Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1902-01-30
POLITICAL.

fOLIllOxtLs
Owing to some of the candidates for
county offices being on the local tickets,
we have been requested to postpone
making any announcements fol- county
Offices until after the February election.
The Republican State Convention has
been fixed for Wednesday, June 18th.
At the second meeting of the Con-
eression Committees in Pittsburg, Sat
urday. nothing was accomplished
The Westmoreland county men pro-
posed the popular vote of the whole dis
trict which the Butler county men
would not agree to; then the Butler
county men proposed the conferee sys-
tenn with each county on an equality,
which the Westmoreland men would
not agree to; then the Westmoreland
men proposed the popular vote in each
county, each nominee to select con-
feree for every 2OO0 Republican votes.
and this the Butler men would not
agree to. and the committee adjourned
without any presage of an agreement
Some twenty years ago. when Butter
county was joined with Mercer and
Crawford counties in a Congressional
district. and the district nomination
was settled by the candidates them
selves through conferees, it was mat
ter of bargain and sale, every time.
One of the Mercer county nominees told
us that the Butler county nominee had
offered him ten thousand dollars for the
district nomination.
Then came our connection with
Beaver, Lawrence and Mercer, and the
fifteen puzzle, with its record of decep-
ton and treachery, and now we are ask
ed to encourage another conferee ar
rangement, and begin the dirty business
all over again.
The popular vote is the only proper
method of making local nominations,
and there is no game in politics that
both factions in party cannot play at,
with the popular vote to bank on.
THE Republican conferees from
Westmoreland and Butler counties will
meet again in Pittsburg Saturday to
try to arrange plan for nominating
candidates for Congress from the
Wesrmoreland-B Butler district The
conferees were unable to decide last
Saturday. Butler county wants on an
equal basis with Westmoreland, which
the Westmoreland, conferees are not
willing to concede and should not. A
county with one hundred thousand
more people is entitled to a larger
representation. It's not our fault that
Butler county has only one-third the
population of our county. But, be-
cause the soap miners have neglected
their opportunities, that is no reason
why we should suffer. Westmoreland
will insist on just distribution OF
Congressional honors. Our conferees
cannot agree to equal representation
without doing gross injustice to their
party and county. Butler has now
man in Congress serving his third
term, while Westmoreland has been
missing from the halls of congress for
four years It's our turn this time and
for several succeeding times and Butler
county will have to "go way back and
sit down. -GreensburgT Tribune-Herald.
State Treasurer-elect Frank g. Harris |
has entered suit in the Common Pleas
Court OF Clearfield county against |
Editor P. Gray Meek of Bellefonte for
frespass and damages not exceeding |
$25 900.
The summons was served upon Meek |
at the Office of Ex-Judge Krebs and duly
accepted. The Centre county editor
had gone over to Clearfield Co. to
consult with his attorneys regarding
the suit brought by Harris, charging
criminal libel and set for trial at the
February quarter sessions. Neither
Meek nor his attorneys were at all sur
prised when the summons was served
They say this action is simply made for
the purpose of bolstering mp the crimi-
nal action.
The plaintiff has not filed his state
ment and nothing can be learned con-
cerning the extent of his damages or
just what they consist Of. The defend
ants attorneys say they wish Harris
had brought the civil action first, as
then they could go into the question OF
character, etc.
The close friends of Harris say the
criminal case against Meek will go to
trial, as there is nothing else to do. A
back-down now on the part of the next
State Treasurer would be construed as q
confession of guilt and would work in
estimable harm to the Stalwart ticket
next fall
The Republican Committee of Wash
ington county met in the county seat,
Tuesday, to canvass the results OF the
two attempts which have been made to
decide upon method of choosing a
candidate from the Twenty-fourth Con-
gressional district by representatives.
of Washington, Beaver and Lawrence
counties The committee was unanim
ous in favor of the popular vote system
or its equivalent, and among the
resolutions passed was the following:
I'VE sincerely deplore the present
condition Of our party In Pennsylvania,
and hope that wise counsel and temper
ate action may avert the disaster which
appears imminent. The prohigacy and
corruption Of the last Legislature. I'M
paralleled in the history of the State.
followed by gigantic political deals
which involve the interests Of great
communities, have 80 aroused public in
dignation and disgust that we believe
party success in the election next No
vember can only be achieved by the
nomination Of candidate for Governor
whose character is above reproach, and
who il In no way responsible for the in
famous record Of the last Legislature
and the high handed and unconstitu
tioral acts Of the present State admin
istration.
WASHINGTON NOTES.
The Senate Chamber was the scene Of
q warm debate on the Philippine tariff
bill, Tuesday afternoon, during which
Senator ReveridOe waa called fo ordar.