Democratic watchman. (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1855-1940, October 25, 1889, Image 4

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    Terms, $2.00 a Year, in Advance.
Bellefonte, Pa., October 25, 1889.
P. GRAY MEEK, - - - Ebprror.
Democratic State Ticket.
FOR TREASURER,
EDMUND A. BIGLER,
OF CLEARFIELD.
Democratic County Ticket.
For Associate Judge— THOS. F. RILEY.
For Prethonotary—L. A. SCHAEFFER.
For District Attorney=—J. C. MEYER.
For ‘County Surveyor—GEO. D. JOHNSON.
For Coronor—Dr. JAMES W. NEFF.
Premeditated Slaughter.
BiLLy GRAY isn’t being used right
by his party manipulators. It is true
they didn’t entertain a hope of electing
‘a District Attorney, but since they al-
lowed him to go on the ticket they
shouldn’t be so mean as to cut him for
the benefit of FLEMING. Sometimes, to
serve other purposes, it is convenient
to have a stalking-horse, and it looks
as if WiLLiAM is being put to that use.
To get control of the principal office
connected with the court is bigger game
for the Bellefonte Republican ring
than to elect a Prosecuting Attorney.
In addition to his political schemes
Boss Hasrines has his legal schemes
that would be greatly advanced by
having a man at his command at the
fountain head of legal proceedings. The
other fellows in the ring would also be
advantaged by having hold ofthe wires
connected with the principal court of-
fice. They all appreciate the benefit it
would be to the entire gang and are
willing to sacrifice anything just now
to get FLEMING placed where he could
do them so much good.
GRAY is of no account in their calcu-
lation of chances, and will be traded off’
if the ringsters can find anybody to
dicker with. But it isn’t likely that
they will find any Democrats to assist
them in cutting WiLLiam’s unsophisti-
cated throttle for the purpose of bring-
ing the Prothonotary’s office under the
control of a set of huckstering politi-
cians.
A Popular Candidate Who is Sure of
A Very Large Vote.
There is nothing strange in the fact
that everybody expects, and the Re-
publicans admit that Mr. J. C. Meyer,
the Democratic nominee for District
Attorney, will receive an unprecedently
large vote at the coming election. The
reasons are his efficient and faithful
performance of the duties of the office
during the past three year; his uniform
courtesy to all, and the very able man-
ner in which he conducted the import-
ant commonwealth cases that had to
be brought before the court. By his
promptness in preparing his cases he
has saved to the county thousands of
dollars each year since he has been in
office ; by conducting the prosecutions
himself, be has saved the county hun-
dreds of dollars in extra attorney fees,
and by fearlessly doing his dnty under
all circumstances he has shown to the
criminal element that crime is not
to be compromised. or lawlessness cov:
ered up. In fact his opponents
will admit that he has made a
model prosecuting attorney, and for
this very reason every right think-
ing voter in the county will cast a
ballot for his re-election.
If the Democrats get out their
full vote they can carry the county by
the usual majority, and if the same ef:
fort extends throughout the State the
candidate of the Treasury speculators
can be defeated. This should be desir-
able to all classes ot voters in both
State and county, for in the State it
would mean an honest administration
of the Treasury and an end put to the
State money being used for private
speculation, and in the county it would
mean a rebuke to management in the
commisgioners’ office that has already
squandered the surplus that was left in
the treasury by the Democratic board,
and is running the county in debt with
nothing to show for it. Let the full
Democratic vote be got out to effect
these desirable objects.
——Since the visit of chairman
Browx, Jack Dan, Editor FripLee,
and candidates Fueminglland Gray, to
Snow Shoe, last week, there is nobody
out there charging the Republican or-
ganization of this eounty with being in
favor of prohibition. The practical
demonstration that these representa
tives of the “God and morality” party
gave of there ability to “take ’em often-
er and stay up longer” than the best
of the Snow Shoe boys. settled the mat-
ter as to their views on the temper-
ance question, in that section at least.
If our news is correct, their own heads
suffered a ‘good deal more from the ef-
fect of that campaign trip than did the
enemy —the Democracy,
Monopoly.
