The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-11-02

One Woe Doth Tread Upon Anoth-
er's Heel So Fast They Follow"
The County Commissioners have bad "A
peck OF troable' ever since they entered up
on the work of preparing for the election to
be held next Tnesdsy under the Baker Bal
lot Law. But the past week troubles have
tired so fast one upon another that they may
well have wished Representative Baker and
his law at the bottom OF the sea or the bot
tomless pit. To begin with, when the copy
vas prepared for the printer TO print the
tickets. the name Of George H. Hoek ing, Of
Meyersdale. was inserted as the candidate
for Congress Of the Prohibition party We'd
nesdsy morning when the official certificate
Of nominations from the Office of the Secre-
tary Of the Commonwealth vas received, il
was observed that while the names of John
c. speieher and John c. Rsitz appeared up
on it as the daily nominated candidates Of
the Prohibition party in this county for
Representatives, the name Of Mr. Hooking,
candidate for Congress, was omitted. A tel
egram was Immediately sent to Secretary
Hsrri,y inquiiing tne reason why Mr.. Heck
ings nomination was not certified. a reply
was received stating that there.were no pa
pers Oh fIe in the Seereiary's Office that
would warrant such action.
The sane petition that was forwarded TO
the Secretary Of the Commonwealth asking
that the nominations of Messrs. speicher
and Reilz be certified also asked for the GER
tifioation of Mr. Hooking's name as the can
didste Of the Prohibition party for Congress
in the 20th district.
Blair county alone cast enough votes at
the last general election for the Prohibition
candidates 10 entitle that party to a district
nomination and under the provisions Of the
law setting forth that where any political
psrty which pOlled three per oentum Of the
entire vote may make and certify nomina-
;ioas in any electoral division or district Of
the State, notwithstanding the fact that they
may have polled less than three per cenium
OF the entire vote cast in said district they
were clearly entitled to make nomination.
The probable reason why Mr.. Hocking's
nomination was not certified is because it
was not properly made. If our recollection
is correct Mr. Hooking was nominated by
Prohibition convention held n, Meyersdale,
last April, without the formaiity Of district
conference and without all OF the counties in
the district being represented.
Friday evening, after nearly ali of the Of
ficisl ballots had been pri lted a telegram
was received at the Commissioners and
Sheri1's Offices, signed by A. l.. Tilden, Dep
uty-seeretary OF the Commonwealth, saying
the nomination Of David D. Blauch had
been certified as the candidate for Congress
of the Peoples party. This piece Of infor-
nation had startling effect upon the Com
missioneus and the Sheriff The latter had
just finished posting his official proclama-
ton to the electors OF the county in the last
Of ihirty-nine districts. A fresh lot OF post
ers containing the name Of Mr.. Blauch we're
printed tha. night and Saturday night found
them up in the places occupied the previous
day by The original proclamation. It re-
quiTed prompt action On the part Of the
Sheriff but he performed the work success-
fully. The Commissioners Clerk, Mr.. Wer-
ner, betook himself to Meyersdale and soon
had the Registers press turning ont new lot
of ballot. containing Blauch's name in the
Peoples party column.
Probably the most surprised man in the
district wes Mr.. Biauch when he learned
tha: the powers that be at Harrisburg had
decided that he was to run for Congress.
When the last day expired for filing petit
lions for nominations. it was publicly an
nOunoed that Mr.. Blauch and his friends
had been unsuccessful in their Efforts 10 Sc
cure the requisite number of signers 10 his
petition to have his name printed on the Of
fetal ballot, and since that time i, has been
generally understood that he had abandon
ed the ide. OF becoming a candidate alto
gether.
The official certificate OF Mr.. Blauch's
nomination was not received by the County
Commissioners until Monday morning and
when il did come to hand there was moth
ing on the envelope in which it was enclos-
ed to indicate where il had come from or
where It had been mailed. II is the opin-
ion Of several Of the leading attorneys a. the /
Somerset county bar that Mr.. Blouchs name
was certified too late to appear upon the Of
fetal ballot in accordance with law and that
by reason Of its appearing there the election
in this county will be invalidsied.
The same state Of affairs exists il twenty
TWO other counties in the State, nearly al
ofthem strongly Republican, and it is
matter Of serious doub; whethera majority
Of them can have their ballots printed in
tine to be distributed as the law requires.
Il locks very much as though there was
a conspiracy abroad to defeat the will Of
majority the voters not only Of this Con-
monWealth.