Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-16
THE QUAY INFLUENCE
u Is a Tradition Now to the New Gen.
eratlon--When Dick Quay Made
a Lieutenant Governor.
A "Reminiscences
BY GEORGE NOx MCCAIN
ON RARE occasions Richard r. epic

from western Pennsylvania to the Chicago
convention. Oddly enough, he was for Sena-
tor johnson and against Governor Sproul
for the nomination. ..' ...
influence did not carry very far. One rea
sou. u"tha"". was that the magic of his
fathers name has ceased to be q talisman in
Pennsylvania. --
The old Quay guard is rapidly disappear
ing. To the younger generation of politicians
Matthew Stanley Quay is "A tradition.
DUT Dick Quay. not alone because he was
- his fathers son. but because he had
thirty years ago. certain aptitude for poi :
tics, once nominated and elected Lieutenant
Governor. 1t is an episode that hds been
forgotten think. even by the survivors Of
the poIiti"a' cont" rs of those days. '
General Daniel II. Hastings had been dc.
feated by Senator Quay'ss influence for the
gubernatorial nomination in 1890. It was
handed over to George w. Delamater BY
Quay in the face of big party protest.
In the ensuing election Delamater was de-
feated by Robert Il. Pattison.
Hastings maintained a strong party or
gnnization during the ensuing four years.
when he was again candidate for nomnn.
tion. won it and was elected Governor.
There was an interesting struggle for sec
ond place on the Hastings ticket. It was
the state.
The leading candidates were Senator Wal
ter Lyon, Of Allegheny, and former Senator
John Il. Robinson, of Delaware county. It
was one end of the state against the other.
Dick Quay, who had been member of the
House when Walter Lyon was in the Senate
was a warm personal friend Of the Pittsburgh
man.
Robinson was counting on the support Of
l,,N Co. Al.
Quay side stepped and Robinson was left to
his own resources.
According to John -. Robinson. Quay
gave him the excuse that he was pledged to
George Handy Smith, of Philadelphia. for
Lieutenant Governor, and could not shift
his position.
T HAD more than an ordinary interest in
i this contest for second place. I knew
both Lyon and Robinson intimately.
John Il. Robinson. the grandson of old
General Robinson. was born within three
squares of where | spent my early childhood.
Walter Lyon and myself had been members
OF the same literary society when We were
boys.
Dick Quay's influence with his father
doubtless induced the latter to keep hands off
in this fight for the lieutenant governorship
Senator George Handy Smith did not enter
the contest, and Quay was in a position
therefore to back Robinson. He preferred
to remain neutral.
=. JACK noplhson was hSn'er; ne upset
Htn".o' ioii aToprI NAV a'nIu., III ava Maao
county ana as ne nau ah inaulgent mothsr
VINO was nhanrlni'E anic TO assist MN IN
up a fight.
lie was under handicap from the start.
Senator Chris Magcc. Of Pittsburgh. was
in n way committed to Lyons candidacy
from the stnrt CONGRESSMAN George +, Huff,
of Wcstmorcland county. was anxious to be
rcuominatrd for congressman at large, and
nc he md Magcc were warm friends, Magcc
nnr,or. - was lrr Ouny's man that hc miehf
hold the senator in the support of his friend
Huff.
N the bNttl" of Walter Lyon. He had the
inside track from the start. AS it was, Jack
Robinson went to Harrisburg with about 100
delegates scattered over the state
1t was about as vorifcrous delegation
as ever gathered within tho walls Of the
old Harrisburg Opera House. An outsider
would have thought there were 1000 Of them.
II was nt this convention that Attorney
General William !. Schaffcr first came into
prominence as an orator. n reputation he
has maintained justly since then.
Schaffcr nominated John r. Robinson and
Walter McrriCk, of Tioga county, sec
Ondcu H.
The case of Walter Merrick was another
in which n man who was to play conspiru-
Ous part in Republican politics made his
initial bow to state convention.
Mr. Mcrrick aftcrward became United
States naval officer in Philadelphia. and held
the uositiOn under three administrations.
Dick Quay was one too many for Jack
Robinson. Tie made Walter Lyon licutcn-
ant Governor.
1t was a Lieutenant Governor of which he
may we'll have been proud. Lyon was n
clean cut, able official. He went with Quay
in his fight on Governor Hastings. That
was to be expected lie was ruthless in
mcth"d "'h"r y r"cnm" necessary to put
anything through but his personal character
was of the highest and of his ability there
could be no question.
| hn ,nuSn nf WnItpr T.yOn'S nlpctinrY 70