One of the most deserving candidates
on the Democratic county ticket is
i'momas F. RiLey, the nominee for As-
sociate Judge. He is a citizen who has
always had the confidence and respect
of the community in which Le resides,
and whose integrity has been generally
recognized. His characteristics *well
qualify him for the position of Associ-
ate Judge. Ie is a man of good com-
mon sense, who understands the wants
of the great mass of common people, to
which class he belongs and in whose
interest he would sit on the bench. In
any question coming before the court
ed upon that Judge RiLey would act
with strict regard to justice, with an
honest desire to serve the public inter-
est and to promote the ends of morality
and good order. There is every reason
to believe that, without being fanatical
his earnest endeavor would be to so act
in a judicial capacity as to restrain vice
only because he is a moral man, but
also because as a man of good sense he
knows that the good of society requires
good order and good morals.
There are other reasons why Mr.
RiLey should be elected Associate
Judge.
terest of the county to have the entire
judicial bench under the exclusive con-
trol of one political party. Republi
cans as well as Democrats would be
benefited by preventing such a judicial
monopoly. Republican ring influence
is aiming at complete supremacy in
our Court—it is reaching for the Pro-
thonotary’s office—it would occupy and
hold the entire bench and control the
justice in our county. But thisscheme
of a designing political ring can be de-
feated by the election of Thomas F.
RiLey to the Associate Judgeship, in
connection with Mr, Sc zFFER’s re-clec-
tion as Prothonotary.
Democrats, Use Your Teams!
There is not a townships in the
county but has a dozen or more Demo-
crats who have good teams, and who
would be willing to use them on elec-
tion day in hunting out voters, if they
thought it was necessary for them to
do so to have the party win.
We want to tell them that it is neces-
for them to do so.
the money. In order to give Gen-
Hastings a big boost in his guberna-
tional aspiration, his outside friends
have raised a sum to beadded to that
raised by the local ring to get out the
full Republican vote of the county, in
the hope of carrying it, which fact
would be credited to him, and thus
strengthen his chances for the nomina-
tion next fall. They have the money
already raised and are only waiting to
place it in the proper hands in each
township to bring out every Repnbli-
can vote,
To off-set their money the Democrats
must trust to the devotion and good
work of the Democratic people. We
must have out a FULL voTE and can on-
ly get it out by relying on Democrats
who have teams, to see that every
voter is provided with some way of get-
ting to the polls.
A Democratic horse and buggy, or a
pair of horses and a wagon, used to
advantage on election day, will be of
more effect in winning a Democratic
victory than all the arguments and
speeches and disputes that are indulged
in from one year’s end to another.
FLEMING, Gray and Musser be-
longed to the crowd who last year rep-
resented that if the Republicans got
control of the government labor would
start off on a millennial career of pros-
perity. Plenty of work and two dol-
lars a day, as the result of HARRISON'S
election, was what they bellowed
through the county. In this they
practiced a deliberate fraud. The fact
that times are now tougher for work-
ing people than they were at any peri-
od during the past twenty years, is
proof that they lied, and there is every
reason to believe that they knew they
lied and indulged in such falsehood to
deceive the laboring class of voters.
Are they not showing a vast amount of
people they so shamefully deceived ?
They no doubt chuckled over their de-
ception a year ago, but this year the
working people can have a chance to
chuckle oyer their defeat.
an account of the interest with which
President Harrison the other day
watched a professional rat-catch clean
out the rats that infested the executive
mansion. It may have been a com-
plete jobso far as the four legged vermin
were concerned, but there is an old
two-legged rat, of the Indiana variety,
that the professional overlooked and
which the people in 1892 will run out of
the White House without the aid of fer-
' rets.
The Court Should Not Be a Political |
requiring hisattention it may be depend- |
and immorality. This he would do not |
It would not advance the in- |
legal machinery and the avenues of
sary—and very imperatively necessary .
The Republicans have the offices and |
cheek in now asking for the votes of the !
Now Is The Appointed Time!
| Democrats, you can’t win this fall
. without work.
| Counting on the apathy of the Re
‘publican party is relying upon some-
| thing that may disappoint you terribly.
