Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-12-22
Entered at the Post Office at Laporte, as
second-class mail matter.

REPUBLICAN, NEWS ITEM,
Laporte Pa,
Harrisburg. Dec. 20.-Political events
of the past week have so crowded upon
the heels of each other that one scarce
ly knows which to take up first. Per-
haps the most interesting occurrence
was the gathering of Democrats for
which John II. Fow. of Philadelphia,
was responsible. Fow is unique char
acter His Democracy does not weigh
heavily upon his broad shoulders at
any time. He comes back TO the house
this wear with a nondescript sort of
political standing. He was not only
the Democratic candidate for the leg
islature in his district, but he also had
the Republican, the Prohibition and the
Honest Government party nominations.
There are few more crafty politicians
in the state than Fow. Why he called
the Democratic members and senators
together probably no one but himself
will ever be truly certain. That the
meeting was called ostensibly to pro-
mote the Wanamaker fusion scheme
for the organization of the legislature
and the election of a fusion candidate
for United States senator we all know.
That 1t was a most complete 1izzle Is
also a fact. That 1t gave the fusion
scheme terrible black eye is generally
admitted. And now where does Fow
come in? There are those mean enough
to insinuate that Fow knew it was to
be a failure before it was called, and
that Fow is more than ever endeared to
the Republican leaders who will have
the distribution of the patronage on
,l.
the committee appointments for the
speaker of the house. All the Demo-
Gratis who were deluded into coming
up here to attend F'ow's fake fusion
meeting are anxious to see what good
committees Fow win be placed on.
Those who did not come are Just as
much interested in the same subject.
Hereafter the Democratic members
propose to look out for themselves.
tUCCESSFUL FUSION IMPOSSIBLE.
No one who understands the situation
aaS any idea that there is the slightest
chance of successful fusion on >either
he speakership or the senatorshp. Not
only are the Guffey leaders and the
Gordon leutenants jealous of each
other, but nearly every member of the
= Democratic delegation is eager to get
recognition from the Republican speak,
er, and they are all suspicious of each
others every movement. The fact that
none of the older members in the DEM
ocratic delegation believes the anti
Quay Republicans can show anything
like the number of votes necessary to
make up the fusion majority on the
speakership makes them all hesitate
about going into n losing deal.
Guffey has got the senatorial bee
buZzing under his sombrero at lively
rate. He has already spent fortune
IN the canvass, and he is giving out
some sort of an interview or signed
statement every other day in order to
give the Republicans the impression
that the Democrats are a unit for fu-
sion He has State Chairman Garman
helping him to create sentiment with
the same tactics. They are both talk
ing themselves hoarse. But Garman in
his latest interview has hurt rather
than helped Guffey's cause He tells
the Democrats that in view of the great
national political issues involved in the
election of United States senator they
must not think of voting for any Re-
publican for Quay's seat. They must
.draw the line in the fusion negotia-
uons when it comes to electing a mem
Der of the United States senate.
rms interview of Garmans has
brought the true significance Of the
present political situation right home
10 the Republicans of Pennsylvania.
They see the Democrats standing firm
iy and loyalty by their free trade, free
silver and anti Mckinley policy and
resolutely refusing to consider any
proposition from the anti-Quay Repub-
licans to desert their Democratic stand
ard. The Democrats have called a
caucus to be held here on Monday, Jan
2. and it will then become apparent
that the Wanamaker scheme cannot
be carried out. Republican senators
and members who have been here dur
ing the last week picking out their
seats ana selecting their boarding
places Tor the session all report that
tnelr constituents demand that there
shall be no weakening or wavering of
the republican party lines in either the
organization of the legislature or the
election of United States senator
They all agree that any Republican
VINO tails to participate in the regu-
larly called caucus of his party will be
politically ostracised. not only by their
Republican colleagues here, but by his
constituents at home
FARR HAS THE CALL.
The contest for the Republican eau
Gus nomination for speaker Of the
house, which will be equivalent to an
election, has, in the opinion Of many
been practically decided. While Ward
X. Bliss, of Delaware; Charles e. voor-
hees. of Philadelphia; Frank McClain,
OF Lancaster, and William Marshall,
OF Allegheny. are still in the race all
tv1f
among the leaders of different elements
upon Representative John r. Farr, of
Lackawanna county. Farr, who is
widely known as the advocate of COM
pulsory education and of the free
school book legislation, is newspaper
man by profession. He has had the
experience of several terms in the
house and would make an acceptable
speaker. He has announced platform
in which he says that IL elected he will
Iavor short session, that all elements
artx k,l,o ~.