Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-11-02
BOOMERANG BARNETT.
Those Who Know Him Best Like
" Him Least.
NOT WANTED NEAR home,
Republican County Chairmen in His Sec.
tion of the State Ask That He
Be Kept Away.

If James E. Barnett, called Long
Distance Jimmy" owing to the dis
tance that he put between himself and
danger, has nothing better than his
military record to commend him as a
candidate for state treasurer, he is in
a sorry plight. His military exploits
are of the kind in which distance
lends enchantment to the view" So
bad is his standing with the boys Of
the Tenth regiment that he has been
Kept parading mostly over the east
ern part of the state, for Chairman
Reeder has been notified that Barnett's
presence in counties where the MEM
bers of his regiment live would intensi-
fly the strong feeling that they have
against him.
Instead of the gallant and dashing
colonel that he has been depicted by
men who know nothing about him,
dozens of his men accuse him of cow
ardice, and declare that he was moro
than once found seeking safety in the
rear when he was needed at the front.
Desperate efforts have been made to
secure the endorsement of the soldiers
of his regiment but they have ended
in failure, because majority of the
boys allege that he was dodger in
time of danger, that he treated Colonel
Hawkins shamefully
AS ne was nominated on account OF
being military man. neither he nor
his managers can reasonably object to
having the public know just what sort
of military record he has. Quay evil
IDENTIFY knew enough of Barnett's weak
ness not to want him nominated, but
he was overruled by his lieutenants,
who now see that the "Old Mans" po-
litical judgment was better than that
of those who forced him on the ticket.
The Philadelphia Record and The
North American are showing up the
machine candidate in so unfavorable
light that it was rumored few days
ago that he, like Adams, would be with
drawn from the ticket, and if the cam
paign were to last another month, in
stead of a week, it is altogether likely
that Barnett would be withdrawn.
AFRAID OF HIS PRESENCE.
Republican State Chairman Reeder
was told by nine of the ten county
chairmen in conference with him last
week that their campaign affairs were
In bad shape. Some of those chairmen
are authority for this disclosure, and
they add that Reeder was warned by
those from counties in which State
Treasurer Candidate Barnett is best
known, and from which the Tenth reg
iment had been recruited. not to let
him do any campaigning there, as he
would only make the tickets prospects
worse.
Barnett's stumping has been con-
fined to the eastern part of the state.
Southwestern county chairmen think
he had better stay away from their
people for the grave reasons which are
on nearly everybodys tongue In
Greensburg. Washington, Waynesburg.
Monongahela City, Uniontown, Mt.
Pleasant and other towns. I'VE don't
want Barnett on the stump in our
county" said Washington county's
chairman, Underwood, to Reeder. "He
would seriously damage the party's
cause" .
The Westmoreland county chairman
told Reeder that the Tenth regiment
boys generally" in Greensburg and VI
cinity privately expressed bitter oppo-
sition to Barnett. Many of them ac-
cused him of an overfondness for rice
dyke protection, far in the rear of his
fellow members of the Tenth, during
engagements with the Filipinos. They
argued that If he had been like Colonel
Hawkins, conspicuous for bravery and
for leading the boys whenever they
most needed leadership, they might
complain less of "the great bunco
game that was now being played on
the people by the Republican military
spellbinders.
KEEP BARNETT AWAY FROM U.s."
The Westmoreland chairman men
toned to Reeder that the big judge
ship fight in his county intensified the
campaign feeling, and local Republican
disaster might result from bringing
Barnett there County Chairman
Grow, of Fayette, said to the head OF
the state organization: Nearly every
spot where you find Tenth regiment
boy you find trouble for Barnett Many
or them are not only talking among
their neighbors against him, but are
working against his election" Fay
ette, like Armstrong and Westmore-
land, has hot judgeship contest, and
Chairman Crow, like his Westmore-
land neighbor, thought the local scales
might turn in favor of the Republicans
If the Barnett red rag should not be
shaken at the bull.
A canvass of the towns mentioned,
as we'll as of other places, proves that
the unpopularity of Barnett among the
Tenth regiment soldiers cannot be sue
cessfully denied by the Quay mana
gers. A host of reputable witnesses,
professional and business men, would
arise against them if necessary. 1t is
supposed that about two-thirds of the
regiment are Republicans. and it is as
serted by many of these in the differ
ent counties referred to that a large
majority of the Republican soldiers
will vote against Barnett.
Philadelphia Record correspondents
have interviewed a large number OF
these anti-Barnett Republican men,
bers of the Tenth, and have obtained
permission to use some Of the names in
connection with their stories covering
different sorts of accusations against
their liputanapt po1opal II ic o1IaoaJ