The way to win is to get the Demo-
| eratic vote to the polls. The way to
get it there is to begin the work NOW,
i See your Democratic neighbor and get
him interested. Ask his assistance,
and between you make all the arrange-
| ments to have every vote in your por-
| tion of the township out early.
If there are any who have no way of
getting out and are not able or inclined
to walk, arrange to haul them out as
early in the day as possible.
If there are any Democratic voters
iin your district away from home, do
what you can to get them back, and in
addition write to the chairman of the
Democratic county committee, giving
their names, the place at which they
vote and where they are at work.
Don’t take it for granted that the
voters will all be home and that all
about you will be at the polls.
Make it your business to see and
KNOW all about them.
Don't go to the polling place your-
self and stand around till night, waiting
for and wandering why, your neighbor
is not out, and then when it is too late
growl about “what might have been
done.”
Make it your business to see that
every vote in your immediate vicinity
iS OUT IN THE MORNING, or to KNOW
positively that they will be out before
the polls close.
Don’t depend upon some one else to
(attend to this. Attend to it YOUR-
| SELF—we mean YOU, who are now
reading this.
If you want to rejoice over a victory
; attend to these matters AT ONCE,
A full vote means a rousing Demo-
crotic viclory. A Democratic victory
this f:1l means a complete cleaning out
i of the Republican ringsters about the
Court House next fall and the perma-
| nent success of the Democracy.
| Cows and Candidates.
| Some fellow over the name of ““Demo-
{ cratic Tax-payer”” in the Daily News of
the 23rd., makes an onslaught on the
i Democratic candidate for Prothonotary
: on the ‘cow question,” a question
which properly belongs to the Repub’
i lican town council and which they
: were too cowardly to settle. We know
nothing about what Schaeffer did on the
cow question, whether he voted for or
against the cows having the privilege
to litter up our streets, but we do know
that the cow and her right to be on our
streets had no more bitter and vehe-
ment opponent than Wilson I. Flem-
ing, the Republican candidate for Pro-
thonotary. We don’t say that mn this
he was wrong, but we do say that there
is no use in charging the Democratic
candidate with a thing as wrong when
the Republican candidate openly and
boldly did just what it is alleged
Mr. Schaeffer did. Tt i= our
opinion that Schaeffer did not
express himself on the cow question.
And what difference does it make
whether either of the candidates
voted for or against the cow? Whose
taxes does it effect and what has it to do
with the number of times a faithful,
competent and honest official should
be elected ? Does not the Democratic
voter know that it has been cus-
tomary from time immemorial for the
Democratic party to gives its Register,
Recorder, Prothonotary and District
Attorney two terms? And does he not
know that it is almost impossible for
a man to fill the Prothonotary’s office
without some previous training by serv-
ing as clerk in the office? For years
the Prothonotary has served a long
period of clerkship before his election.
Mr. Williams served under Lipton,
Mr. Harper under Williams, Mr.
Schaeffer under Harper, and when Mr.
Brett, who had no experince, was
elected, it was impossible for hin to
perform the duties of the office, and to
help him he hired Mr.Schaeffer who al-
ready understood the run and duties of
the office. And for the very reason that
1t is the custom of our party to re-elect
the officer mentioned,and the experience
the incumbent pow has, itis infinite:
ly better that Schaeffer should be re
elected than a new and inexperienced
man, with scarcely capacity enough to
run the tailoring business, should be
made Prothonotary, cow or no cow, *
Don’t Yer See?
Dayton Workman.
The “Iron Moulders’ Journal” says :
, “In New York 50,000 persons walk the
| streets at night for want of a home, and
'as many more are not sure of there
breakfast. This is rather a bad state of
affairs in a country so large that there
is plenty of room for all to have a home
| and something to eat.” Protection fills
‘the dinner pail, don’t yer see! A few
years more of protection and the num-
ber will be increased to 100,000. Pro-
tection is mighty —to make tramps and
millionaires.
Why Edmund A. Bigler Should Be State
Treasurer.
Letter from Ex-Senator H. J. Humes.
