Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-02-09
POLITICS IN FOSTER.I

EDITOR TRIBUNE Since you have
granted Patrick Gallagher space in your
columns to boom his boiling candidacy
make bold to ask for space to present
the other side. Mr.. Gallagher says:
According to the laws that were to
govern the Democratic convention |
was justly entitled to the nomination."
and continues, IF citizen must be a
trickster and belong to rings not speci-
fled in Democratic rules the sooner he
shows his Democratic principles the
better for all concerned" A stranger
coming among us would naturally con-
clude by reading the above that a grave
wrong had been perpetrated in the
Democratic convention. Now what are
the facts?
Past issues of your paper will show
that Patrick Gallagher and Conrad
Brehm announced themselves as can
didates for tax collector of Foster
township Subject to the decision of
the Democratic nominating conven-
ton" Both men 'seen their friends"
"kissed the babies" and the primary
election demonstrated the fact that Con-
rad Brehm had six independent dele
gates, while Patrick had only five.
must confess, as Democrat, that
know of no laws governing Democratic
conventions that entities minority can
didate to Il nomination, and if any such
law does obtain it, it is undemocratic to
say the least.
Mr.. Galagher's allusion to rings comes
with very bad grace if age and aspira-
tions are taken into consideration. 1t is
simply playing the babyact He is
evidently confused with terms. poit-
ical ring as we understand it, means a
combination of individuals who pool
their political issues with two definite
objects in view. Firstly, to grasp public
power; secondly, to procure public plum
der. This appellation does not apply to
the sixteen delegates who voted for MIR.
Brehm in the Democratic convention
They or their friends are not feeding at
the public crib now; very few of them
have done so in the past, and | think
am right when l say that they are not
begging for office in the immediate fu-
ture. Collectively and Individually they
are good Democrats--the peers of Mr..
Gallagher's men to put it very mildly
who have done as much for the party as
he has. Those men are not owned by
any ring. They are too intelligent to be
led and there is no visible mercenary
motive to influence their action.
This cry of ring is an old one. 1t is
generally used by some "holier than
thou" political pharisees-
who cry mad dog at the other fellow to
hide their own footsteps. 1t does not
apply to the Democratic party in Foster
township. We leave it with our Repub-
lican friends and their Democratic allies.
We must not loose sight of the fact
that there is something more involved in
this contest than the personal interests
of Coney Brehm and Mr.. Gallagher.
The interests of the Democratic party
are involved Boltng the ticket is a
disease that invarlable proves fatal. 1t
is contagious also. and innocent healthy
people are very often inoculated with
the fatal germs that follow in its wake.
Where is the intelligent Democrat in
Foster township who dare assert that
Conrad Brehm has not secured this
nomination honestly and fairlyP Who
dare assert that our German citizens
have treated rightly in the pastp 1t was
the general recognition of this fact that
nominated Mr.. Brehm, and when we
come to consider that he is the only man
of that class on the ticket it behooves
honest Democrats to arise and admins
ter just rebuke to the little band of
political guerillas who are using subtle
methods to induce the party to commit
political suicide.
In conclusion, say again, the germs
that follow in the wake of boiling are
contagious and fatal, and some of them
might be in the air next spring. They
might strike the county candidates also.
In my next letter l will trace cause
from effect for the edification of the
people. DIAGNOSIS.