The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-05-01

editor of the Philadelphia
Press than does the writer
of these lines. and no one realizes more
fully how futile u controversy would
be in changing the opinions of either
party to it.
But our friends of the Press have said
that they desire a free, untrammeled
| and vital' expression of preferences by
| the Republican people of Pennsylvania
and we again point out to them and to
all others that in assisting to throttle
such an expression as they seem to be
| doing in the present instance they
| invite the issue of consistency as we'll
| as raise the question of expediency
| Just two candidates for the nomina-
| ton for governor out of the dozens
| mentioned have had the manliness to
submit their claims to open vote at
popular primaries--John =. Elkin and
Louis a. Waitress So far as disclosed,
no others purpose to ask for popular
judgment in advance of the convention.
Thus far 1;lkin has defeated Watres
wherever the issue has been directly
this fact justiiies us in dissenting from
the statement of the Press that Elkin
I. sln, ri ,lnt
favored by the people cannot be elected
by the people but must be stood aside
for an arbitrary selection made in Sc
cret by controllers of federal patron
age, then it would appear that an end
has come to representative govern
ment in foremost American common
wealth. We do not accept this conclu-
sion in advance of the fact. We do not
find justification for the course of the
Philadelphia Press in accepting and
abetting it.
Our contemporary says: "The Press
does not dispute that leaders have un-
dertaken and may undertake to name
governors without reference to the peo-
pie, but the power of the people re-
mains as Il corrective" The PROPOSE
ton of the Press in the present situa-
tion, as we understand it, is that this |
corrective is not to be made use of until |
after the damage has been done. In |
other words it favors the sandhagging |
of the peoples choice by the leaders in |
popular resentment ut the polls. Where
as we, on the other hand, favor the
use of the corrective before the conven-
tion assemblies, so that the choice of
the convention may be the choice of
the people. afterward as we'll as before.
We repeat: "All that the friends of
John p. Elllin want, and this they have
n right to demand. is free field and
no favors: a fair chance to let the ma
jority will of the Republican people
Of Pennsylvania bring itself into play
by the open voting of instructions to
the selected state delegates. If then
their man is outvoted, and it is shown
that he is not the peoples choice, their
lcquiescence will be immediate and
and the effect upon the party
will be without trace of Injurious
ness"
We submit that this is fair and
manly attitude. We contend that IL
spells safety and victory in November.
We assert ana challenge denial that it
s infinitely less blrdened with risl;
han would be the contrary programme
IF throttling free expression of party
preference in will-o'- the wisp pursuit of
nsurgent phantasies conditioned upon
he turning down with scorn of those
who have borne the stress of Republl-
AN battle in Pennsylvania and won
'ictory after victory in the face of mill
ionaire combines, corporate conspra-
les and fusion.