The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-10-30
DEATH OF EX-GOVERNOR R1rNER.


completed until the death Of former chief
magistrate of the Commonwealth is sannnunc.
ed. Joseph Rituer died ON Saturday after
noon last at the residence of n son-in-law, in
the borough of Carlisle, at the extreme age
OF ninety. He was born in the township cf
Alsace, in the county of Bcrks. of German
parentage-of that sturdy, frugal honest
and industrious stock which has contributed
SO largely to the prosperity of this great
State. His early opportunities for educa.
tion were few, being confined to the winter
schools of his neighborhood. Early in life
he removed to the county OF Washington,
and engaged in farming, the occupation in
which he had been reared. Soon after his
removal to Washington county he began
to take an active part in politics, and was
elected by his Democratic neighbors to the
State Legislature. He served in the legisa
ture for number of years, and was chosen
Speaker of the House in the session of 1926
and 1927. As a Speaker he maintained a
reputation for promptness and fairness in
his decisions and impartiality in the or
ganization of the committees of the body
over which he presided.
In 1927 he was appointed BY President
Adams one of the Visitors to Yves. p,int
|. a failure to obtain new nomination for
the Legislature at the hands of the Demo.
Gratis, compelled him to retire for few
years from public life.
In 1929 Joseph Ritnor was nominated
for Governor by the rising faction af anti
Masons, at the head of whom was Thaddeus
Stevens. In this contest, his vote was
small. lie was again nominated against
George Wolf by the anti. NIasors in 1882.
and although defeated, the heavy vote
which he received gave evidence of popu.
larity and strength among the people beyond
that of the faction to which he belonged,
Divisions among the Democrats in 1885.
enabled Ritner to crafty his long. cherished
ambition of becoming Governor. There
were two Democratic candidates in the field,
George Wolf and Henry A. Muhlenburg,
and between them Ri:ner slipped in.
During his administration the great system
OF Public Works inaugurated BY Governor
Wolf was continued. Some extravacant
railroad schemes were started, among them
the notorious Tape Worm road in Adams
county, the ruined culverts Of which are
sill! to Ie seen. Thomas II. Burrowcs now
President u tie State \ Agricultural College,
was Ritner's ecc-etary of State; James
Todd, Fayctto county, waa the Attorney
General, and Thaddens Stevens, member
OF the Canal Board, was the leader of the
administration. The large appropriations
OF the public money, and what was deemed
its reckless and wastciul expenditure in en-
terpri'es of no benefit to the people, made !
the administration of RtDer extremely
unpopular. When presented for re.clcc-
ton, he was defeated by David R. Porter
by an immense majority At this election
Tor the first time in the political history of
theCommonwealth, the most corrupt prac
tices were resortcd to insure success. The !
Canal Board raised from contractors and
others employed on the Public Works what
rhaddens Stevens irreverently called
Missionary Fund to be employed in cleo.
lions, and the returns of the votes at Mil, |
lerstown in Adams county, and other places
showed capacity for fraud in that early !
day which might well excite envy in the
'reast of a Covode. In the midst of the
storm raised by the attempt to defeat the
will of the people in the elections in 1888. ,
the administration Of Ritner closed. The
lawfully chosen representatives were admit. |
ted to their seats and tie Buckshot War
ended without the shedding of blood. /
On retiring from Office, Governor Ritner
purchased a farm in Cumberland county. on |
which he continued to reside almost to the
day OF his death. lie neYcr again cmcr.ed |
from private lite, though lie made one or
two unsuccessful attempts to obtain Office. |
lie WAS an applicant for the Tcasurership |
IF the Mint, under President Taylor, but,
being disappointed, he was never again
heard OF in politics.
Though he was the object of much de,
ouncistion and ridiculo while Governor, yet
lie was man of considerable intellect and |
orce of character. Although violent
PARTISAN, some OF the worst acts of his adj .