Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-01-07

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Maino is examined AVID the moro
definitely its true character is ascer-
tanned the more certainly ii is found
that ii is only the logical, II not tho
commendable, result Of Republican leg
islation and precedent We repeat
what wo have said before, that il the
Democrats have changed the estab.
lished practice Of tho State, or if they
have perverted the law, or applied one
rulo TO the exclusion of Republican
returns and another TO the acceptance
of results favorable TO the Democracy,
their act is to be condemned. But II
they have impartially followed the
mandates of the law, strictly oboying
its provisions, as they were framed by
Republican legislations, it is not to
their discredit that 1t happens to hit
more Republicans than Democrats, OF
even that 1t changes the political ma.
iority Of the joint assembly and the
ultimate choice of Governor.
We do not believe that fraud ought
to be met by fraud, nor that bad pre-
cedents established by Republicans in
Louisiana and Florida, approved by
their friends in Washington, or even
the examples of arbitrary abuse Of
power in Maine, justify resort by
Democrats TO the same practices. But
it is not for those who have been guilty
of such frauds to complain when they
are outwitted by their own sharp prac-
tices. Tho unskillful engineer should
be silent when he is hoisted by the
petard of his own construction
In this Maine business two things
seem to be conceded, that the State
Council are acting strictly within the
letter of the law, and that they are
enforcing the law regardless of party.
Private letters received by a gentleman
in this city from a relative in Name,
who is thoroughly informed in regard
to It's political affairs, s,very muchillumin
ate our knowledge OF the situation and
strongly confirm the foregoing opinions.
According to this informant the laws,
whose execution by Governor Garcelon
and his Council now gives the Repub-
licsns so much trouble, were all passed
by Republican Legislators and ap-
proved by a Republican Governor, who,
it is to be presumed, thought they
were the salutary and necessary stat
utes. The Republican Governors and
Councils have never hesitated to en-
force them literally against the inter
osts Of the Democracy, For example
A few years ago Democratic State
Senator, named Talbot, was fairly
elected. There was no dispute that be
had majority OF the votes, but owing
to some iniormalities in the returns
several towns favorable to him were
thrown out, while Republican toDn,
,choSe returns had eractiy the same defect,
,oas counted. In other instances Re.
publican returns that were faulty were
counted and thrO,on into the store, 80 that
their irregularity could not be discov.
cred. In another campaign James
Madigan, Democrat, was elected from
Aroostook. Governor Conner and his
Council threw out four Democratic
towns for iniormality, reducing his vote
sufficient to defeat him. But il hap.
pened that his opponent was a non
resident and ineligible. The matter
was submitted by the Returning Board
to the Legislature, with Madigan
counted ont and the citizenship of bis
opponent unsettled. They settled it,
and the defeated, ineligible, nonr resi-
dent Republican was counted in.
For twenty years this sort OF thing
has been going on under the Blaine.
lIamlin dynasty. The laws have been
made and executed solely in Republican
interests. In all this time no Republi.
can has ever lost his seat by it, while
time and again technicalties have been
invoked to unseat fairly elected Demo.
Gratis. The result OF it all has been
that the opposition had their wits
sharpened. This year they were wary
and watchiul. Grown careless by sue.
cess the Republicans were negligent
and erred in making their returns
many of them are informal and they
have fallen into the pit which they
digged for their opponents.
1t is hardly human nature that the
Democrats and Greenbackers should
not heed theiropportunity and embrace
it. 1t may be wrong; it may not be
the spirit of Christian forgiveness. 1t
may be that having suffered for years
from strict enforcement of the law
against them the opposition should
now "let up" and construe the law
liberally TO please and benefit the Re.
publicans. But it is not human natui G
nor political practice.
OF course, a rule that is properly ap.
piled TO one return should be applied
to all, and II the aggregate result
changes the complexion of the majority
it is the fault of the law and not Of the
State Council. Even the equity of Civ.
ing the Republicans control of the
State, by failure to enforce their own
laws, would be more apparent il two
elections had not shown their party to
be in q minority.-Ldnedster htelli.
gencer.
A BACKsET.-The election of Cam.
eron as Chairman of the Radical
| National Committee ia n stab in