The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-22

zest in the getting than in the keeping
of a thing, loving pursuit better than
possession, and far more congcnial to
his tastes than lawmakinE was the task
he saw ahead of him when, i'm 1883, his
election to the craftsmanship of the Re-
publican national committee gave him
his first opportunity to display his abil
tiles as "A political strategist on broad
stage When Quay took charge of the
harrison campaign the Democratic
managers were confident that success
lay in their hands. and that nothing
save accident could bring about Re-
publican triumph. They had been plan
ming for months, and everything was
running smoothly. Quay weht about
his work with confidence born of sue
cess. He planted himself in New York
city, and began his great fight with
Tammany hall. In his hotel room he
had on the walls a map of the country.
a map of New York state, and a map
Of the metropolis. He studied them all
with the eagerness and care a general
displays on the eve of a decisive battle.
And he studied them to good purposes.
Tammany was defeated i'm it's own
home. and Quay was hailed the Coun-
try over as the greatest of political
gcniuses.
Colonel Quay's fight for Harrison has
now become one of the glorious. abid-
ing traditions of party warfare. yet the
political methods which are peculiarly
his own find happiest exercise in
purely local fight. When he sets out to
master the exact situation in q. Penn
sYlvania campaign the whole state,
70 III Il ic
grasp of locality and his genius for de-
tails, is speedily an open book to him.
He knows all the county leaders, the
origins of factions, and the motives
ana temper of small politicians. He
knows where majorities can be safely
counted upon in any contingency. where
they may be increased, and where both
parties are in almost equal strength.
In all his career he has avoided per-
sonal warfare, yet when he deems it
necessary TO defeat a candidate. whether
party friend or foe. Quay is prompt to
tell him that he is in the way of other
interests and must stand aside or be
Knocked down. When he is desirous
OF forming a combination OF negotiat-
ing a trade of votes. the friendship he
has long cultivated with members Of
both of the great parties renders his
task comparatively easy one. and it
is made still easier by the fact that
Republicans and Democrats alike know
that his word is as good as his bond,
ana that it has never gone to protest.
CHARACTER OF THE MAN.
What has just been written fails IF
its purpose, if it does not make clear
the elements that have brought Col
unel quay success i'm his chosen field.
H"t J should state but half of the truth
if | did not add that he has always
been much more than a mere politician.
He is in many respects composite
character. He can content himself
alone or he can he happy in the midst
of his friends. and, although fond of
lone fisherman habits. he will, upon
falling in With one whom he trusts.
open the doors of his speech and talk
interestingly hour after hour. And in
his personal relations he is, withal,
gracious and unassuming and capable
of fine magnanimity, ! have heard
many stories about people who have
assailed him and sought to break him
down, ana yet who were later forgiven
and uplifted.
In word. he knows human nature
to its last chord. and this knowledge
has come to him through a diligent
study of books as we'll as of men. His
reading is of the most varied descrip-
ton, and he has standing orders with
several publishing houses of the coun-
try to send him all books of current in
tcrcst. An acquaintance of the writer
CHANGED to be with him in a Washing
ton book store one day last spring aud
noted his purchases. They included
travel. history. and political economy,
and he proposed to read and digest
them during his summer vacation III
Beaver Thus, his library is not onN
we'll stocked and choice, but is steadily
increasing, and when he leaves this life
the man who strays around the BOOK
shelves of his home will find that lis
former owner has been reader Of
many books and has profted by the
wisdom that they contained.
\ LATE LESSON LEARNED.
After Colonel Quay had helped tu
make Harrison president, he was
taught the not unfamiliar lesson thai
presidents, like other men, are Otter
ungrateful. Wanamaker, who had
done no more than garner the grease
/ Nhrrrwith to oil the wheels OF the Quay
engine. got one of the choicest plums in
/ the presidential pudding. Quay and his
. friends got little or nothing. 1t was
ucrhaps. for that reason that QUAY was
/ one of those who VainlY opposed Har
, liS1n's nomination H. 1892 However il
! Pennaylvania no one sought to NueS
/ ton or oppose Quay's leadership until
/ the summer OF 1895. Then a determined
movement was made to dethronc hin
, by the election of an anti-QuaY man a
! chairman of the state committee. Be
| hind this movement were Chris Magee
/ who conceived it, John WaramalIcr
/ Tayid Martin. Charles Emory Smith
/ aud other strong and resOurCCful party
: leaders. Quay won after a struggle
| that called Gll of mis- resources intC
| play, and Onn of the results of the figh
was that Don Cameron who had stoot
/ aloot and refused to help him in the
! hour Of need. in due time SURRENDERED
| his seat in the senate to BOieS PenroSe
Beyond the forced retirement o
Cameron. Colonel Quay did not attemp
to punish the men who had cunniveC
Ut his overthrow, but his generosity
| failed to bear enduring fruits. Tht
flames of revolt NHdled in 1895 brok'
out again in the state campaign o
! last year, and have now taken SHAPE
in an organized and resolute effort t
defeat Quay's return to the senate, Tht
senator's arrest, charged with fraudu
lent practices in connection with thr
| management of broken Philadelphia
bank, has not been the least sensa
tiOnal feature Of a most sensationa
| 6pht His enemies have made SAVAGE