Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1901-11-15

IN ilG commonwealth IL must ut
through creditable nominations and a
scrupulous regard for the popular will.
SOME FEATURES OF THE CAM
PAIGN.
Philadelphia and allegheny stood by
the ticket through local influences
and organization. There are three or
four factions in Pittsburg, and each
was 30 anxious to show how many
more votes than the other It could
control for the ticket, that the aggre-
gate was unexpected. Outside the
two big cities, however, the undercur-
rent OF discomfort made itself felt with
unmistakable emphasis and manifest
ed a widespread disposition on the
part Of Republicans to rebuke the
machine. A story was circulated in
the last days of the campaign which
took thousands Of Democratic votes
away from Mr.. Coray. 1t was to the
effect that he was an enemy Of the
beer interest at Harrisburg and an un-
compromising Prohibitionist All the
brewers and saloonkeepers in the state
were advised Of this and voted and
worked against him might and main
They not only voted against him them
selves, but induced every man they
could influence to do so. l venture the
assertion that this element alone re-
duced the Coray vote by many thous-
ands. Whether he deserved this an
tagonism or not l am not prepared to
say. The lesson Of the election, how
ever, is that a strictly Independent
ticket and a straight Democratic tick
ct can be more formidable in a state
campaign than a combination OF these
forces, for the reason that partlsans
can always be persuaded into an ex-
cuse for voting against that particular
fusion candidate who is not of their
party. This has been done quite ex-
tensiyely in the campaign which clos
ed with Tuesdays election. Regular
Republicans hope there will be no call
for an Independent movement in next
years campaign. They want to see
candidate nominated for Governor who
will represent the entire party, and be
in harmony with its highest aspira-
tions In conversation with many of
them this week / find that it is not at
all to their taste to be at odds with
the party of their choice, and they
hope the necessity will not arise again.
How to avert such a condition is simple
enough. It can be done by nominating
a gubernatorial candidate who is not
factionist and who represents the
highest and best aspirations of the
great Republican party.
A TIME FOR BETTER THINGS.
The general sentiment among Re-
publieans is that it is time for better
things. They do not want repetition
of the late legislature, to whose con-
duct the falling off in the party vote
this week may be largely attributed.
Were 1t possible to have such another
legislature, animated by the same reck-
less disregard for the popular will"
said an old Cameron Republican to-
day, "it would break the party. What
we want" he added earnestly, lis a
body of lawmakers with proper con
victions of public duty, and a decent
respect for the state constitution. /
don't care how partisan or regular it
may be if it is actuated by a right sense
of its sworn obligations. With such a
legislative body and a governor like
Colonel Watres, as regular as they
make 'em, but above reproach, our
splendid old party would renew the
traditions that made it great and re-
spected in the years gone by. be-
lieYe," he added that with Watres for
our candidate next year the Republi-
cans of Pennsylvania would win a
united victory, and leave no room for
Pattisonian accidents"
You will find this sentiment strong
everywhere among Republicans, ex-
cepting, of course, those who are COM
mitted to the present regime, and who
imagine that the men who run things
are invincible. There were some per-
sons of the same frame of mind when
Pattison was a candidate. They would
not learn wisdom from observation,
and so they had to acquire it by expert
ence, which is the most costly OF all
schoolings, political or otherwise.
WHEN DICKENS WAS HERE.
In a recent letter I mentioned Gen
eral Simon Oameron's great political
power as one Of the most notable
things in the history OF Harrisburg.
The State Capital is noted for another
thing, and that is the remarkable COM
pliment paid to one Of its citizens by
the famous novelist, Charles Dickens.
and recorded in his American Notes,
which were written after his first visit
to the United States. AS every reader
knows, Dickens saw but little that was
good or gracious in this country dur
ing that visit. and his vitriolic de-
seription Of It caused much indigna-
tion. But the author Of David Copper
field met one man In Harrisburg to
whom he yielded the palm. It was the
gentleman at whose hotel he stopped.
and Of whom he wrote these words:
I'VE were soon established in a snug
hotel, which though smaller and far
less splendid than many we put up at,
is raised above them all in my remem-
branee. by having for its landlord the
most obliging, eOnsideFate, and gentle
manly person / ever had to deal with.
II will be seen that Dickens makes no
exception In favor OF any person he
had met in any other country, and /
am assured that his encomium was
well bestowed. Truly, kindness is a
great talisman. Dickens did not speak
SO well Of the legislature that was here