Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-07-28

usual Interest or Nat1Onal AoouefS
ut Washington in Colonel stones
Majority.
Especial Correspondence
Philadelphia. July 26-It is the GUS
tom to speak of political gatherings as
harmonious" unless there Is some
thing like an open disturbance, but the
meeting of the Republican state COM
mittee here was much more than this.
1t was a visible and unmistakaoie
notice to all observing persons that
whatever has been in the past or may
be in store for the future of rivalries
within the party, there Is room for
only one kind of Republicans in Penn
sylyania this year. The primary oc-
casion of the meeting was to name a
Republican candidate for judge of the
superior court, to succeed the late
Judge Wickham The position was con-
ceded to western Pennsylvania, as
Judge Wickham was from Beaver
county, and the superior court bench Is
otherwise heavily tilted toward the
east, he having been the only member
who could see the sun set behind the
Allegheny mountains.
The selection of Common Pleas Judge
William David Porter, of Allegheny
county by Governor Hastings, for the
temporary appointment, had clearly
Indicated him as the likely nominee,
and so there was no room for thrilling
excitement in connection with the dis
tinct business for which the state COM
mittee was called together.
Yet instead of the perfunctory gath
ering of mere quorum, 1t was the best
and most representative meeting OF the
committee that has been held for years,
Chairman Elkin, in his unusually
happy opening remarks, fairly rang the
keynote of the meeting when he con-
graduated those present on the conpre-
hensive character of the assempiase,
and said that in selecting the executive
committee for the conduct OF the cam
paign, he had endeaVored to include
men of "all factions and OF no faction.
OF the recent chairmen OF the state
committee, Quay was the only absen-
tee. Cooper, the golden haired angel of
reconciliation" looking older since he
has shifted his ambitions toward con-
gressional politics. exchanged congrat-
ulations with Andrews, who succeeded
him in the craftsmanship. Gilkeson. who
was the central figure ex-officio of the
civil war of '95. sat within ten feet of
"a most conspicuous part against him In
the final acts of that dramatic strug-
gle, while General Frank Reeder, an
other ex-state chairman and never
more popular in the fighting line of the
party than since he followed the flag
of party loyalty out of public office. sat
side by side With George NJ. Van Bonn
horst. who is next friend to Chris
Magee.
Then there was Magee himself, nomi-
mating Judge Porter, who had been
chairman of the Republican county
committee which faithfully supported
Delamater In 1890, and Porter's nomi-
nation was made unanimous on the
motion of Judge Henderson, of Craw-
ford county. who was defeated fol
nomination Ito the supreme bench by
| Judge Dean, and chiefly through Ma
| gees efforts in the state convention.
AS the names of the executive COM
mite were announced from the platform
| every syllable was cheered. 1t was rec
ogniZed upon the instant that when
such men of prominence in the old inter
factional fights as Congressman Con-
nell, of Scranton. who is a representation
| of the most trusted leadership of the
| party; Senator Magee. who has the
heart of the party with him in Pitts.
burg; Lieutenant Governor Lyon and
| eX-Postmaster James s. Mexican. OF
| the same county, who have never be.
| fore been on the same side of the party
| street with Magee Senator Durham
and Charles f. Kindred. of Philadel.
| phia, side by side with David H
Lane, who, although a loyal friend OF
! David Martin. has been untirinR In
his efforts to promote the harmonious
union of all sorts of Republicans which
was demonstrated at this meeting
Horatio b. Hackett, who Is as close to
| Martin as an undershirt; and w. ]
Scott, who was for Wanamaker sc
| long as there was room in the Republi
can party for a Republican to be fol
| Reconsideration such men as thes,
were named as the men who were t
be trusted with the advisory conduc
of the campaign in cooperation will
the state chairman it was notice Il
whom it may concern that Pennsyl
vania Republicans are enlisted for tn,
war. and that there is once more {
common party front.
Judge William David Porter tn,
, nominee for supreme court Judge, by
the way, is deserving of more than {
passing mention. His brother, Georg
Nee. Porter, took a prominent part IL
the creation of the war state Of Wes
Virginia, and was speaker of its frs
house of delegates. Although west
ern Pennsylvanian. he is graduate
of the law department of the Univer
sity of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia
having been student under the la
mented SharsW'ood. After two terms fl
the office of district attorney, although
he had been chairman of the Republi
can county committee which carrie,
Allegheny county against Pattison, tn
sentiment of the bar was so vigorousl
for him that Governor Pattison ap
pointed him to seat on the common
pleas bench, and he was nominated 70
reelection by both the Republican an
Democratic parties on the expiration q
his appointiva term.
He has shown himself a strong ma
on the bench, and his elevation to tn
superior court has been generally com
mended.