The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-06-22
THE STATE CONVENTION.
ONE OF TIE LARGEST GATHERINGS
IN THE HISTORY OF THE PARTY.
Hon. Samuel J. Mestrezat, Of Fayette Co.,
Nominated for Judge Of the Supreme
Court, and Charles J. Reilly, Of Lycom.
ing, Judge Of the Superior Court.
Hon. VIM. 7. Greasy for State
Treasurer-Sketch Of the
" Nominees.

The Democratic State Convention,
at Harrisburg, last week, was one of
the largest in the history of the party.
1t was composed of prominent men
from all over the State, lawyers and
business men, and in intelligence and
respectability was the equal of any
convention of any party ever held in
Pennsylvania.
The sessions began at IL o'clock,
noon, on Tuesday, and lasted until 6
O'Clock Thursday afternoon. The
contest was over the nomination of a
candidate for Judge Of the Supreme
Court, and as nomination was equiv
alent to an election, there were twenty
asplrants for the place. The dele
gates from this county-Messrs. Ran
call, Turner, Dildine, Adams and
Brennan-voted on the first ballot as
follows: Two for Wolverton, two for
Munson, and one for Lynch, and var
led the vote among these three until
towards the last, when they voted for
Mestrezat. On the twenty-eighth bal
lot Hon. Samuel l.. Mestrezat, Presi-
dent Judge of Fayette county, was
nominated, and it was made unani-
nous. Charles ]. Reilly, of William
sport, chairman of the convention, was
nominated for Judge of the Superior
Court, and William T. Greasy, of Co
lumbia county, was named for State
Treasurer. His nomination was con-
Ceded fiom the first and he had no
opposition.
Representative George R. Dixon,
in speech full Of ginger, named Rep
resentative Greasy for State Treasur-
er, and the nomination was adopted
by acclamation. Mr.. Dixon in NAM
ing Greasy spoke in part as follows:
'Mr. Chairman: - The history of the
State Treasury and its shameful control for
more than thirty years, reads like a doleful
tale of official corruption in the darkness of
the decline, decay and downfall of the Ro.
man Empire. The record is without par
allel in modern times, and causes every hon.
est man in the State to blush with shame.
1t discloses the fact that the people have
been forced to throw up their hands while
gambling officials and political mountebanks
have depleted the Golfers of the State, and
without warrant of law made use of the peo.
ple's money for personal and political prefer.
ment. Its chapters are emphasized by wanton
dereliction of duty and high-handed fraud
ruined regulations and blasted hopes heart
hraa nd
exile suicide and premature graves.
''In the name of official honesty and COM
mon decency, in behalf of an outraged,
though patient people, and for the fair fame
of our beloved commonwealth, shall we not
this day do our plain duty and mark the be.
giuning of the ending OF the Treasury's aw-
full histnryl 1t can be done. 1t must be
done. 1t is our God-given duty to do it.
The next State Treasurer shall be Demo
crat, man of the masses, independent, in
corruptible and honest. He shall be no
mans man fresh from the honest yeomanry
of the State, beholden to no boss, having
the confidence of all men and of all parties.
AS the old Cynic philosopher, Dogenes,
went about the streets of Athens with Ian.
tern, looking for an honest man, so we to-
day must find and nominate an honest man.
Do you know such man An official, true,
tested and tried, who never falters in the
discharge of any duty?
| know him, and to name and nominate
him gives me the greatest pleasure of my
political life.
Gle is wanted by the more than 5oo ooc
Democrats of the State because he is Dem
ocrat-honest, capable, of no faction, anc
on him the party will unite.
''His nomination should be and is desired
by the independent Republican voters of tn,
Commonwealth, because in him they see thu
manly courage needed to clean out the Au
gean stables on Capitol Hill, Nor indemnit,
bonds. nor political notes, nor pet political
banks will ever secure loans or discounts a
the State Treasury while he is in charge
81 nominate William T. Greasy"
The Philadelphia Press of Friday
has the following to say about Mr.
Greasy:
''Farmer Greasy, for State Treasurer, wa
everybody's choice. From the time his nam
was brought into the canvass until the nomi
nation was made there was really no othe
candidate, and the selection is very pleasn
TO the Democrats generally. He was con
spicuous Democratic leader in the House a
the last session of the Legislature and intro
XuCeu ana ntu paoscu WHAT WAS Known
The grangers' tax bill, measure that wa
killed in the Senate. He was on the righ
side of those questions of legislation, whic
divided the machine and the reform elements
and is therefore regarded by the Democrat
as just the candidate to present on plat
form chiefly devoted to State questions upo
which Greasy has made a record. Their
are some peculiarly sanguine Democrats VIII
assume to believe that there is a chance 20
his election, but they are not many, and tn
most expected by the majority is that he vii
get the votes of Republican farmers VIII
may want to express their resentment of tn
way some things have been done by the pres
ent State Administraton-particu til
removal Of Secretary Edge and the reductio
in the common school appropriation"