The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-05-13

THE time for the Republican pri-
mary elections has been fixed, and
the announcement Of candidates for
the different local Offices has COM
menced through the columns Of this
paper. There is not likely TO be n
dearth Of candidates to select from,
and as therefore voters will not be re-
stricted in their choice, it may reason
ably be hoped that a good ticket will
be placed in the field. BY good
ticket we do not mean merely a ticket
composed of good, honest worthy
men. such as doubtless the candidates
all will be, but good men in an intel
lgent, competent business point OF
view. For legislators-now that
mere local Legislation is prohibited
there should be selected men with
breadth and compass of views suiii-
cient TO embrace the wants and inter-
ests of the Commonwealth and with
the perception, intelligence and force
necessary to guard against and CON-
bat the constant and combined efforts
that will be put forth by members
from the cities, to enact legislation OF
a merely local character and benefit
through the medium of general laws.
Hereafter all legislation must be CON-
prehensiye and general, looking SOLE
IL TO the greatest interests of the
largest number, and the mere local
politician whose vision does not ex-
tend beyond the wants, necessities or
Interests of his immediate locality,
he he never so honest and worthy, is
uot fitted to help frame and enact laws
for this mighty Commonwealth.
For County ofiieers-especially for
Commissioners and Auditors We
should have men honest and upright,
careful Of the peoples interests, eco
nonomical but not penuriOus, and OF
such business habits and capacity as
TO enable them to intelligentlv dis.
charge the duties of their Offices with.
out being entirely dependent upon
their clerks for the accuracy of their
accounts, as has sometimes hereto
fore been the case with incumbents
Of these Offices. We should have
honest, competent, business men in
these positions, not merely good wOr
thy men, without business quali6ca
tons. The interests of the county
are enlarging daily, the monies lev
led, collected, disbursed, and accoun
ted for are yearly increasing il
amount, and we 60 on habitually anC
thoughtlessly voting for men because
they are sound on the goose
"good fellows" thrifty farmers,
&c, &c.,-whom we would not Sc
lect as administrators of our smal
personal property-to take charge o
and administer, and audit the larg'
financial affairs OF our rapidly i'm
proving county.
In our judgment there is larg'
room for Improvement and reforma
ton in these matters, and the powe
is solely in the hands of the voters
We make no reflections upon official
present ol past, We have no especia
candidates in view, and advocate tn
claims Of none for nomination, bu
believing that for each and all tn
Offices for which candidates are to b
nominated at the coming election
there will be an abundance Of mate
rial from which TO choose, we urg
upon the voters-all other things bein
equal-to look to qualifications an
business capacity in making their Sc
lections. In week or two the can
didates will all be before the people
Opportunity will then be given to Sc
lect from the mass, and as a nomina
tion isalmost equivalent TO an election
the Importance and duty Of choosing
Alright, devolves upon the voters q
the primary election. All We hav'
TO say TO the voters is-choose wisel,
and choose well