Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1895-11-22


our esteemed Democratic contem-
roraries are having a good deal of
fuss over the election of Judge Smith
as the minority member of the
Superior Court Bench. They very
generally agree that there is enough
that is suspicious in the returns from
some quarters to justify the charge
of fraud and demand an investiga-
ton. One OF them thinks it is the
duty of the chairman Of the Demos
cratic State Committee to go into
the matter.
All this is what should have been
expected when six candidates were
nominated for a place to which but
one could be elected. It was pre-
dicted in these columns at the time
the Democratic State Convention
was held. We have always suppos-
ed that those Democrats who favor
ed the nomination of six candidates
of their party had a desire to create
further dissensiOn and demoraliza-
tion, for nothing else could possibly
result. There were some who pre-
tended to feel that they were making
point against the Governor on
account of his selection Of a Demo>
cratic Judge, but it seems now they
we're setting trap for themselves,
and have been caught in it. There
is nothing in this to call for any
very general expression of popular
sympathy.
Judge Smiths nomination was not
regarded as a formidable one at the
time it was made, but there were
some significant features about it.
which ought to have attracted more
attention than they did. The fact
that no candidate for the nomina-
tion-not even Judge Yerkes, who
lives next door to Philadelphia
ceived anywhere near as many votes
in the Philadelphia delegation as did
Judge Smith should have been pretty
fair notice that Judge Smith had
some influential support in the city
delegation which the other candi-
dates could not command. There
was no natural reason why he should
have been preferred 10y the city del-
eeates. He lives in distant country
and there were several candidates
located much nearer Philadelphia
who, in the natural course of things,
would have been favored. but the
record shows that Judge Smith led
all other candidates in the favor OF
the Philadelphia delegation.
Very likely the same influences
that gave him that excess are to be
credited with much that was done
to run the favorite candidates vote
ahead at the election. That does
not account, however, for the various
suspicious figures upon which some
of the Democratic organs are baseing
allegations of fraud. It would be
impossible TO deny that these returns
DO look suspicious, and we trust that
those who are interested will go to
the bottom and see what is the mat
ter. 1t is useless, however, to call
1pon Chairman Wight, OF the Dem
0cratic State Committee. to do il.
We venture to say that he is entirely
satisfied with the result, and if he
were not he would hardly undertake
to expose frauds committed in be-
half of a Democratic candidate.
though five other Democratic candi-
dates were cheated in the operation.
1t is little wonder so many of
our esteemed Democratic contem
poraries SO fervently wish the SUI
perior Court had never been born.
And yet their party would have had
no trouble whatever if it had shown
a little breadth Of judgment in mak>
ing nominations. Narrow and un>
worthy personal resentment dug the
pit, and there you are.--Er.