The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-08-03
How Il Looks.

How II Looks.
From our standpoint it looks as
though Elk county had just stepped
upon her political turn-table. She has
been hopelessly under carpet.bag and
ring rule for the past few years, until
the carpet-baggers have become SO ar
-rogant in their demands, and SO expen-
,sive in their habits, that the better class
of old-time Democrats-those who have
sstood the brunt of the battle for years,
show decided symptoms Of revolt-in
fact, begin to feel that they cannot, and
will not, longer submit to such tyranni-
cal dictation. There are two classes of
citizens who should, and we know
many of them do, begin to comprehend
the situation in its true light; and many
of them will, we trust, have indepen-
.dence enough to act upon their convic-
Unconstitutional it is terrible ordeal to
pass through to be styled "malcontent,"
"bolter," renegade" and kindred hard
names, by those who are fattening at
the public crib, and depending upon
this style of argument to keep the
Democracy in the ranks, that the crib
may continue to yield to them its Ius-
.cious nourishment. Of these two
classes, the first is composed Of those
who pay the taxes. 1t is very hard for
them to see where they get their money
back. They know they are taxed
heavily. They see by the annual re-
port published by the Auditors that
there is some $4,000 lying in the treas
.ury. They can't help thinking it costs
a great deal to run this small county.
As the tax collector comes around, they
pay with a shrug and a slight twinge,
and 60 on about their business. But
the collectors come so thick and fast,
and heavy, that every time the patient
feels little sharper pang, until at last
he feels that amputation has become
necessary. This is the first class who
have discovered that something is
wrong. The second class is like unto
the first, only larger. 1t comprises all
the people Of the county regardless OF
party proclivities, except the two or
three favored individuals inside the
magic circle, who dispense the patron
age, mainly to themselves, but throw a
few scattering crumbs to the recipients
of their bounty stationed at useful points
throughout the county. These crumbs
are so meagre that they do not exactly
satisfy these useful hangers on, but are
only sufficient to cause them to lick
aheir chops, and with low, smcthered
.growls, cast longing eyes toward the
grand centre where the selfsatis6ed fel.
lows of the slate and pencil luxuriate
So of this second class it can only be
said that the two or three enjoy perfect
bliss, and are happy. Those who en-
Joy the small pickings are like Colone
Wilcox's Irish-French waiter at the
,Girard House they are only "par-r
th-ly SO, sir-r."
Thinking Democrats can see no rea
sson, now that their party has taken it
@new departure" buried all its dea'
issues, and stepped upon the Republi
can platform, why they should longe'
support out of the public treasury the
Ring and its few favored adherents, fol
the "gOod Of the party" When there
were live issues there may have beer
some reason for wipkiag at corruption o.
bad management in county matters fo
the greater good they expected thei'
party triumph to do the State and Ma
tion. But now that the questions o
State have all been settled up to thi
date, all think it time to begin to loci
after matters nearer home. And it il
going to be done we confidently believe
We expect to have the pleasure OF re
cording in these columns, the eomiae
fall, a total defeat of the Ring and 1t
candidates.