Mr. Bigler was pledged by the state
convention, and has given his word that
he will faithfully execute the provisions
of the act of June 6, 1883. Henry K.
Boyer has given no such pledge and his
party now in power is flagrantly violat-
ing that law, both in spirit and letter by
giving ‘the state treasury ring banks’
the interest on public funds.
After the passage of the act of June 6,
1883, Governor Pattison was obliged to
resort to the courts by mandamus to com-
pel the commissioners of the sinking
fund to obey the law. The law was
treated as a nullity till 1884. But let us
hold Governor Pattison responsible for
its execution for three years and five
months, and compare that term with the
one year and eleven months of Gover.
nor Beaver’s administration as appears
by the state treasurer’s sworn report.
From the passage of the law of June
6, 1883, to December 31, 1886, Governor
Pattison compelled the investment of
$4,300,000 in United States bonds costing
$5,805,837. These bonds would have
earned by February 1, 1892, when the
first state bonds fall due, $1,238,745 in-
terest. He also compelled the purchase
ot $1,901,500 state bonds, costing $2,236,-
624, saving in interest by February 1,
1892, $609,117, or a total saving of $1,
947,862 by February 1, 1892 when the
first state bonds fall due. The total in-
vestment by Governor Pattison in state
and United States bonds was $7,542,-
479.
In one year and eleven months Gov-
ernor Beaver invested in no United
States bonds and only $2,211,
308, thus 1n state bonds sav-
ing for thestate by February 1¢ 1892,
$460,629. But he sold United States
bonds purchased by Governor Pattison
in December 1887, and January, 1888,
$1,000,000, thus losing for the state by
February, 1892, $165,333 in interest.
This loss v.hen deducted from Beaver’s
gains, leaves a total net gain for Beaver
for one year and eleven months of $295-
296. That Beaver could have done
much better for the state had he not
feared the treasury ring more than he
loved the people, is clearly proved.
‘When Governor Pattison’s term ex-
pired there was cash in the sinking fund
—$958,923. By July 31, 1889, Gover-
nor Beaver, by refusing to invest in
United States bonds and in state bonds,
to a limited extent, had increased the
sinking fund money to $2,716,000.
Had Governor Beaver compelled the ing
vestment of this money in state bonds he
would have saved for the people at least
$320,000 more. But let the people re-
member, this $2,716,000 is loaned to the
‘state treasury ring banks’ under the
guise of a deposit, and by such banks
loaned to the people at .07 and .08 per
cent. interest, thus enabling such banks
to make at least $700,000 out of the peo-
ple’smoney. To recapitulate:
Pattison invested..................
$7,542,479
Beaver invested.. os 2211008
Pattison saved . ... 1,847,862
Beaver saved 295,296
This is thedifterence between Governor
Pattison, who served the people fur three
years and five months, and Governor
Beaver, who served the bosses for one
year and eleven months.
Edmund A. Bigler will serve the peo-
ple as did Governor Pattison. Henry K.
Boyer will serve the bosses as does Gov-
ernor Beaver. Let the people vote for
Bigler and serve themselves, or vote for
Boyer and make money for the State
treasury ring. H. J. Humes.
A Bloody Feud Ended.
Tolliver-Martin Marriage Bells in Kenw
tucky.
LexiNaron, Ky., Oct. 19.—An event
of national interest occurred this morn-
ing at Pine Spring, in Rowan county,
made notor'ous by the many murders
committed in the feud between the Mar-
tins and Tollivers. The contracting par-
ties were Grace Martin, the daughter of
the king of that faction, and Frank Tol-
liver, the brother of the Tolliver leader.
The ceremony occurred at 8 o'clock, and
all the members of the two factions
were present.
Over two hundred persons were pre-
sent, and the greatest cordiality pre-
vailed. Men who had shot at each oth-
er from behind trees and in the open
ground shook hands with each other for
the first time in life, and mountain wom-
en talked with neighbors whom from ba-
byhood they had shunned as they would
a snake. “Mountain Dew” was abund-
ant, but not a cross word was spoken.
