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Spurious Presidential Candidates. In every presidentirl election year Pennsylvania Republicans tag their st te delegation to the national convention and tuck tho aggregation snugly away in the vest pocket of their boss, in order that he may manipulate that body as a unit, without con sulting its members individually, in his negotiations with candidates for the nomination who stand a chance to win. Promises of future patronage doubt less have much weight in deciding to whom shall go the Pennsylvania vote in the convention. But in every case the prime object is the defeat, if pos sible, of the candidate believed to stand nearest the plain people, Pennsylvania being the borne of the steel trust and the coal trust. This solidifying arrangement is conveniently managed through instructions to the delegates to vote for their boss, who is, himself, always one of their number, “so long as there is a possibility of his being nominated." No such possibility ever exists, of course, but this is unimportant. The central figure in this quadrennial farce com edy used to be the unspeakable Quay, who perhaps held the record in the “favorite son" endorsement class, with old man Shelby Cullom, of Illinois, and Wm. B. Allison, of lowa, neck and neck for second honors. Quay having gone to his more or less doubtful reward, is this year succeeded in “favorite son ism’’ by Philander C. Knox, late counsel for the United States Steel Corporation, later Attorney General of the United States, through the influence of the same corporation with President McKinley's administration, and now, by the grace of the steel trust, the coal trust and the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, reinforced by the personal mandate of Henry C. Frick, part owner of all these concerns, Knox is a United States Senator from Pennsylvania. In view of these ramifications hedged about Knox, there is small wonder that his “candidacy" is treated as the real article by the press of the country, instead of with the derision it deserves. Cummins, of lowa, has succeeded in spiking the Allison-instruction howitzer; the “system" in Illi nois failed to reform itself by taking Cullom from the “favorite son" pedestal and supplanting him with the cunning Joe Cannon, while Indiana turns up this time with her contribution to the presiden tial impossibilities in the person of Fairbanks. Taken singly, none of these “sons" is apt to cut any figure in the competition for the presidential nomination. But all have a common object in view and will be found aligned and combined in the con vention to defeat the candidate most objectionable to the interests represented by these bogus aspirants. Mr. Travis’ Position In Campaign. A card appears in another column from Robert J. Travis, Esq., calling attention to his candidacy for the nomination to the office of Solicitor-General by the Democratic primary on June 4, next. Mr. Travis’ personal fitness and professional qualifications for the office are unquestioned, and his friends feel entirely confident of victory in the ap proaching primary. Mr. Travis is a graduate of Emory College and of the Law School at the University of Georgia, THE REASON where he also took the post-graduate course in Polit ical Economy. At Emory he took first honors and captured every scholarship medal offered in any de partment. At the University he graduated first in his class. Since his admission so the bar, Mr. Travis has been a very busy man. His practice has extended to practically every branch of the profession, and the experience thereby gained eminently equips him to fulfill the duties of the office to which he aspires. In regard to Mr. Travis' views bearing upon questions now engrossing public attention, it may be unreservedly stated that they contain nothing to, in any way, restrict him in the wise and conscientious performance of the duties of Solicitor-General, lie is determined, if elected, to give his personal attention to each and every case coming into his office and will decline to permit any private practice, in which he may engage, to interfere with this conception of his duty to the people. Mr. Travis will not, it is fur ther asserted, farm out to other attornevs anv cases i • coming before him as Solicitor-General, in the event of his success in the primary. He is also known to be irrevocably opposed to tin* acceptance by a Solic itor-General of what is sometimes called “political practice," that is. cases which would involve his ap pearance, for a money consideration, before Council in behalf of contractors and others desiring that ap propriations shall be put through that body. Mr. Travis is not said to charge that such practice has been in vogue. He simply lets it be known that it shall not obtain if he is given the administration of t he office. Persons conversant with his views declare that Mr. Travis has always been a local optionist.. The fact, however, that the prohibition law as a whole, does not meet with his approbation would not, it is declared, influence Mr. Travis in the dis charge of his duties of Solicitor-General, lie will, if elected, faithfully prosecute ill eases of violation of the prohibition law, whenever proper and adequate evidence is presented of such violation. But he will not inaugurate a spy system as an adjunct to the en forcement of this or any other laws. This much may he stated with the greatest emphasis. Furthermore, Mr. Travis is resolved that while there shall be no laxness shown in the Solicitor-Gen eral’s action, if he is successful in the primary, against law-breakers of any class, or in any degree, he is also determined that no person shall be pun ished until his guilt is proven by proper and ample evidence. This rule will apply in all cases, whether they be transgressions against the prohibition law or against that fixing a penalty for murder. lie will prosecute when it is his duty to do so; In' will see to it that no one is PERSECUTED from his office under any circumstances whatsoever, whether friend or foe. And no case will be permitted by him to go to a jury unless he is convinced that adequate testi mony has been presented to justify such action, stood that it is his position that a Solicitor-General should give the strictest possible personal attention to the duties of his office, and that he should allow no consideration of personal or professional conveni ence or expediency to swerve him from this course. This will be the rule and guide of his conduct should enough of his fellow citizens honor him with their support at the polls. 3