Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1902-01-31
IN THIN POLITICAL SWIM
Looking Forward to the Republi-
can State Convention.
rAI aAsIs OF aspRessNrArIoN

Gossip About the Candidates and Their
Prospeets-senator Quay Has Not
spoken-crowlns Strength Of Col
oneI Watres, Of Lackawanna-His
Home County Is Solid For Him.
Other Notes Of Interest.
Harrisburg. Jan 27-when the next
Republican state convention of Penn
sylvania is called to order it will con-
sist Of 35s delegates. provided there is
a full representation OF all the dis
tricts, and it will take 1870 votes to
nominate a candidate for governor.
The ratio, announced the other day
Is on the basis Of one delegate for
every two thousand Republican votes
cast by legislative district in the
last presidential campaign. and one
additional delegate for an excess Of
one thousand votes beyond the speci-
fed ratio. Although the February cleo
tlons come first they are but as the
rattle Of musketry compared with the
big guns that will be heard shortly in
the state campaign. Owing to the
manner Of electing delegates, the legis-
lative districts will be first to feel the
quickening touch Of state politics, and
the character Of the delegates will
largely determine that Of the next
legislature.
HIS IyONFU COUNTY
A dispatch from Scranton tells that
Lackawanna county will stand by Col
onel L. A. Watrss and send a solid
delegation OF eight staunch, out and
out regular Republicans to the state
convention in his interest. Considering
the fact that mention has been made Of
another gubernatorial candidate in
that county and that it is also the
home OF Deputy Attorney General
Fleitz, who is one OF the first and
foremost friends OF Attorney General
Bll1in, this speaks well for the strength
and popularity Of Colonel Watres in
his home county II would not be the
least surprising if, in view Of the con-
ditions | have merely hinted at, the
Lackawanna delegation should be d.
vided but l am assured that It is a
unit for Colonel Watres, and, in the
classic language Of the conventions,
will vote for him FIRST, last and all the
time Through all the Kaleidoscope
vicissitudes OF the past few weeks
with their magic lantern presentation
| of one candidate now and then another,
the candidacy of Colonel Watres has
maintained its equipoise in a manner
entirely satisfactory to his numerous
friends 1t has shone with the
/ strength and steadiness Of a search
I light, and has grown in favor through
/ out the state with thoughtful, earnest
consistent Republicans, who are anx-
ious to have as the standard bearer
this year man who will unite and
not disintegrate the party. The need
| OF such man Is plainly apparent in
the protest Of Lawrence county against
Attorney General Elkin's nomination.
In voicing this protest the leaders,
while admitting the good qualities Of
Mr.. Elkin, declare that he is unpopular
with the rank and file OF the party in
that county. A like condition prevails
in other sections Of the state. do not
believe that the condition Of feeling
here described is directed against Mr.
Elkin personally, but against his envi-
ronment and what II represents.
PEOPLE DREAD THE RIPPER
CROWD.
The radical and evolutionary nature
Of the ripper legislation passed at the
last session of the legislature, and ap-
piled withall it's despotic and drastic Sc
verify ever since in Pittsburg and else
where, has made Republicans appre-
hensivs Of the Harrisburg machine. It
is true the ripper act applies only to
three cities of Pennsylvania, namely
Pittsburg, Allegheny and Scranton, and
that 1t does not thus far affect any
other portion of the state; but it is
also true that its obnoxious provisions
can with equal impunity be extended
to the entire commonwealth provided
a legislature can be elected corrupt
enough to pass IT, and a governor con-
scienceless enough to give it his ap-
proval. do not think there is a par
allel anywhere in modern legislation
for the high-handed work OF the ripper
act. It not only wiped out the tradi-
tional and time-honorsd office OF
mayor, substituting therefor a recorder
as chief executive officer Of the cities
named, but It also ripped out" the
mayors before the expiration Of the
terms for which they had been elect
ed, and extended the term Of the re-
eorders succeeding them for one year
beyond the time at which the people
would choose their chief civic officers
in the absence Of such legislation. The
wonder Of wonders is that the supreme
court upheld the copstitutionality OF
this act. The fact that the court did
so, however, simply shows the people
that they should guard well and use
wisely the powers they possess in
their own hands, and choose as their
governors and legislators only such
men az they have entire confidence in
1t is the ripper experience that is
making the Republicans Of Pennsylva-
mia more careful this year than they
have been for a long time in the selec-
tion of their candidates, and this It is
too, that has aroused such deep re-
sentiment throughout the state agains'
The Harrisburg machine. The wonder
is that this machine having gone tc