The couple were married by Squire An-
drews. The bride is a pretty giil of 22,
and the groom is but a year older. The
wedding dinner was a sight. Whole
roast hogs and calves, cakes that would
be strangers at Delmonico’s, fruit and
spreads’ made the table groan.
At the conclusion of the day each side
swore by the newly married couple to
forever live in peace hereafter, and thus
ends a feud that cost half a hundred
lives, resulted in enormous costs, and
kept the State uneasy for years.
The famous Rowan county war be-
tween the Tollivers and Martins began
actively in 1880, by the killing of a Tol-
liver by a Martin in an election quarrel.
Martin was arrested and taken to Mount
Sterling, where a bogus order was pre-
sented for his removal to the Moorhead
jail. He was put on a C. aad O. train,
and when Farmer’s Station was reached
he was taken off and deliberately shot by
a band of Tollivers.
At the next election the Martins car-
ried the day, and the Martin faction un-
dertook to clean out the Tollivers,
fought a pitched battle with them and
were victorious. Later on the fortunes
were reversed and the Tollivers reigned.
A few years ago Craig Tolliver was
elected Police Judge of Moorhead, and
after that had complete mastery of the
town. There were many indictments
against Tolliver for various crimes, yet
so terrified were the people that they al-
lowed Tolliver to hold office and exer-
cise the rights ot that office. After the
election of Tolliver to the office of P.:lice
Judge three citizens were comp-lled to
flee from Moorhead. Their lives, their
fortunes, their homes, sons, daughters,
and wives were in danger. In the elec-
tion Tolliver received only 20 votes,
but was elected. People who were
against him were afraid to go to the
polls.
Immediately after taking possession of
his office he issued warrants for the ar-
rest of William Logan and his brother
John, aged 18, charged with Ku-Klux-
ing. Warrants were placed in the hands
of Marshal Mannin to serve. Mannin
and Tolliver and a posse went tothe Lo-
gan house. Mannin forced his way in-
to the house and up-stairs. Immediate-
ly the Logan boys opened fire, killing
him instantly. But as soon as the two
boys made their appearance the posse
opened fire upon them. When the
smoke cleared away the Logan boys lay
dead. The two men who formed the
posse returned to Moorhead and gave
themselves up, but were never punished.
A dozen other battles followed, until at
last the Logans and Martins combined
and either killed or drove off all the old-
er Tollivers.
Since then the killings have been iso-
lated, though frequent. The present re-
formation is largely due to a big revival
held in the town of Moorhead last year,
led bya Methodist evangelist named
Catem.
Craig Tolliver, the chief of the Tolli-
ver faction, was killed last year in one
of the notorious encounters which grew
out of the Rowan county feud. He
fought desperately, but was finally cor-
nered and died in his boots after having
shot down several of his pursuers.
Since his death there has been a lull in
the factional warfare which has distract-
the county for so many years. He was
a man of desperate courage and un-
bounded self-control ard nerve. Dur-
ing his career he issaid to have killed
ten men.
Treasury Reform.
Why Reform in the State Treasury is
Needed, and why the Election of
Edmund A. Bigler Will Pro-
mote it.
1. Because under Republican rule
taxation has largely exceeded the needs
of the State, and vast sums of money
have improvidently gathered into the
Treasury vaults.
2 Because Republican officials have
failed to use or invest these moneys as
the law dirzets, and the State has lost a
large sum, amounting to nearly one
quarter of a millions dollars in two years.
3 Because at the command of a po-
litical boss, these surplus funds of the
State are deposited with favorite banks,
corporations and firms, in sums ranging
from ten thousand to six hundred thou-
sand dollars, to be used for his private
gain.
4. Because, in these transactions, the
State has only. one-half million dollars
security for more than two and one-half
million dollars thus deposited.
5. Because, with more than one mil-
lion and a half of uninvested surplus in
the Sinking Fund and no loans due or
reimbursable, the Republican Sinking
Fund Commissioners (of whom a Re-
publican State Treasurer was one) sold
a million of United States bonds that
were earning t four per cent. interest for
the State, and added the proceeds to the
already swollen Treasury.
