The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-07-05

sylvania is now passing through 8
trial very much like that it was call
ed to pass through in 1872 Let us
look back at the condition of things
politically, in the last year, when
Hartranft was our candidate for
Governor, with State ticket, in
cluding three candidates for Con-
gressman-at-Large.
From the time the campaign be-
gun, in that year, we had but two
friendly papers in Philadelphia, the
Ecening Bulletin and the North liner
ican. The Press was then bitterly
hostile to Hartrrnft, as it is now
to Beaver, and supported Bucka-
lew actively until election. 1t was
venonous in its hostility, and all
the vile ISLANDERS upon Hartranit,
which then obtained circulation, had
their origin in the columns of that
paper. 1t was, at that time, the
principal morning paper of Phila-
delphia, and it went over all the
railroads, into all the eastern, mid
die and northwestern counties, and
we had not a single daily morning
paper to circulate against it, or to
counteract its influence. The In
quire- was either Indifferent or hos
tile, and the North American had an
almost exclucive mercantile circula-
ton. amounting probably to 1000 a
day, and this was confined to Phila-
delphia. 1t was an excellent paper
but its reputation in the State was
that of heaviness, and it was next to
impossible, as was found on trial, to
get it into circulation in opposition to
the Press.
The Eeening Bulletin was devot-
ed Republican paper, and did us
good service; but it was an evening
paper, and therefore not capable OF
competing with the Press, which had
the field toitself as morning paper.
The consequence was that the par
ty had no means of reaching the
people OF the State, through the
newspaper press, except by forcing
the Bulletin and North american in
to circulation by sending them gra-
tuitously into the several counties
for distribution Practically, the
opposition to Hartraft had the
field to itself, so far as newspapers
were concerned.
The Independent Republicans Of
that year had State Committee of
their own, with A. X. Mcclure as
its Chairman, a roomy and ostenta-
tious headquarters, and a regular
organization throughout the State.
1t had among its active workers
such men as A. G. Curtin, James
X. Moorhead, Thomas NJ. Mar
shall, and various other gentlemen
whose names We're familiar then as
they are IN the same connection
now.
There waa, however, one differ
ence between this Independent
movement of 1872 and that of 1882.
The leaders of 1872 were just as Vi
cious, malignant, malicious and un-
truthful in their opposition to the
regular organization as those of 1882;
but he former. while protesting 10
be Independent were openly and de-
cidedly for the Democrats. State and
National tickets, instead of, as now,
playing into Democratic hands by
running third ticket. They had
the manliness, then to occupy their
true position, as Democrats in dis
guise, and did not try to masquerade
as Reformers by running a thin
ticket for the purpose of promoting
success. The difference is to their
credit for frankness, of the Independ-
ents of ~. Compared with them
the Independent leaders of 'S2 are
political sneaks, trying to do now
by indirection what they then did
directly.
The result of the campaign of 49,
y, glorious as it was, was not appar-
ent or probable until the early Fall.
With all the direct aid that the In
dependents then gave to the Demo-
Gratis, assisted as they were by the
bogus Republican and Independent
papers of Philadelphia, we carried
Hartranft by 30, 900 majority. We
are no worse of, now, than we
were in 1872. We have less to fear
now from third ticket than we had.
then, from the Independent vote
carried over bodily into the Demo-
cratic ranks. Curtin and Mcclure
have since then become Democrats,
as all the Independent leaders otto
day will eventually become. BY
adhering steadfastly to our ticket
we shall triumph, now, rs glorious
ly as we did then. Allthat is need
ed is strong, courageous faith in
the righteousness OF our cause, and
an abiding trust in the good judg-
ment of the people Charlatanry III
politics was failure in 1872, as it
viii be in 1882.
The Bad and Worthless
Are never initiated or couaterjeited.