Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1900-07-12
Especial Correspondence)


Pennsylvania making even fair show
ing in the coming campaign in the
congressional and legislative districts
of this state.
1t was with his home interests in
view that Col Guffey, the leader of the
Bryanite wing of the Pennsylvania De
mocracy, sought at Kansas City last
week to side track the Bryan plank for
the free and unlimited coinage OF silver
at the ratio of sixteen to one. But Mr..
Guffey, when he found that Bryan
would not accept the nomination for
the presidency without specific decla-
ration of sixteen to one in the party
platform withdrew his opposition and
turned in with the rampant silverltes
of Nevada. Colorado Wyoming and
other western states and territories
against the manufacturing, the busl-
ness and the farming interests of Penn
sylvania.
The Pennsylvania delegation, under
Guffey's leadership, after the Bryanites
had won out in the committee on res
olutions of the Democratic national
convention by a majority of but two
votes, Joined with Boss Croker, of New
York, and blocked the plans of David
B. Hill and other opponents of the sill
yer crazed Bryanites.
GUFFEY FOR SIXTEEN TO ONE.
Guffey's loyalty to Bryan and the
wild notioned leaders of the Tillman-
Altgeld type prevented continuance
of the fight against the sixteen to one
plank on the floor of the Kansas City
convention The Pennsylvania delega-
tion, under the operations of the unit
rule, went to the front with a solid vote
Of GA delegates committed against the
filing of a minority report in the ma
tional convention against sixteen to
one. This plank, which Bryan wrote
himself, will be the cause of the de-
sertion of many hundreds of thousands
of sound money Democrats from the
Bryan and Stevenson ticket this year.
In Pennsylvania alone there are al
ready many Democrats who say they
will vote the entire Republican ticket
this fall. By this they do not mean
chat they have gone over entirely to the
Republican party. They argue that
the sooner Bryan is driven from the
leadership Of the National Democracy
the sooner that party will get back to
its old moOrings and teachings. The
way to kill off Organism and free sill
yer, they say, is to vote the entire Re-
publican ticket.
Had Guftey and the Pennsylvania
delegation TO the Kansas City conven-
ton fought to the end against free sill
yer they would have come home de-
serving OF the thanks and the respect
Of the conservative Democrats of their
state. Their half hearted support of
the conservative plank in the early
stage of the struggle counts for moth
ng. since before the fight was half over
hey turned in with the Tillmans, the
Altgelds. the Townes and the other
single idea Democrats of the present
reakish Democratic organization.
NO FUSION POSSIBLE.
II will be interesting to note the eff
'ect of Guffey's support Of the sixteen
0 one silver plank upon Guffey's fusion
:ampaign with the Finn insurgent
combine in this state. Not only will
iuffey be unable to deliver but a small
PORTION Of the Democratic vote to his
usion candidates for the legislature,
Jut with Guffey on record as voting for
he sixteen TO one plank he cannot ex-
ject Republicans who have business in
erests in this state to give encourage
nent to his scheme to defeat regular
Republican nominees for the state SEN
tie and the house of representatives
vno will have a vote on the important
ssue Of the election of a United States
enator.
Sixteen to one kills fusion in Penn
ylvanio on the Legislative ticket and
means the election of Republicans in
very doubtful congressional district Ia
his state.
The first primary election to be held
Pennsylvania since the sixteen to
me declaration in Kansas City was in
he LuZerne~ e~LackaWanna district on
saturday last, where Senator Scott, an
nsurgent, was defeated for renomina-
ion by William Drury, friend of Col. |
luay, who had 200 majority on a pop
lar vote by Republicans Scott train |
with the Flinn-M Martin insurgents.
Gen, Palmer, a staunch supporter
Col. Quay, was nominated for con-
ress in this district at the same pri-
laries
REEDER MEETS BABCOCK.
General Frank Reeder, chair
ian of the Republican state COM
littee of Pennsylvania, has been in
onsultation with Chairman Babcock,
the Republican congressional com
Iittee, upon the subject of the con-
ressionai campaign in the keystone
ate. Chairman Babcock has Impress
Gen, Reeder with the fact that
ennsylvania shall make gains in the |
epublican representation in the house, |
} that this stalwart Republican state
nall do her share towards preventing
lie Democracy from gaining control |
this branch of congress.
One Of the most serious difficulties
the impending campaign, so far as
le Republicans are concerned is the |
most universal belief that the money
lestion cannot be reopened, except as
subject of academic debate, for the |
ext four years at least. Chairman
abcock. who is about to open his |
purth campaign in that capacity, |
eenly realizes, az well as do all the |
her more sagacious leaders, that a
ryan victory this year would almost |
eyitably give the silver men control
both branches of congress on March |
1903, at the latest, and might posi- !
produce that result on March 4,
IG1.
Those who know the details Of the
,hgress campaign of 1898 remember
Nv difficult 1t was to arouse Republl-
voters and sound money men gen
ally to the Importance OF that con-
st. Sound money had won victory
the polls two years before, but the
uits of that victory could not be gath
ed because of an opposition majority
the senate. 1t was known in 1898
at the sound money men would con-
oil that body in the Fifty-siXth con-
'ess, but that would be OF no avail un-
So they could also control the house
representatives, and yet 1t was not |
It'll late in the campaign that the
und money men could be aroused-so |
te in some states that seat after seat !
the house was turned over to the en-
ny, and the Republican majority in
lat body WIS reduced to less than |
zen, The iosseE were mainly in
of Exyhiph gaue haauU I-II &C for