Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-02-16

Joint convention and permit the Re
publicans to fight 1t out among them
selves. OF course. as Mr.. Sibley argued,
the independent Republicans would be
compelled to withdraw if the Demo-
Gratis withdrew, thus leaving Quays
friends to vote alone without a quorum
or any prospect of electing Quay.
A GREAT SCHEME.
From cursory glance this was
| capital idea. No Democrat or independ-
! ent Republican would object to such a
plan because it would tie up the sena-
| torship until the close of the session.
| but Mr.. Sibey went step further and
told a Democratic state senator that
he would permit at certain times a
number of Democrats to enter the joint
convention and vote for a Democrat.
This let the cat out of the bag on Con-
gressman Sibley's scheme which really
involved the reelection of boss Quay
and gained for Mr.. Sibley the gratitude
of his partys foe. The instant he per-
mitted number of Democrats to re-
enter the joint convention, that in
slant he would make up a quorum of
the house. Quay has the majority of "a
quorum and on the first ballot with Is
under such circumstances Senator
Quay's friend would cast a solid vote
for their man and elect him, and the
vote would stand about like this: Quay,
109; jerks. 20; total, 129.
The instant this plan was proposed
to National Committeeman Colonel
James NJ. Guffey, the astute and brill
liant head of the Democracy, he turned
it down. He declared that such plan
would bring discredit upon the Demo-
cratic party and upon it's leaders and
he could not for a moment tolerate it.
1t was proposed by Sibley that Guffey
be voted for as United States senator.
but with Spartan courage Colonel Cuff
fey refused to listen to such a PROPOSE
ton. The result was that the Sibley
scheme collapsed after the first day.
It's collapse was all the more complete
when it became known that certain dis
credited Democrats from over the state
were here working hand in hand with
Mr.. Sibley for the disruption of the
Democratic organization.
GUFFEY'S GREAT WORK.
Too much cannot be said for the skill
and courage and brilliant dash of Col
onel Guffey during the present fight.
For not one instant has he relaxed his
hold on the throttle. He has guided his
party straight as an arrow in the path
of right, party fealty and party honor.
He has followed the lines set by Hon.
George A jerks in the late campaign.
who declared that the Democrats had
nothing in common with Matthew
Stanley Quay and the Republican state
machine, and he has never swerved a
jot or little from these lines.
Attempts will he made to reconsider
the vote by which the McCarrell bill
was postponed, and while they may
succeed, Colonel Guffey will not be
found lending aid or comfort to the
enemy. The assistance of the independ-
ent Republicans in this fight has been
of great benefit to the Democracy.
They are fighting an enemy within
their party. They have been charged
with being boilers and Democratic al
lies, but they have stood firmly against
these taunts and the indications are
that they will stand firmly to the end
Every Democrat in house or senate is
under the pressure of temptation here.
The Quay machine has unlimited capi-
tai, unlimited patronage and unlimited
promises at its disposal. A few Demo-
Gratis, unable to Withstand temptations,
have yielded on the McCarrell bill A
few have voted on the measure be-
cause they believed that it was right or
that they had some personal interest in
it. But as yet no Democrat has for
saken his party, forgotten its high pur-
/ pose, or broken his caucus pledge to
/ cast vote for Boss Quay Democracy
is too bright a jewel to be tarnished
by blemish such as this, and so the
f,rt,