Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-08-14

following paragraph from the Cum
berland Times is worth universal
heed:
Within few weeks primary elec-
tions must be held in all the election
districts of this county. There is no
part Of the machinery of politics more
important than the primary and none
SO much neglected. 1t is absurd and
inconsistent for men to stay away from
primary meetings and then find fault
with what is done IN them. 1t is a
poor oA.usc for the absence of any
that "politics is dirty business and
they will have nothing to do with it."
1t is their duty, and privilege to make
it clean business.
Every word true.
1t may be stated in addition that
the primary convention is the place
where political publication must
begin. If good people would have
the stream clean they must see for
themselves that the fountain is
clean. "See for themselves" we say,
because in popular movements of
this nature nothing can be safely left
to others. "England," SAID Lord
Nelson on notable occasion, tex
poets every man to do his duty"
Patriotic lovers of clean politics and
clean administration expect no less.
This injunction is the more COM
manding because, as the Times
continues:
Although there is nothing of which
the average American citizen more
loudly I'D constantly boasts than of
the ;Iective franchise, yet there is
nothing of which he is so careless.
Yet
There is in every community a suf-
| 1icient number of men of intelligence,
rectitude of character and inde-
pendence of thought and action to
entirely oveuule the Objectionable
! element so much complained of, and
10 whom the all-important business of
choosing delegates to nominating con-
ventions is usually left.
But
Strange to say many men who
would not and do not fail to east their
votes on election day, are utterly indif-
ferent to the work of tbs primaries.
1t is frequently said that sat last
the people are always right in their
Judgment Of men and measures. -
We do not know this. But it is GER
tain that if every enfranchised resi-
dent would place correct estimate
upon the value of the primary con-
ventlon by himself attending and
making his sovereignty felt, the peo-
pie would be right in the beginning.
There wouli be no waiting and no
undoing. In fact, in this, as in other
cases involving the performance of
duty, the individuals who make up
the masses will find it better to be
innocent than penitent.
IT is not in our power to speak
judicially of the disagreement of
a plurality of nouns with singular
verbs in the following clipping from
the Oakland Dem0crat:
The humor and fun which bubbles
up from the Frostburg JOURNAL, when
it feels that way. and that is "ever and
anon," is most refreshing. When it
speaks of its defence of the "Howards'
and subsequent acquittal of Col. Ward
well, We almost imagine we can see a
smile-"child-like and bland wrink-
ling the face of that good old journal,
at the ease with which the English
language may be trified with.
Not so with the latest discovery ot
our neighbor, who, sitting upon the
editorial tripod, imagines it sees the
JOURNAL Sin court"
"May it please your Honor" yelled
IA wild western lawyer-editor, "a
smell rat! l see him in the air
Pll nip him in the bud!"
Miss ELLA CARLISLE recently got
II verdict for $4,000 against the
corporation Of Bradford, Pa, fol
being crippled on bad sidewalk.
Should this sort of thing 90 or
rising young cities will find it tc
their interest to remain IN barbarism
That is to say, they will prefer the
mud of the streets to the enormous
liabilities which courts and iuries
are loading upon pavements and side
walks.
But the Town Council of Frost
burg appears to be moving IN the
right direction with reference tt