conve-
nienee and time. But now comes the
Rev. Swallow on a terse platform that
outbids for popularity Mr.. Wanamaker's
longer and more formal declaration of
war and threatens to make him loom mp
larger in the public eye than his distin-
guished mercantile opponent. 1t is with
in the range OF possibility that all the ele-
ments of opposition to Quay may centre
eventually around the prohibition Swal-
low and his prohibition platform, Thou
shalt not steal, )" and that Mr.. Wanamak-
er may be forced to fall into line or eat
his own words along with large dish of
humble pie.
Friends Of the enterprising Philadel-
phia merchant viii regret that DIR. Swal-
low should interfere with the capital ad-
vertisement which Mr.. Wanainaker has
been getting out of his pious movement
against the wicked Mr.. Quay, but such
things will happen in politics as well as
IN business. DIR. Swallow seems to have
gotten the inside track and gone Mr..
Wanamaker one better as a pietist, and
can evidently be relied on to make a hot
and scriptural campaign against the arch
Pennsylvania boss. Mr.. Wansmaker is
TOO resourceful man of affairs, however,
TO be discounted by the arrangement Of
his plans, and will calmly continue bust
ness at the old piety stand, probably not
without an appreciative smile to himself
at the clever manner in which his politi-
cal thunder has been stolen by the candi
late with the strange and refreshing po-
litical device, Thou shalt not steal"