Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-05-29
FREELAND, PA, MAY 20, 1902,
THE WILL OF THE BOSS
ouay's Domineering Tactics Shown Up
In True Colors.
philadelphia Times.)

(Phlladelphla IlmeS.)
In all the history OF Republican in
stitutions it may be doubted if a sit
parallel with that existing in Penn
sylvania today. 1t is the most Won
derful exhibition of the power of the
boss" that even this state has seen
under the long developing system of
which Senator Quay is the consum-
mate exponent.
The people of Pennsylvania are
about to elect a governor, and the Re-
publican party, of which Senator
QuSy is the head, is to nominate a
candidate. This is to be done, as
usual, by means of the organization"
which acts under the direction of the
central authority and the machinery
was early put in motion to nominate
the designated candidate in due form.
While this is going on Senator Quay
is persuaded that another candidate
would be more agreeable to some of
his friends and he abruptly counter
mands the orders. He does not say
what other candidate he prefers. He
simply directs the Republicans of the
state that they are not to elect any
more delegates for Elkin, but are to
elect delegates who will hold them
selves subject to his further instruc-
tions. He will tell them for whom to
vote when he is ready. They are by
no means to exercise any choice of
their own.
This may not differ in result from
the old plan of electing delegates in
structed for local favorites, with a
view to the transfer of their votes at
the convention, but that plan, at least,
maintained the appearance of some
freedom of choice. All this pretense
is now cast aside. Mr. Quays present
orders are, in effect, that the delegates
to the convention shall be chosen
with the understanding that they will
do whatever he shall tell them. They
are not to be instructed for Elkin, nor
for another; they are to be instructed
for X, an unknown quantity. By this
means the entry of any individual
candidates into the contest is to be
prevented. There is to be no oppor-
tunity for any man to make himself
or his qualifications known. The
choice is to be left entirely to Quay
This demand is put forward with
out disguise. Mr.. Quay does not pre-
tend that the convention is to choose
the candidate; he merely says that
he has not yet determined upon who
the candidate shall be. He is exam
lining the various applicants, but will
not announce his decision until the
near approach of the convention,
which viii then officially ratify his
choice. Strange as it may appear, the
only earnest objection to this auto
cratic assumption comes from the
friends of the candidate whose whole
claim is based upon the fidelity with
which he has represented Quay and his
system. Elkin has been one of the
chief instruments of the machine in
applying discipline to insurgents,
ripping" out one man to put in an
other, and he has no logical ground on
which to protest when the ripping is
applied to him. The wonderful fea-
ture of the situation is that Republ-
cans who profess to be opposed to the
machine methods acquiese in this in
solent despotism and are preparing to
take their orders from Quay, as though
he alone was the Republican party in
Pennsylyania-as apparently he is.
If ever there is to be any political
independence in this community, it
must be won by the absolute separa-
ton of all self-respecting people from
this whole infamous system and the
defeat of whatever candidates may
represent it, whether they be person
ally good or bad. Stone and Eliin be-
came obnoxious because they obeyed
Quays orders in contempt of public
morality. Now he coolly throws them
aside and demands that he be allowed
to select other tools at his own con
venience. And. what is most as
founding, he is praised and upheld in
this by Republicans who have here
tofore posed as reformers and now
scamper to get under the Quay UNI
brella.
"a . To R IA.
Boars tbe 4 The Kind You Have Always Bought