6. Because, not counting the proceeds
of these Government bonds, which were
sold at less than market rate, and after
these Republican officials had purchased
eight hundred and two thousand dollars
worth (par) of undue State loans at a
price above the then market rate, there
remained in the Treasury over a million
dollars in CASH.
7. Because the Republican majority
in the Legislature refused to stop this
flow into the Sinking Fund when it was
shown to be enormously greater than
the requirements of said fund.
8. Because the Sinking Fund Com-
missioners, to-wit : C. W. Stone, Secre-
tary of State ; Thomas McCamant, Au-
ditor General, and W. B. Hart, State
Treasurer, are all Republicans ; and it
would be for the best interests of all the
people that the taxpayers, half a million
at least in number, who have named
Edmund A. Bigler for State Treasurer,
should be represented, (in obedience to
the well established principle of MI-
NORITY REPRESENTATION,) in
the management of the moneys belong-
ing toall the people.
9. Because the safe-keeping of the
public moneys raised by general taxa-
tion upon the property of the citizens of
all political beliefs, is a matter not of
private but of public concern, and should
not be connected with partisan polities,
and much less be made the personal and
private affair of a factional Boss; and
the election of Mr. Bigler would be a
wise step in the direction of a much
needed reform, to-wit: NON-PARTI-
SAN management of the State Treas-
ury.
Laboring People After Boyer With a
Sharp Stick.
At a meeting of the United Labor
League, held Tussday evening at 8th
and Callowhill streets, Philadelphia,
the following resolutions were passed :
WHEREAS, The United Labor League
at its last stated meeting instructed its
Secretary to communicate with H, K.
Boyer, late Speaker of the Pennsylvania
Legislature, and now candidate for
State Treasurer; asking him to give his
reason for opposing the Australian Bal-
lot measure introduced at the last legis-
lative session: and
‘WHEREAS, Our Secretary has ful-
filled his instructions and has received
no reply, although ample time has
elapsed in which Mr. Boyer might
have replied had he desired ; therefore,
be it
Resolved, That we consider the silence
of Mr. Boyer as evidence of his inability
to give satisfactory reasons for his op-
position to this most just and necessary
political measure.
Resolved, That we consider a secret
and honest electoral system as the first
political consideration of the working-
man, and propose to antagonize all
enemi s of an honest ballot and a fair
count.
Resolved, That we call upon all or-
ganized workingmen in the State of
Pennsylvania to manifest by their votes
on election day their displeasure at Mi-
Boyer’s attitude with regard to the above
mentioned measure.
A U—————
Samuel Bennett, better known as “Sammy,
my Darling.” died at his late residence at San-
dy Ridge, Sunday morning aged about sixty-
one years. Sammy, who resided in Philips-
burg for quite a number of years, was one of
the most jolly, lively and well liked English-
men that ever lived in this place. There
wasnt a man, woman or child who knew him
but that always had a kind word for him, and
when word eame here Monday morning that
Sammy was dead, everybody seemed to re-
gret the sad news,
-~
Southern Republicans Say the ‘Negro
ust Go.”
At Houston, Texas, there is a politi-
cal organization, composed of white fRe-
publicans, which is doing its best to
drive the negroes out of the Kepublican
party. One of its leaders uses the iol-
lowing contemptuous language in refer-
ring to the colored “man and proiher,”
who they say they desire to get rid of
entirely. Ifafter reading this any of our
colored friends vote the Republican
ticket any longer they will deserve all
the abuse they get. Hesays:
“Qur club was organized but a year
ago and it is now numbers 185 members
in this city. Our platform and princi-
ples are not in accord with those of the
Republican party in the North and the
East, where they know nothing about
our race troubles. They want us to
swallow the negro, but we won’t. The
negro has served his purposes long
enough. He has been a great bugaboo
in the politics of the South and all this
cry about intimidation is bush.
“The negro is as free to vote as you or
I are, but he is not reliable. His vote is
forsale, and he votes with the Demo-
crats as often as he does with the Repub-
licans. He should be disfranchised. No
sane white man will claim the negro as
his equal, no matter what party he may
affihate with.
