The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-10-12
coopER spEAKs OH
comment by the Former state Chair
man Upon Recent Poltt-
f.oI n4nv,


man Upon n Recent Poltt-
tcal Move.
Former Republican State Chairman
Thomas V. Cooper. in the last issue
OF The Delaware County American, un-
der the caption "a Travesty Upon the
Right of Petition" says:
The folly of the insurgent leaders
passed its climax when It subjected
Senator Quay to trial on charges shown
to be wholly manufactured for pollti-
cal effect His acquittal brought wis
dom to wiser men, who previously be-
Heved or doubted, because belief and
doubt are easy against public man.
This class would now like to say the
incident Is closed, for that position best
relieves a conscience strained in the
direction of the harshest thought. Still
others, and a larger class, stand by the
verdict of an American jury represent
ing all shades of personal opinion.
And now the leaders who instituted
these proceedings have descended to
the line of protest, after being driven
from the fighting line in nearly every
primary of the state The state con
yention was four-ffths for Quay, and
nearly every man of the one-ffth mi
nority represented the machines of
Philadelphia and Pittsburg machines
which represent local spoils and con-
machines which have fleeced
great municipalities without protest
from any insurgent organ. The Quay
machine is an ideal of strength but no
machine is an ideal of purity. Our pol
itics have not so far advanced in good
directions to reach that stage-but it
is better than municipal machines. IL
does not charge for appointments, it
does not get commissions on contracts,
it does not seek or sell the control of
city franchises-the only places where
they are valuable. These facts are
known of all men acquainted with poll
tics. They are well known to the great
newspapers of Philadelphia and Pitts
burg, who make it their daily task to
assail Quay and his organization. And
yet, from that quarter there is never
the shade of a protest. A reform party
or wing Of a party ought to point to
reforms; its organs should not shield
municipal venalities.
eve read protests against the parad-
ing of the gallant Tenth Pennsylvania,
fresh from the Philippines, headed by
Colonel Barnett, the Republican nomi-
nee for state treasurer. His command
had a reception at Pittsburg, limited at
as political; at Philadelphia, en- route
to the exposition and New York. de-
nounced as factional; yet, in New
York, five millions Of people rose to do
it honor. Theirs was the larger view.
They saw Pennsylvania in it's great
ness. not political atom comprising its
littleness.
"And that littleness is about to dis
play itself again in the form of thou
sands Of hastily signed petitions pro-
testing against the seating of Quay
These will be signed by factionists,
who care more for feud than a party,
and by Democrats who readily scent
gain in Republican factional folly. II
is the hope of the leaders of this move
ment that it will influence Democratic
senators against Quay, and as we'll in
vite the aid of such independent think
ers as Hoar and Mason. Will it do
this? We judge nay. The Democratic
senators are in a minority, there being
Is Republican majority. Their most
recent record is against seating SEN
ators appointed by governors. They
did it in the Oregon case, where 50
votes opposed admission, but this was
because the legislature did not try to
elect It deadlocked in its organiza-
tion. The Washington case is more in
line with that of Quay. Here two SEN
ators were refused admission by only
three majority. The Legislature had
tried to elect, but failed The Demo-
Gratis almost solidly voted against ad-
mission, because if these senators were
then admitted it would have destroyed
the Democratic majority in the senate.
The Republicans almost solidly voted
for admission. The Populists were di-
vided Push Quay into that battle
with the senate constituted as it now
is and he would have IA majority. He
will more likely have 40, for his ad-
mission will not change results, which
are Republican anyhow, and Democrats
will be permitted to follow their con-
victions as to whether it is right to
deny representation to a state. Nearly
every Republican senator and nearly
20 Democrats have pronounced for
Quay, and his admission cannot be
stopped by petition popguns."