The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-03-07
THE ORGANIZATION.



The Citizens party received a severe blow
last night and none but the members of the
party are responsible for it, The trouble
originally started through disappointment Of
Federal office seekers nearly four years ago
and it has been kindled and re-kindled by
them ever since. No opportunity has been
missed by the disappointed one to embarns
and knock down the members Of the party
who defeated them in the struggle for APP
pointments under the old presidency. The
result of this vindictiveness is shown by the
condition Of the Citizens party to day.
Last year the Citizens party had eight
votes in the Borough Council Messrs. James,
Gable, Lamb, VanDusen, Stout, Holman
Hopkins and Amour and the party also had
control of the School Board by a vote of to
IA. There was no possible reason why the
Council should not have been organized as
Citizens body last year, but the water ques-
tion had so wrapped up certain members Of
the party that they became suspicious of all
but themselves and decided to not trust or
deal with any but themselves.
In consequence of this narrow-gauged
bers of the Citizens party got together and
decided to take in three Democratic members
and give Holman Hopkins, Amour and their
friends the freeze ont and upon that basis
all business in connection with the borough
affairs were conducted the past year
And it must also be understood and re-
membered that it was this narrow-gauged
sentiment that led to the nomination and
election of Messrs. Stout and Gable to
Council the latter being reelected, and at
both these elections the Citizens candidates
for School Board were defeated and the
control of that board was turned over to
| Democratic hands.
These are facts established by the public
records Of the past year and no one can
honestly controvert them.
The spring election of 1898 arrived and the
same old warfare was renewed as soon as
John F. Finney declared himself candi-
date for Council in the Second ward, but it
failed in effect and Finney became an Il.
dependent member of Council.
The usual chickering's and chickering's for
re reorganization of Council followed Five of
the old Citizens members showed an in
clination to abandon their narro w-gauged
policy and deal with Finney and sche fly,
the Independents, for reorganization, but
the negotiations fell through. Mr.. Holman
would also have been on hand had a recon
ciliation been effected.
The five referred to, Messrs. Stout, Lamb,
Cable James and Van Dusen, professed to be
anxious to do anything for the sake of har-
mony, but they technically held on to claim
to the chairmanship of Council and nothing
could induce them to relinquish it. The
chairmanship was to them something that
could not be relinquished and it kept the
parties divided.
The five Citizens finally concluded to fol.
low the plan of last year They made over
lures to and secured the cooperation of three
Democratic members-AIessrs. Betteridge,
GafIigan and Dougherty, Gafiigan was
secured because Gable nominated him and
worked for his election to Council in the
Fourth ward. Betterdge was with the five
last year and only needed an invitation
Dougherty was chosen because it was under
stood his sentiments on the water question
were identical with those of the five. The
eight got together Sunday night and made q
slate, whereby the other seven members
Scbeify and Finuey, the Independents in
cluded were left in the cold.
As self preservation is the first law of
nature, the seven frozen out were obliged to
do something. Yesterday afternoon they got
together and consulted grievances. The
consultation lasted several hours, but before
the hour fixed for the organization of Council
expired they agreed upon plan Of operations
and pulled three members of the Sunday
comb bnation-Messrs. Betteridge, Gafigan
and Dougherty-over with them. The rest
is told by the report of the proceedings
attending the organization.
! Now the question arises, "What shall we
do to be saved?" The Citizens party can
f do but one thing. Brace up! Stop crying
over spilled milk, drop foolish ideas, cast Of
? that awful, tired feeling of suspicion look to
the interests of the partys people and by
getting together wipe out old scores, and try
e once more to make united struggle to re.
gain the great losses of the past three years
: Let the sensible men of the party bury the
hatchet and induce others to do likewise
I All is not lost yet but if something as sug,
S gested is not done very soon it will be.