The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-10-07
SIGNS OF REVOLT IN
REPUBLICAN CAMP
Former Speaker McC|aln De-
CIined to Talk For Ticket.
The FAITHFUL alarmed

fled the Lancaster Republicans or
.Appeased the Just Wrath of the
"Red Rose" of That County.
Among the orators of Pennsylvania
who were expected to participate in
the opening Of the Republican cam
paign at Allentown last week Frank
b. McClain, of Lancaster was conspic-
uous. Mr. McClain was speaker of the
house of representatives at Harrisburg
during the session Of 1907 The po-
litical upheaval following the iniquities
of the session Of 1905 had admonishel
the machine managers that it was ne.
cessary to make at least a pretense Of
Improvement. and Mr. McClain was
made speaker as a concession to the
decent element of his party.
Speaker NcClain is known variousiy
as the "Silver-Tonguod Representa-
tive" and the Red Rose of Lancaster"
A man of good impulses and gifted
with oratorical powers of exceptional
merit. he is greatly in demand on the
stump" It was said at the time that
the nomination of J. A. Stober for
state treasurer was more for the pur-
pose of enlisting the active help of
McClain in the campaign than to honor
Stober There is tradition that Ian
casterians hold together under all cir
cumstances, and it was believed that
the nomination of a Lancaster man,
however bad, would guarantee the SER
vices of Mccain.
Events have proved that this eX-
pectation has been disappointed, how
ever. Mr.. McClain was invited to be
the principal orator at the opening
meeting. which is regarded as the
most important of the campaign. That
honor is usually bestowed on Penrose
himself, and it is said that he covets
It. But exigencies this year suggested
hat it be used as a bait for Frank
McClain. But it didn't work. On the
lay of the meeting he failed to appear,
and his absence was explained by a
statement that he had been called to
Pittsburg on unavoidable legal busi-
ness.
AS a matter of fact Mr.. McClain is
not a lawyer and had no legal or any
other kind of business in Pittsburg on
he day of the Allentown meeting. He
wasn't in Pittsburg at all on that day
5ut was quietly pursuing his own al
airs at home, the contemplation Of
he CONSERVATION in Allentown on ac
count of his absence. no doubt, being
considerable source of enjoyment to
lin. The following Harrisburg dis
patch. published in the Philadelphia
record the day after the meeting
lives the real reason for McClain's alb
ience from Allentown:
Harrisburg, Pa, Sept. II.
There is trouble in the Republi-
can political camp-not only trou-
BILE, but revolt. The manner in
which the dictators of the organi-
zation rode rough-shod over the
opponents of John +. Cox for
speaker cf the house and lashed
the friends OF Frank b. McClain,
of Lancaster, may have some ef-
feet on the campaign this year.
1t will be remembered that to
mollify Lancaster county for the
turning down of Mccain the last
Republican state convention nomi-
mated ex-senator Stobor, from
Lancaster county, for state treas
urer. This was not only to mol
lify Lancaster county but to bring
McClain, a plain-spOken man,
back into the fold and secure his
services on the stump. McClain,
however, has not given the least
hint that he is reconciled to the
situation 1t is said that he IS
still smai ting under the punish
ment inflicted on him at the or
ganiZatiOn of the last house when
it departed from a timoimmemor.
ial custom ana refused to give him
a second term as speaker.
Among the speakers announced
for the Republican gath aring near
Allentown today was McClain, but
he was not present McClain was
in Harrisburg yesterday, and told
some of his friends that he did not
propose t. attend the Allentown
meeting today. This IS all the
more significant, as both SissOn,
the candidate for auditor general.
and Stober. of Lancaster, the Re
publican candidate for state treas
urer We're at the meeting and
opened the campaign after a man
ner.
In expressing his determination
not to taEe part in the campaign
the former speaker was very en-
phatic, ami, despite the fact that
his county supplied the candidate
for state reasurer, the Red Rose
of Lancaster" will not lift his
silver.tongucd voice in behalf Of
the ticket this year. And the
question is being asked whether
there are many more like Nc
CLAIM in the state.
President Taft said in his brio