Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1902-01-24

fact. ! might say viii mean. It VIII
place the election OF the candidate for
governor IN doubt from the moment Of
his nomination until the day Of the
election It viii send the mercury in.
the political thermometer down to zero
and chill party enthusiasm which Is
always essential to success. A machine
nomination will corespondiugly raise
the hopes Of the Democracy and stimu-
late the faithful OF that party into ex-
ceptlonal activity from the start, in
state, district and county politics. Dem
ocratic organisation already in pro-
gress will be strengthened and encour-
aged Fusion between Democrats and
Independent Republicans will have a
powerful incentive, and become active
from the moment OF the nomination. A
factional machine candidate will strike
a blow az party vitality and weaken its
energies. Those who vote the straight
ticket will do so perfunctorily, OF
merely because they do not want to
''lose their face" with the organization,
after the manner OF the Chinese. This
is no pessimistic prediction, but
truthful picture Of the situation as it
appears to thousands Of thoughtful Re-
publicans who desire party success
more than the ascendancy Of any man,
or faction or influence anxious for
domination and reckless Of conse-
uuences. The only hope Of the Demo-
crats-the Guneys, the Gordons, the
Pattisons and the rest-is in the be-
lief that the Republican managers are
so self-centered and so impervious to
reason, argument or persuasion, that
they will insist upon a factional nomi-
nation. having the same faith in the
result that Caligula had once upon a
time when he broke all records with a
senatorial candidate OF his own choos-
ing.
AS TO THE sENAToRsHIP.
Although the state campaign re-
wolves around the governship a good
deal of interest is manifested, here and
there, in the election of a United
States senator to succeed Senator. Pen
rose, It is a high honor to be the chief
magistrate Of this imperial common
wealth; still there are men in public
life who would prefer the United States
senatorship after all, and these as well
as many others are asking why should
not that great Office be an issue. Well
1t will be an issue according to all ae-
counts, and a very live one. The peo-
pie don't vote direct for the senator.
Of course, but they will, this year, elect
a legislature whose duty 1t will be to
choose a senator, and every candidate
for the general assembly will be re-
quired to say where he stands on
this question. The senatorship will
not be allowed to go by default as in
former years. The bulk of the Re-
publicans will feel that If they can
have no say in the governorship nomi-
nation they will have "a say" in nomi-
mating candidates for the legislature,
and that these must state squarely
where they stand on the question of
electing a successor to United States
Senator Penrose. The nomination Of
an undesirable candidate for governor
will react with undoubted force on
the senatorship and make that office
the subject Of much contention in the
choice Of members Of the legislature.
The narrow margin by which Colonel
Quay was elected United States sena-
tor last year gives point to this argu-
ment. To be entirely plain, the feel
ing among the people is that If a ma
Oh f1,a l.. Il
on the next Republican state conven-
tion machine candidate for United
States senator will be impossible.
The experience OF Colonel Quay in
eking out the skin Of the lion with that
of the fox, and making up for Repub-
lican detection by calling in the as
sistance of a few friendly Indians" is
not likely to be repeated in the case OF
any other candidate for United States
senator. And It would be a doubtful
experiment in any case II It had to be
repeated, seeing the obloquy which It
incurred for those Democrats who were
50 complaisant as to lend themselves
to the scheme year ago.
THE RIGHT WAY
There Is a way to obviate all the
trouble that confronts the Republican
management and 1t is comparatively
easy. It does not lie along the path of
intrigue, or in the suggestion of "fav-
orite sons" here and there, to be with
drawn at the right moment in the in
terest Of the machine candidate It is
to be found in perfect candor, and in
the nomination of a man like Colonel
Watres for governor. There is not a
single Republican interest that would
be imperilled by the candidacy Of such
a man, but, on the contrary, It woald
strengthen and unite the party and
place its success beyond the peradven-
lure of doubt. Republicans have not
been so alert in a long time as they
are this year. They are watching every
move made on the political chessbOard
more intently than they have done in a
/ long time. / attribute this political
vigilance TO the scandalous turmoil be-
/ gun at the meeting Of the last session
of the legislature and continued in
some form ever since The public
mind has been ceaselessly occupied
with questions affecting the integrity
of state officials, largely through the
/ topsy turvey condition Of affairs in
/ Pittsburg, and there has been no time
! for rest or fOrgetfulness. This inces-
SAINT friction has made Republicans