Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-08-09
Entered at the Post Office at Laporte, as
second.class mail matter.
Especial Correspondence

quincy, the Bryan1te leader OF the
Pennsylvania Democracy, as a full
fiedged candidate for United States sen.
ator is the latest revelation in the po-
litical situation in the Keystone state.
While it has all along been suspected
that Millionaire Guffey was not wasting
his time and money for nothing, 1t was
hardly supposed that he seriously ex-
pected to be able to prevent the Repub-
lican party from filling the present
vacancy in the United States senate
from this state. Guffey has been play
ing waiting game. He has been de-
voting almost his entire energies to
disrupting the Republican organization
and then spreading the doctrine Of fu-
sion in the legislative districts.
He has been preaching reform, so as
to detract attention from his main pur-
pose, the election of Democrats to the
legislature who will vote on the United
States senatorship.
He has, of course, started out with
the idea of first electing Democrats
but where he finds that conditions
make that impossible he seeks to do
the next best thing for the Democracy
make fusion deal by which one Demo
crat and one Independent Republican
are nominated and together they are
to wage campaign against the regu-
lar Republican nominees. In that way
Guffey counts upon cutting down his
Republican opposition and at the same
time stirring up feeling Of bitterness
between the factions in the Republican
organization that will ultimately be to
his advantage.
GUFFEY'S REAL POSITION.
But the Republican voters Of Penn
sylvania, through an indiscreet utter
ance from Col. Guffey, due possibly to
his surroundings. have been given an
insight into his plans, and they now
have Guffey explaining.
Guffey was in New York attending
the initial conference of the leaders Of
the Democratic national committee,
and with Richard Croker spent whole
day at Elberon with Chairman ]. X.
Jones, Of the Democratic national COM
mittee, mapping out plans for the
Bryan campaign.
While on his way home COL Guffey
was interviewed by reporter Of the
New York Journal, and in that recog-
nized organ of the Democratic national
committee on July 80 last appeared a
statement from Col Guffey regarding
the Democratic outlook in Pennsylva-
MIA. In this interview he made no
secret Of the real purpose Of his plans
for fusion with the disgruntled Repub-
licans. The Journal quoted him as fol-
lows:
CIT IS THE PLAN OF THE
DEMOCRATIC MA N A GERS
THERE TO MAKE THE MOST
AGGRESSIVE FIGHT POSSIBLE
FOR THE ELECTION OF MEN,
BERS OF CONGRESS AND MEN,
BERS OF THE LEGISLATURE
so WE CAN SUPPLANT MAT
THEW S. QUAY WITH A DEMO-
CRATIC SENATOR"
When Guffey reached Pittsburg he
discovered that he had made very
bad break in so freely and frankly
stating while in New York his hopes of
Democratic triumphs in the Keystone
state. He was taken to task by his
Republican insurgent allies, who said
that if this Democratic boast got wide
circulation in Pennsylvania it would
drive the independent Republicans
back into their old party lines and the
fusion scheme would go to smash.
Guffey quickly realized the force of
this argument and he set to work to
counteract what he had done in New
York.
He prepared another statement in
tended for the eyes of Pennsylvania
Republicans. In this declaration he
disclaimed any thought of Democratic
victories at the coming election in this
state. Accordingly this statement was
sent broadcast through the common
wealth, and was given due prominence
by those papers that are backing the
fusion movement on the legislative
nominations.
The statement, which was printed
verbatim in all such newspapers, ap-
peared in the Philadelphia Times, one
Of the insurgent organs, on Aug. 1, as
follows:
I'm so FAR AS THE ELECTION
OF A DEMOCRATIC UNITED
STATES SENATOR'S CONCERN
ED, THAT IS NOT BEING CON-
SIDERED FOR A MOMENT, UN-
LESS WE SUCCEED IN ELECT
ING A DEMOCRATIC LEGISLA-
TURE. AND THAT IS NOT WITH
IN THE RANGE OF POSSIBLE
TIES IN THIS FALLS CAM
PAIGN"
In Guney'S nrSt statement the Demo
Gratis were to make most aggressive
fight to supplant Matthew Stanle!
Quay with a Democratic United States
senator, and in the second statement
Guffey declares 1.-The election Of
Democratic United States senator il
not considered for moment"
Republicans have awakened to th'
insincerity OF the Guffey campaign. ant
they are not going to be caught In hi
fusion trap in this most important yea
in American politics.
They know that Guffey is one Of tn
most intimate and trusted lieutenant
of Bryan, and that his election to tn
Democratic national committee owe
William F. Harrity was only accom-
plished through the personal interven
tion of Bryan himself.
GUFFEY'S BRYANITE RECORD.
Experience in Kansas City at tn
Democratic national convention dem
onstrated the character of the rela
tiOns that exist between Col. Cute