The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-07-01
THE POLITICAL ARENA.
The Silver Question Injected in tho judi.
cial Contest Here.

is gradually but surely developing in this
county, and In consequence thereof the army
of heelers on both sides of the fence are
jubilant. Our Democratic friends had matters
nicely shaped for harmonious convention,
until Judge Pershing threw a frebrand into
their camp in the nature of his resignation,
and now everything is at skies and sevens.
This state of affairs hangs like a spectre over
the Jeffersonian camp The situation II
to-day is at variance with that of month
ago, and there is rsom for much speculation
as to the probable outcome In the Demo-
cratic wigwam the events of the past few
days conclusively prove that there will be a
fight to the bitter end between the rabid
slyerites and the conservative element over
the judgeship. Fortunately there is not such
gloomy outlook in the Republican camp,
the situation being sufficiently complicated
to stir mp enthusiasm among the rank and
file of the party.
THREATS OF THE sGLvERITEs.
The same active and exciting Bryan and
free-silver campaign" that was inaugurated
in this county last year, previous to the
Democratic county convention, which re-
suited in the cheap money men being turned
down by the committee on resolutions, is
being carried on in Schuylkill to-day by the
Bryan leaders against the three prominent
candidates for the Judgeship-Messrs Wad-
linger, Reilly and Schalck. These gentle
men, it is true, were not enthusiastic in sup
port of all the planks in the Chicago plat
form, especially that bearing on the financial
question. For this reason one or two Demo
Gratis who inject the 16 to / idea into every
party contest, express themselves as bitterly
opposed to their nomination. Especially is
this true as to the two Democratic news
papers that carry the Bryan banner with the
inscription, the only true Democratic ex-
ponents of the Chicago platform" in the
county. In fact, the editors of the aforesaid
publications-located in your town and at
Tamaqua-have taken a position from which
they cannot retreat without stulifying them
selves. They openly assert that they will
not support either Wadlinger, Reilly or
Schalck for the Judgeship should either one
of the three secure the Democratic nomina-
tion. Here is what the Tamaqua oracle has
to say, and which is echoed by the Shenan-
doah scribe:
"This is no idle threat. We want IL fairly
understood by the men who are in control of
the Democratic party that we propose TO preach
Democratic faith pure and simple as expounded
by the great leaders who got together In Chic go
in the election of men who were false to the
principles of the party that they want to use to
secure Office"
Thus the lines are drawn and the fight
promises to be exciting and bitter. What is
done on the surface in such contest cannot
be depended upon. The west pocket
voter elects the delegates and if the Bryan
free silver men" decide to quietly vote for
delegates favorable to either of the judiciary
candidates mentioned they ill be able to do
so without being known, not caring a fig
what these self-styled silver leaders may
think of the result
THE TRUE DEMOCRATS.
The friends of Wadlinger and his two op.
ponents are somewhat at loss to figure out
what bearing the financial question has on
the dispensation of justice in this county.
The same argument now used against them
was raised last year when Judge Marr's name
was presented to the convention, yet these
two newspapers supported the present men,
ber of the Bench, and he was a gold DEM
ocrat of a pronounced type. Whero
is the consistency of their present position ?
Judge Marr and his friends not only con-
trolled the county convention last year, but
quietly and effectively pigeon -holed the free
| silver resolutions; yet my newspaper friends
supported the judicial nominee that year.
The gold eagles that were plentiful during
that campaign, issued from the Golfers of the
gold-bug candidates, Of course, had nothing
to do with the position of these two news.
papers who are battling for ''the peoples
cause" sOlely
Let's see, for moment, the consistency OF
these Bryan followers. They tell their
fLnN w.
Schalck, nor Reilly, is worthy of Democratic
support, and go so far in their denuncation
as to say that it would be the duty, and
should be the pleasure of the party voters ia
encompas their defeat should either of them
head the Democratic ticket. This appar.
emily sounds very nice, and looks pretty
on paper. Now lets see if the men
who preach this doctrine practice it them
selves when the opportunity presents itself
A member of the Schuylkill delegation &c
the Democratic state convention of last year,
which met at Altoona, informs me that tbs
editor of the News, himself delegate by
proxy" voted TOR Judge Gordon, who was
candidate for the gubernatorial nomination
Now everybody knows that Gordon is a gold
bug and has no faith in the 10 to 1 idea
This is indictment No. as presented against
my newspapers friends.
Now for No 2. The same Shenandoah
editor was delegate by proxy at the las
Democratic state convention, held at Harris
burg last month, and voted on different oc-
casions for Judges Kennedy and Wolverton
neither of whom are in sympathy with thu
Bryan doctrine. and both of whom wer,
bitterly opposed by the followers of the silvel
apostle While my newspaper friend wa
casting his vote for these gold-bul
candidates, he was writing denunciatory
letters to his paper against the men who ar,
'betraying the rank and file of the party by
nominating traitors of '96" Who are the
traitors, in view of the presentation here
with submitted? The three candidates fo
Judge, whom these two newspapers are at
tacking, are not backward in expressing then
views upon national issues in national cam
paign. They are certainly more consisten
than the men who vote for the TRAITORS O.
1867 in state conventions, and abuse other
for doing the same thing here in the county
Said a prominent Democratic candidate
commenting upon the situation what ha,
national issues to do with the administration
of local affairs2 The nominees of the Demo
cratic party in this county, who put up the
money to make the fight, have much more al
stake than these newspaper patriots, and
should have some say as to the policies
of the party. Besides, it is about time the
party sat down on these men who live and
| have their being in a silver mine and who
haven't yet been in the party sufficiently
long to prove their Democracy. Men who
have periodically been Greenbackers, Labor.
Reformers, Republicans and Democrats are