The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-10-25
Fert5g as a U-orh5ngmoa


workingmen, about the propriety OF elect
ing woIkingmen to Office, and about the
necessity OF legislation in the interest OF
wcrtingmen. 1t does not often happen
that this kind of talk takes form IN the
nomination 10y any party of worklngman
for an Office of dignity or Importance. lbe
Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Gov
eruOr, John Feriig. is, however, an excep-
tion to this rule of exclusion. He is
workingman born ard bred, and besides,
more distinctly than any other candidate
upon either ticket, represents the right
side of the most considerable issue 10 be
determined by the people of Pennsylvania
at the coming election. Eighteen years
ago, on the discovery of petroleum in We
mango county, be began the business OK
sinking wells without any other capital
than an energetic chars cter aud willing
hands. The rude method of drilling wells
by manual labor before steam power was
called in to assist the operation was exceed
ingly tOilSOme d: but from sUch beginning
Mr.. Fertig worked his way to a competence.
He has been identified with the production
of petroleum from 1860 till this time, but
he has never had any connection With the
various corporate schemes devised to rob
the people OF the oil country by turning
their legitimate profits into tho hands OF
spectators. He is still an OIL producer,
and in fun sympathy with the outraged
the city Of Titusvii'e, which, after tile dis
astrous check which fell upon the growth
of the oil trade in 1855 struggled hope
lCssly with heavy muuicipa! Indebtedness.
When the credit Of the city was at Its low
est ebb Mr. Fertig was elected Mayor. At
his instance such measures we're devised
that the city was not only enabled to pay
its curren. Indebtedness but to negotiate its
loans at a lower rate of interest aud re.es-
Tgh1 fc1 Z
elected for three successive terms to ;he
mayOralty. He was afterward pitched
upon by his party as their candidate for
Senator, IN county polling a large Re
publican majority, and such was his pOpu-
laIity that he was elected over strong
competitor In the Legislature he at once
took rank as an able and trustworthy man.
The oil region had never before sent a rep
resentative to Harrisburg who was able TO
get hearing. Before the expiration of
his term Senator FertiC had made himself
known throughout tie State as the cham
pIOn of a cause, as a State Senator who had
some other business at Harrisburg than TO
draw his salary and 60 home again. Main
y through hIs exeTtiOns the people Of
Pennsylvania have come to understand the
grievances under which men tabor who
have maIkeiable stutfs on hand which they
are not allowed to dispose Of without tram
mels and hiUdTanceS devised to eat up their
profits. Because of Mr.. Fertg's special
Identification with the pipe line coutrover-
sy and the freight discrimination bin lie
was put on the Democratic ticket for Lieu
tenant Governor, his party rightly Judging
that such a domination would be eminent
ly polite. His record in the Senate is per
fectly clean and clear. None of the cut
rageOus measures which disgrace the statute
book ever received his sanction. He voted
against the Recorder BILL against the Bank
Examiner bill and all the vicious legisla-
tion intended to add to the popular bur
dens or evaGe proper constitutional restric-
ions. The raucOr of the partisan press has
failed to find \ weak spot in the public or
private relations Of John Fertig. lie Is a
candidate whom workingmen may apprO-
priately honor, for he houOrs them.
II there are positive reasons for support.
ing John Fertig growing out Of his good
character aud just preteuSinus, there are
also strong reasons of ar incidental charaC
ter. lie is a native Of the State Of Penn
sylvania, of good German stock. Ills op
ponent Is = Massachusetts carpet bagger
Mr.. Fe!tiE Is wOrkiugmau and has nC
. other profession. His opponent is an AZ
t0ruey. Both are identified with tht
struggle Of the oil producers, because botl
represented in the Senate oil region con
stitueucies. But Mr.. Fertig is an oil pIo
Gucer, while his opponent is a locker on
>
as opposite the poles. M Fcytig vote,
; against the Recorder bill. Mr. Stone vote,
' for it. Mr., Ferlig rallied nearly the fu
= strength Of his party to the support q
: measures calculated to relieve the disabil
i ties of ;he oil producers NJ. Stone coul
J. only control his own vote. Nj. Stone rer
e reseuts on the Republican ticket a caus
II his party repudidates. Mr.. FeItiE repre-
n seuts q cause his party distinctly sustains
., Mr. Fcrtig has proven himself The rrieu
J.. of the solid interests Of the city Of PhiIs
e delpha 10y trying to save it from its ov
; CoImorauts- Nr. Stone in the Seua7e CAV
= his constant aid To the unconstitutional an
e disastrous legislation devised for the Pun
=. pose of fiepciug the people OF this CITY.
o the worNingmen of Philadelphia and OF n
SO State at large wish to make q -demonStrs
y, tiou in favor of worliugmen. here is a
t= opportunity afforded them. If they fail :
-e avail themselves Of it the fault viii NOT Ii
+ with The RECORD, which seeks To be the
C. faithful adviser. -FhjIt. Record.
re A strange wedding took place O
L. = -.