The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-07-03
HARRIsBURG LETTER.
The Struggle for Political Supremacy. The
Candidates and Platforms Compared.
The Advantage in Both Cases
Largely with the Demo
Gratis.

premdCy vi tic StdtS loi thS hSNe
four years is now ready to begin.
The leaders have been chosen, and
the principles upon which each par
ty bases its claim for public support
have been declared. No matter
how ardent the desire nor how de-
termined the effort to conceal the
real issue from the public gaze, ev-
cry intelligent man knows that it is
simply the old struggle between
those who believe in Quay and
Quayism and those who regard both
him and his system as curse to
the state and evils that ought long
ago to have been driven out Of poll
tics.
COMPARISON OF GUBERNAToRIAI.
CANDIDATES..
AS between the candida es pre-
sented before the people for their
choice the advantage is largely with
the Democratic ticket. Those who
believe what is as clear to the intel
ligent man as the MONDAY sun,
that Quay is corruptionist of the
most dangerous sort and that his
system is altogether vicious cannot
have a very high regard tor any
man who has praise and praise only
for him and his machine; and still
less must be their respect ior a
Judge on the bench who praises the
political hypocrite who uses the
cover of the law to steal from the
treasury of the state. Though no
suspicion of wrong doing may be-
fore have attached to Judge Penny
packer, the single fact that he prais-
es what is wholly evil and lauds a
man who pleaded the statute OF linn
itations through fear of imprison-
ment for one of his many evil deeds
affords sufficient reason for the
opinion that there is something
wrong with his moral sense. When
any man, and especially man sup
posed to be on high plane in the
world Of morals comes out in open
defense of one whose name is syn
onym for all that is evil in machine
politics, it is safe to conclude that
he is after something for his per-
sonal use and that his moral per.
ceptions are less keen than his de-
sire for a political job. If Penny
packer is elected Governor it is as
certain as anything in the future
can be that he will be servile tool
tor the man whose praises he sings
and who nominated him for the
governorship by means which Pen
nypacker would consider sufficient
to send an ordinary criminal to the
penitentiary if proved against him
in his court.
The Democratic candidate during
his several terms of official position
has stood between the people and
those who would plunder them, like
a wall of granite. Had he been in
the gubernatorial chair the past
three years and half the state
would have been spared the dis
grace that has been heaped upon it
by the last corrupt legislature and
a too willing executive. There is
not all honest, intelligent man in
the state who does not feel in his
heart that Robert E. Pattison would
be al infinitely safer man as Cow
ernor than Judge Pennypacker, the
self-appointed panegyrist of Boss
Quay, and who was nominated by
the machine-bound delegates of
Philadelphia and those who We're
bribed to vote against their instruc-
tions.
OTHER CANDIDATES CONTRASTED.
The Democrats have the same ad-
vantage in their candidate for Lieu
tenant Governor. That George w.
Guthrie is an honest, able and con-
servative man is admitted OH all
hands, and that he will do his duty,
IL SlSStSS, WltuOut lCdl VI ldVOl IL
not questioned. He has for many
years been an ardent advocate of
the many needed reforms in our po-
litical system and has taken a spec
ial interest in the fight for ballot re-
form. His opponent has been tried
and found wanting. He attempted
so gross an abuse of the power
which he asks the people to place
still more firmly in his hands that
the Supreme court of the state ad-
ministered a stinging rebuke and
refused to allow him to take away
the homes of those whom he at
tempted unlawfully to dispossess.
The same is true of the thir6
place on the ticket. The Demo
cratic candidate, Mr.. Nolan, is al
upright business man against whose
honesty no question can be raised
His competitor has been charged
even by Republican papers, will
using his power in the Senate t
further the interests of the olec
trust.