Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-10-03

calm. unruffled dignity. His mother,
Mrs Watres, was the gifted Stella Of
Lackawanna," whose muse ennobled
all this region and gave to patriotic
literature many soul-stirring gem in
the days when the hearts Of the peO-
pie throbbed in harmony with the war
drums of the Union. Under her pen
name Mrs. Watrss enriched the litera-
ture of this valley and won the love
and esteem of the community. Her
poems have been published in hand
some volume, and are frequently quot
ed and admired for their fine magma
tive power and polish. | refer briefly
to these things to show the environ
ment Of Colonel Watres bOyhOOd. He
breathed the air of patriotism from
his infancy, and 1t would be difficult
to imagine a more delightful home
than that of his youth. Not that he
was nurtured in affiuence by any
means Oh, no; he had to work for
his living at a very tender age, for
wealth was not among the advantages
that contributed to the building of his
character. What he possesses he has
achieved by his own efforts; for what
he Is, he is indebted largely to his
parents, to the influences of a model
American home, in which the rugged
virtues were priced more highly than
gold.
SOME OF HIS QUALIFICATIONS.
In addition to his personal fitness
and political standing, Colonel Watres
is pre-eminently equipped by expert
ence, education and training for the
high office Of governor Of Pennsylva-
MIA He is a thorough lawyer; lie has
served with credit in the state senate;
he has been lieutenant governor Of
Pennsylvania; he was chairman of the
Republican state committee, and his
long connection with the National
Guard, and present position as colonel
of the Thirteenth regiment, have
helped to develop, discipline and
strengthen a character of exceptional
integrity and worth.
The qualifications which Colonel
Watres brings to his candidacy are
those which one would naturally look
for in a man aspiring to the guberna-
torial chair The office is one requiring
experience in public life; knowledge of
law; a mind competent to grasp and
solve intricate public questions;
complete understanding of the needs
Of the state; character strong enough
to withstand the Establishments of the
designing and a conscientious regard
for the rights Of the people.
These qualities are possessed by Col
onel Watres, as those who are best ac
Quainted with him can attest. 1t may be
claimed that we who live in Scranton
are partial to his candidacy, and there
fore inclined to magnify his merits
Possibly this may be so; still | believe
there are those in other parts of Penn
sylvania who will just as cheerfully
bear testimony to his qualities; men
who served with him in the senate, or
who were senators when he presided
over that body, and can testify to his
fairness, courtesy and impartiality
upon all occasions, and in every stress
of circumstances.
VIEWS OF PARTY AND PUBLIC
SERVICE.
1t may be well, at this stage, to refer
to some OF the views held by Colonel
Watres, himself, on the relation of
party action to the public service, es-
pecially as applied to the state of Penn
sylvania. They were expressed by him
in an interview some months ago, when
his name was mentioned for the COVER
norship, and before he had decided to
become a candidate, and it is safe to
infer that they reflect his opinions at
the present time.
On that occasion he declared it his
firm belief that the Republican party
was big enough in Pennsylvania to as
sumo entire responsibility for "a gov
ernment Of the people, by the people,
for the people" in this state. With its
great majority, he held, the party could
afford to take high ground in behalf Of
honest primaries, a pure and unde-
filed ballot that would express the will
and wish Of the people, and a policy
favoring the striCtest integrity in ad-
ministering the affairs of the city and
state
There was no wholesome or desir-
able reform for the good of the state,
that could not, in his opinion, be Sc
cured by and through the Republican
party, working, not in sections, but as
a unit for the public good at the pri-
maries, the polls, in the halls of legis-
lation, and through the various de-
partments, executive, legislative and
judicial
THE BEST TRADITIONS OF THE
PARTY.
This is the gist of an interview which
attracted much attention and caused
good deal OF favorable comment at the
time Of It's publication. Colonel Watres
believes that the Republican party in
Pennsylvania, as in other states, is
still the party of Lincoln, of Blaine and
of Mckinley, and capable of renewing
It's best traditions, with honesty and
fairness in nominations and elections.
II this were a biographical sketch of
Colonel Watres, instead of a hurried
view OF his recently announced candi-
dacy for governor, it would be pleasant
to speak more in detail of the man; of
his happy and ideal home life; Of his
kind traits of character; his remark
able business success, and many other
matters of interest But my space has
been exhausted, and | have only room
to add that Colonel Watres is a Re-
publican from the crown Of his head to
his heels; one who believes IN party
unity, rightly directed for good gov
ernment; public spirited citizen anxi-
GUS for the welfare of the grand old
commonwealth of Pennsylvania; a man
who II nominated for governor next
year will unite his party and lead it to
certain victory. STREPHON.
There a story of farmer and his
no