Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-05-18
THE DEMOCRATS ALERT
Strong Candidates and Strong Plat
form to Be Presented to
the People.
KENNEDY's POSITION.

He win Have a Solid Delegation of
Thirty-The Vest Claiming the Place
on the Supreme Bench-Creasy or
Dixon For State Treasurer-Not
Much Contest For the Superior
Court Somina atfon-CandidatesF From
1.-THE East.
Especial Correspondence)
harrisburg, May 15.-The dissension
IN tue Republican party between the
Quay and anti-Quay factions appears
to have been heightened rather than
diminished by Governor Stones ac-
ton in appointing ex-senator M. S.
Quay to succeed himself until the next
legislature meets and elects a senator.
The Republican members of the house
and senate who joined with the Demo-
cratic members to defeat Quay had
banquet at the Bellevue hotel, Phila-
delphia. on last Friday night There
was the hottest kind of talk, which
gees to show that the Republican op-
position to Quay has not lessened.
The Democratic leaders of the state
are preparing to take advantage of this
condition. All indications point to the
nomination of a first class ticket at
their state convention in Harrisburg
next month. The adoption of a vigor-
Gus platform will also be carefully at
tended to. The Democracy this year
is united and harmonious body, and
with platform that will denounce the
villainous abuses of the Republican
party, the mismanagement of state
funds by its machine, and the general
disgrace and disrepute into which the
commonwealth has been plunged by
Republican ringsters there is every
reason to believe that Democratic can
didates will triumph
THE SUPREME JUDGESHIP.
First in Importance is the supreme
Judgeship nomination, because the
nominee Of the Democratic convention
will be elected, there being two vacan
cies, one to be filled by a Democrat,
the other by Republican. 1t ia gen.
orally conceded that the nomination
this year will go west of the Alleghe-
nies, this reason being that when
Chief Justice Sterritt retires this fall
the western district will not be repre-
sented on the supreme bench.
While there are four or five posi-
bilities in the west the concensus of
opinion is in favor Of Judge John M.
Kennedy, of Allegheny, president judge
of common pleas court No. 8, and one
of the most distinguished and able
Judges on the bench west of the Allie
ghenies. The reason for Judge Ken
nedy's being prime favorite in the
race Is not only on account of his
prominence and ability. but because
he will go to Harrisburg with the larg-
est delegation of any candidate thus
far mentioned. The bench and bar
Of Allegheny have unimously endorsed
him, and the Democratic county com
mittee of Allegheny has accorded him
the rare privilege of choosing his own
delegates, 30 in number, from his
county.
JUDGE KENNEDY'S STRENGTH.
So far as known no other candidate
for the supreme judgeship can rally
such body of delegates around him
as Judge Kennedy will be able to com
mand. To this number must be added
considerable number of delegates
from neighboring counties and from
counties this side the mountains. His
friends see in this the nucleus of sue
cess. While other distinguished as
burg with delegations, Judge Kennedy
will have more delegates. from present
indications, than any other two or
three cadidates combined.
Judge Kennedy has been on the
bench since 1891, when Governor Pat
tison appointed him at the suggestion
of the Allegheny county Democratic
leaders. He is still in the prime of
life, being this side Of go years of age.
He is a native of Chester county, and
thus the east and west are linked in
HIS personality. He was a partner of
the retiring Chief Justice Sterritt un-
til the latter was elected to the su-
preme bench in 1877.
Other candidates from western Penn
sylvania are Judge s. l.. Mestrezat, Of
Fayette county; Judge Lucien w.
Doty, of Westmoreland county; Judge
Calvin Reyburn, of Armstrong coun-
ty, and George Allen. Esq, of Erie.
Both Judges Doty and Reyburn are
candidates for reelection to the COM
mon pleas bench in their own counties,
and with good prospects of success
This narrows the candidates outside of
Judge Kennedy to Mr.. Allen, of Erie.
In the east there Is more than than
a corporals guard of distinguished
gentlemen seeking the nomination.
Among the leading candidates are
Judges Harman Yerkes, Of Bucks;
James N Ermentrout. of Berks; John
Lynch, of Luzerne; w. F. B. Stewart,
Of York; oliver B. Bechtel, of Schuyl-
kill, and Justice Peter Patrick Smith,
OF Lackawanna county, of the superior
court All of these gentlemen will
have solid delegations from their re-
spective counties behind them, and
some will receive considerable help
from surrounding counties. There is
disposition to vigorously oppose Jus
tice Smith, because 1t is believed he
should be satisfied with his present
distinguished place on the superior
court without asking mort favors.
GREASY OR DIXON.
II is foregone conclusion that Rep
resentative William T. Greasy, of Co.
lumbia, or Hon. George r. Dixon, OF
Elk, will be the nominee for state
treasurer. Mr.. Greasy appears to be
the favorite among Democrats who
reach Harrisburg from various sec
tions Of the state. Either gentlemen
will receive very heavy Independent