“Just point to a single thing of any
benefit to mankind which the negro has
accomplished. Has he invented the
most trifling tool ? No, sir; in his best
state he is but a semi-civilized barbarian,
and we have organized this white men’s
protective party for the purpose of driv-
ing the colored race out of the Republi-
can party. Our club and the one in Al-
abama form the nucleus of this new po-
litical party, which before another decade
will sweep the South like a whirlwind.
“You see, when we drive the negro
from the Republican ranks he will join
the Democratic hosts, and then the best
men of the Democratic party will come
over to us. With this new era of manu-
facturing going on in the South and the
influx of Northern capital we will build
up a white man’s party on a protection
to American industry platform and
inside of ten years we will see a Repub-
lican South. All the abuse we receive
from the Republican press of the North
not only makes us more determined, but
aids us in securing our desired aims.”
Ballot Reform an Issue.
Philadelphia Record.
There is no Legislature to be elected
thisycar in Pennsylvania and as Ballot
Retoru is only attainable through leg-
islative action the issue will not be sparp-
ly presented for decision ut the polls
next month. Nevertheless, Ballot Re-
form is an issue. The Republican Leg-
islature of Pennsylvania, as at present
constituted, has refused to give it a trial.
The Republican candidate for ‘State
Treasurer is on the record as voting
against it. On the other hand, the La-
bor organizations of the State are heart-
ily in favor of the Australian system of
voting. The Prohibitionists and the
Democrats have indorsed it in their
platform. The Democratic candidate
for State Treasurer is as strongly for
Ballot Reform as his opponent is against
it. Thus it is apparent that, while the
State Treasurer who may be elected
could officially neither greatly hinder
nor advance any proposed change in our
Election laws, the result of the contest
in November will have a strong bearing
tor or against it.
The action of the Convention of the
Democratic Society in adopting a resol-
ution favoring Ballot Reform gives
further accent to the issue, and shows
that the Democratic State Conventivn
fairly represented the desireof the party.
The smooth and satisfactory operations
of the experiment in recent trials in Mon-
tana and Connecticut have converted
doubters into believers in its merit and
fastened attention upon it. A vote for
the Democratic State ticket in Novem-
ber, whileinvolving no important party
result, would be a very ccnvenient
means of giving a preliminary lift to a
reform which, would do wonders in be-
half of better government in Pennsyl-
vania.
The Montana Outrage.
The Republican attempt to steal
Montana takes on an aspect of almost.
unparalleled audacity in the light of the
latest revelations.
For instance, all the judges and clerks
at the election precinct which the Silver
Bow Canvassing Board threw out were
Republicans. The affidavits on which
this high handed action was based were
chiefly those of a Henry Bernard who
was once sentenced to eight years im-
prisonment for murder and served about
half that time. ;
One W. F. Sanders, who wants to go
to the United States Senate, set up the
scheme. He was a Northern Pacific
Attorney and had bought enough nom-
inations of Republicans to have made
his success sure had they been elected.
Victory going the other way he conclud-
ed to try by open and flagrant fraud
what could not be accomplished by votes
at the polls.
It is now stated that the judge before
whom the case of the defrauded Demo-
cratic candidates and voters will come
and who is a Democrat,is to be removed
by President Harrison before the day of
hearing (Nov. 17th) “and a man put in
his stead who will remember his duty to
his party.”
Not all the Republicans of the new
state endorse these outrages. Judge®
Blake, of the Supreme Court, Mayor
Fuller,of Helena, and Congressman elect
Carter, all of whom are Republicans,con-
demn it. Whether their view will be
heeded remains to be scen. Generally,
in such transactions—of which there
have been scores since the war—the voice
of conscience-begotten protest has been
effectually drowned in the hue and cry
of the heelers for the spoils.
The American Wool Reporter
surely doesn’t grind out a protection
tune when it says: “We have the high-
est authority for stating it as the grow-
ing opinion of many of the largest cloth
manufacturers of Philadelphia, as well
as of New England, that they would
rather have four years of free wool with
the risk of free goods at the end of that
time than to have another four years
such as they have passed through since
1884.”
v