Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-06
so MOTE 1T BE.

so MOTE 1T BE.
AS the case now stands. Matthew stan
ley Quay's victory of Tuesday night was
a Pyrrhic victory. 1t was won at the
cost of organizing. for the time being al
least. the opposition against him in MS
own party, and of developing that there
is still a germ Of self-respect and lhde-
pendence in Pennsylvania Repubncahlsh'
And this latter condition is the last thing
ouov desires. With all his deXterlty III
shaking the plum tree" TO his own al
vantage in banks. courts and legislative
halls, he could not shake enough plu'iiS
into his caucus basket to insure MS IT,
nomination for the United States senate
The circumstance, attending quay
Aebt for denomination represent one Oh
the most disgraceful episodes IN Aher1-
can notifies. The incidents connected WIN
Hanna's struggle for John Sherinah
toga pale into insignifcance almost De
fore the Pennsylvania situation as brought
about by Bcss Quay. In the circuih-
stances the seeking, or rather the de-
is one of the most unmitigated pieces oil
effrontery that have ever come before the
nublic AS all the world knows, Quay
has for many years enjoyed the reputa-
tion of being one Of the most unscrupu-
lous political bosses in this country. IL
has been alleged time out of MIND that
he carried the Republican party Of Penn
sylvania in his pocket, and made bargain
and sale his rule Of government, and II
is said that he is on record as having
openly admitted that he speculated In
stocks affected by his attitude as senator
at a time when he was voting upon
tariff bill which involved them. Still, he
managed so TO play his cards as not 10
awaken to any appreciate degree
sense of shame among his dupes.
Finally, however, the boss was charged
with tampering with State funds, which
he had forced one Of his tools-the state
Treasurer-to deposit In a certain BANK
The courts took hold of the matter. and
he was indicted on that charge; and al
though he boiled over with righteous
Indignation" at this persecution" as he
and his henchmen termed ii, and pro-
fessed to be eager for speedy trial, he
Immediately began 10 manoquvre FOR
postponement And when at last he had
exhausted every other recourse that
would stave off trial in the court in which
he had been indicted he resorted to a
technicality by which he succeeded in
getting the case hung up in the Supreme
Court OF the State until such time as
would Insure the prosecutors being con-
ducted-if ever conducted-by an officer
supposed to be friendly 10 him. Then,
pending the action of the higher tribunal
he called the caucus of Tuesday night
confident, it is asserted, that he would
be INDICATED by a renomination-a
triumph" counted upon to have ire
mendous weight in securing his acquittal,
should he be brought to trial.
But he reckoned without his host. The
Joint convention of the Legislature OF
PENNSYLVANIA consists of 25i members, the
clear majority required to elect a United
| States senator being 12S or l27 if Sena-
| tor Hawkins. now on duty as Colonel Of
| the Tenth Regiment in the Philippines,
can be excluded from the calculation.
The combined Republican membership
of the two houses numbers 1G4. which is
| Sc more than the number required to
elect a serator.\ The Quay caucus was
| attended by 100 Senators and Representa-
| tiyes. the absentees thus numbering 50.
OF these. As, or II more than are neces-
| sary TO ensure Mr.. Quay's defeat have
4 signed a pledge not to participate In a
senatorial caucus until after the Supreme
Court has passed upon his case. While
this pledge does not commit any one OF
the subscribers not to vote finally foi
QUAY. II sets forth that If the grave
charges" brought against him are sus
tanned, his election will be rendered i'm
possible. 1t therefore, says the Phila'
delphia Evening Telegraph. morally bind.
each and every one of the As signers tC
vote against Quay in case his innocence
is not fully established in open court anC
it is equally effective in binding one anc
! all of them not 10 vote for him until
his innocence has been established by the
regular and orderly procedure of the
courts. other prominent Pennsylvania
papers take the position that while there
is no possibility of a combination thai
| will nominate and elect Democrat whe
| Their Quay's innocence is established OF
not. his defeat is q foregone conclusion
| They regard the split off OF the recalci
| trant members Of the Legislature as q
break for emancipation from Quay boss
ism. and as moral awakening in the
| Republican party of Pennsylvania 81
mote II be.