The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-08-10
REPUBLICAN STATE TICKET.
County Politics.


this county, and clutch in its vice like
grip the county spoils; and points tri-
tumphantly to the fact that some OF
their nominees are old citizens of twenty
five years standing. This is true, and
,only the more humiliating because
true. That such men as Judge Dickin-
,son, Joseph Wilhelm, and Charles
Iuhr-gontlemen who by their many
wears of well-directed effort have all
done their full share toward develop
ing the great natural resources of h'k
,county--and placing her ahead of any
thing in the State of her age, should be
content to receive here and there a
scattering crumb as gift from recent
:importations, whose tender years, make
it impossible for them to help share
these burdens, even if their tender
constitution had been stronger, is what
we might call rather a sublime spectacle
to contemplate. The two nominees for
Judge, as we are credibly informed were
not candidates, and did not know that
their names were upon the slate until
the convention met. But the sagaclous
fellows who hold the cards, know we'll
how to play, and at once saw that In
order to hold the financial centre in the
hollow of their hands, these judicial
crumbs must be distributed .jutltcio,tsy
to some os right and left bowers in the
game. The thing is pretty we'll set ny
perhaps as we'll as it could be-
while it covered all the points it could,
it still had to be treacherous to certain
parties. But this had to be done-it
was absolutely necessary to distribute
these smaller pickinss where they would
contribute most to the central good,
although the "Big Ingin' who was an
article of prime necessity two years ago
when the ring was 10 process of iorma-
,tion, had to be snubbed now; and the
worst mal-content Of that trying period
had to be rendered, with no solicitation
from himself or his friends small
slice to oil up the troubled water in that
direction. From his known character
of independence we wonder at his ac-
centspce of the favor at their hands.
Still as the office is sinecure, the bait
was tempting and human nature after
all IS weak. 1t Is worth something to
have handle to ones name.
We have been trying hard to see why
the tax ridden people should feel under
obligation to support a ticket thus placed
before the public. Whence do these
managers derive the right for instance
to first concea to Ridgway and to St.
Mary's, each candidate for judge, and
then to say to each of these towns who
the man shall be. If the Office be
conceded to Ridgway, and Rldgway
presents her man, why not give it to
the man chosen by the township. Per-
,haps he was not considered competent.
If SO, that might be reasonable extcn-
uatiou, mot a very fattering one to
the people who put him forward. But
that is not the reason. While Judge
Dickinson is an uuexceptionable man,
well qualified and all that, who can say
that Mr.. Houk is not we'll fitted for the
place, and he being the candidate OF
the township, while Judge Dickinson
was not candidate, and probably had
not had thought in that direction, we
ask again why was Mr.. Houk's name
dropped and Judge Dickinson nomi-
mated? The only answer can be, that
Mr., Dickinson was on the slate and Mr..
Houk was not.
We simply desire at present to throw
out these thoughts in relation to the
party management'in in the county, and
will try to find some good reasons to
present hereafter, why the rank and
file of the party should support the
ticket, but at present we can only see
breakers ahead. There is always dan
ger, and ever must be danger in one
man power. Although the present
ticket may be composed of good men
who can tell what the next one may be
And when we contemplate the sudden
and remarkable growth of this Central
Riuc-of its now almost autocratic
power-would it not be we'll to pause
before going further, and for the voters
to ask why it is that they have nc
longer anything to say as to who shai
be their candidates for Office. Let u;
think these things over, and talk more
then hereafter.